Hummer

Hummer is brand of trucks, most recently owned by Motors Liquidation Company (formerly known as General Motors). After General Motors announced its bankruptcy in 2009, the company revealed plans to sell the Hummer brand to the China-based Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company. In early 2010, however, the deal fell through, and it seemed likely that the iconic Hummer brand would be discontinued. The first civilian Hummer – the 1991 Hummer 1 (H1) – was produced by AM General and based on the Humvee military vehicles. After AM General sold the marque to General Motors in 1999, two new models were added to the range – the Hummer 2 (H2) and Hummer 3 (H3). While the H1 and H2 models were large, heavy vehicles with big engines, the smaller H3 was designed more specifically for everyday use. Years before they were available to the general public, Car and Driver magazine named Hummers as the best vehicles to own in New York City because of their ability to handle uneven terrain. General Motors made the most of the Hummer’s distinctive appearance, licensing the trademark for use on colognes, bicycles, laptops and CD players. The brand has also been popular with celebrities, including rapper 50 Cent and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was the first private citizen to own a Hummer. In 1993, the hugely successful Team Hummer Racing was created. The team produced one of the most impressive production-class racing records in the Hummer 3, with 11 class wins at the Baja 1000.