Regardless of the consumer often speaking volumes with their purchasing habits, sometimes the transportation sector just can’t let a brand die. One example is the number of owners who have continually tried to re-vamp the Indian Motorcycle line. Another entering a similar realm is the Hummer.
Initially developed by Indiana-based AM General for the Army in 1983 as High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles, or Humvees, the company began working with General Motors to supply an H1 model for consumer use in 1992. The one-two punch of a recession and rising gas prices led to GM ending production in 2006.
AM General continued supplying the vehicles for the Army. And now Detroit-based Mil-Spec Automotive has picked up the H1 gauntlet in the form of the Launch Edition Hummer, which they refer to as a re-envisioned version of the AM General H1.
The new model features a number of exterior features that would make any action movie star from the late 80s and early 90s proud, including a wider body, 20” wheels, overhead light bar, 12,000-pound capacity winch and a hardened aerospace-grade aluminum body.
It also carries a modified GM Duramax 6.6-liter turbodiesel V8 engine tuned to produce 500 horsepower and 1,000 foot-pounds of torque. And it will need every bit of that power to get the 7,000+-pound vehicle to its electronically-limited top speed of 96 mph.
That rough exterior is combined with a James Bond-esque leather interior featuring sound deadening materials and air-suspended seats with heating, cooling and massage functions. There’s also a heated windshield, backup camera, dual USB connections and even four spun-metal cup holders.
And while it’s built for off-road adventures, an air-suspension system means it won’t feel like it.
This latest edition of the Hummer, which is built-to-order in Wichita, Kansas, can be configured in a number of styles, and ranges in price from $219,000 to $290,000, depending on options.
