Hummer was a brand of trucks and SUVs, first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee.[1]
In 1998, General Motors (GM) purchased the brand name from AM General and marketed three vehicles: the original Hummer H1, based on the military Humvee, as well as the new H2 and H3 models that were based on smaller, civilian-market GM platforms.
By 2008, Hummer's viability in the economic downturn was being questioned, and it was placed under review by GM management. Rather than being transferred to the Motors Liquidation Company as part of the GM bankruptcy in 2009, the brand was retained by GM, in order to investigate its sale.
In 2009, a Chinese manufacturer, Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company, announced that it would acquire Hummer, pending government approvals, but later withdrew its bid.[2] On February 24, 2010, Reuters reported that the Chinese ministry of commerce had prevented the deal,[3] although a ministry spokesperson denied rejecting the application, which had been stalled for eight months.[4] At the end of February, General Motors announced it would begin dismantling the Hummer brand.[5]
Although the automaker announced two days later that it had been approached with new offers,[6] by April 2010, any sale became unlikely, as inventory was depleted and Hummer dealerships began shutting down.[7] After filling a rental-car fleet order, the last Hummer H3 rolled off the line at Shreveport on May 24, 2010.[8]
The original maker of Hummer, AM General, lost their bid to build the HMMWV's replacement for the U.S. military in 2015.
The original Hummers were designed by AM General Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary American Motors Corporation (AMC), and they were built in its Mishawaka, Indiana, assembly plant.[9] The Humvee replaced the military Jeeps that were produced by AMC until 1982.[10]
In 1979, the United States Army was seeking contractors for a new "High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle" which could follow the tracks and ruts of full size army trucks (HMMWV).[11] At that time, General Dynamics, Teledyne, and Chrysler Defense had HMMWV designs under development.[12][13] Among the four competitors for the contract, AM General designed an entirely new vehicle to meet the Army's requirements.[11] In less than one year, it was the first to deliver a prototype vehicle. Initial production versions were delivered to the Army's proving grounds in April 1982.[11]
After testing was completed AM General was awarded the contract to supply its HMMWV to the United States armed forces. The first models were built in a variety of military-based equipment and versions. The first contract was in 1983, worth US$1.2 billion to produce 55,000 "Humvees" by 1985.[14] The first production vehicle was assembled by AM General on January 2, 1985.[11] The contract was later increased for an additional 15,000 units.[11]
AM General had planned to sell a civilian version of the Humvee as far back as the late 1980s. Having the same structure and most mechanical components, the civilian Hummers were finished in automotive gloss paint, adding passenger car enhancements such as air conditioning, sound insulation, upgraded upholstery, stereo systems, wood trim, and convenience packages.[15] The civilian model began in part because of the persistence of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who saw an Army convoy while filming a movie.[16]
In 1992, AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee vehicle to the public under the brand name "Hummer".[14]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummer
