Hummer is a brand of off-road vehicles sold by General Motors, also known as GM.
The H1 version is based on the military High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle
(HMMWV, or Humvee). The H2 and the H3, were introduced as smaller civilian
market versions.
In most countries, some Hummers are considered to be
trucks, rather than regular SUVs, as they do not meet environmental protection
standards. For example, in New Zealand and Australia, a truck licence is needed
in order to operate some of the heavier models
Hummers were originally
built by AM General Corporation, which was formerly AMC Jeep's General Products
division, in its South Bend, Indiana assembly plant. AM General had planned
to sell a civilian version of the Hum-Vee as far back as the late 1980s. In
1990, two matching white Hum-Vees were driven from London to Beijing over the
rough roads of central Soviet Union. The Hummers made the trip with ease, for they
were built to drive on off-road terrain. The highlights of this journey were
broadcast in the United States on ESPN. This publicity would pale in comparison
to the attention that the HMMWV received for its service in Operation: Desert
Storm the following year. |
