Hummer

Hummer

Hummer is the off-road vehicle maker and originally made the Hum-Vee (based on the HMMWV or High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle) for the US military. Hummer was originally owned by AM General (formerly AMC Jeep) and after the publicity generated by the First Gulf War in 1993, civilian demand for the Hum-Vee and a variant, the Snow-Vee took off. AMC continued to generate civilian sales for this ultimate off-road, all-terrain vehicle but General Motors acquired the company in 1998 and continued to build on the civilian sales generated.

GM subsequently introduced two further models, the H1 and H2 while the Hummer was renamed the H1. Sales were significantly affected after the surge in gas prices during recent years and GM suffered from the downturn in the car markets generally. After GM entered into bankruptcy, the Hummer brand was going to be discontinued but a deal has been struck with Chinese company, Sichuan Tengzhong but it is thought the Hummer will continue to be based in the US.

The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle or HMMWV quickly became known as the Hum-Vee and was a military vehicle developed and produced by AM General (formerly AMC Jeep). The Hum-Vee attracted a civilian following but attention was really focused as a consequence of the First Gulf War in 1993 and civilian orders took off with celebrities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger owning several.

Civilian variants of the Hum-Vee were sold as well as one for snow use, the Snow-Vee but it was not until General Motors acquired the company in 1998 that further models were introduced. GM renamed the Hummer, the H1 and launched two further models, the H2 and H3 as they sought to capitalize on the buying trend for larger vehicles during the 1990’s.

The high gas prices of 2007 and 2008 seriously dented the sales of the Hummer and in 2009, General Motors itself filed for bankruptcy protection. The Hummer brand was to be moth-balled but the day after this was announced, it was further announced a deal had been struck with a Chinese company to keep the Hummer name alive. It is thought the company will continue to operate and market Hummers to the US market as well as elsewhere around the world.