It is the end of an era and we are left with many fond memories of the relatively short but certainly thought provoking existence of a larger than life brand. It’s likely that very few vehicles and brands have insight such controversy, dialogue and passion from lover and haters across the world. This is the story of the giant of sport utility vehicles that took civilian cars where they had never gone before – this is the Hummer’s extraordinary ride.

From not-so-humble roots…

The “Humvee” was initially conceived as a military vehicle in 1979 and was developed under an exclusive contract for the US armed forces by American Motors (AM) General. However, its creators had always envisioned developing a civilian Hummer with unmatched off-road abilities. In 1992, the first Hummer H1 rolled off assembly lines and was made available to the public. While limited in its production numbers, the H1 was loved by enthusiasts – and a car legend was born.

Originally, the H1 was only ever known as the “Hummer” and no other models were produced. However, in 1999, AM General teamed up with the Ford motor giant to develop the Hummer H2, built on a General Motors’ SUV chassis.

A hard and fast ride

When it comes to off-road capabilities, the Hummer’s performance is unrivalled. Quickly after it was first introduced to the market, Team Hummer Racing debuted to show off these cars’ unique capabilities. Hummer lovers were cropping up across the globe, and despite the criticism the vehicles attracted for their exorbitant size and not-so-friendly fuel economy – supporters continued to steadfastly support the brand. A number of celebrities were known to stand by their Hummers, especially Arnold Schwarzenegger throughout his movie career; while the California governor has reportedly ditched his fleet of Hummers out of environmental concerns, he was known to be an avid supporter of the development of a hybrid version. Read the rest of this entry »