zimmthumps
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Off-Road Warrior
The H2, or "Baby Hummer," can handle truly wild terrain -- even bomb craters
SmartMoney
August 1, 2002
By Paul Ingrassia
One thing for certain about the new Hummer H2 from General Motors : It isn't an MTSUV (as in, "me too" sport-utility vehicle). GM started with the U.S. military's toughest all-terrain vehicle, then downsized it and civilized it while retaining its go-anywhere ruggedness.
The Baby Hummer -- which, GM notes, is actually taller and longer than the original, though it's also 754 pounds lighter -- is no Chevy Tahoe in military drag. It is truly different. It isn't for everyone, nor for almost everyone. Although the H2 offers plenty of creature comforts, it is otherwise so faithful to its military heritage that it makes sense for only two kinds of people: serious weekend warriors and weekend warrior wannabes.
There are far more of the latter, of course. For a base sticker price of $48,800 (prices include destination charges), they can haul groceries in a 3-ton (actually, 6,400-pound) behemoth powered by a 316-horsepower, 6-liter V-8 gasoline engine. It gets about 12 mpg on the highway (maybe; there's no official EPA number) and rumbles from zero to 60 mph in 9.9 seconds. The H2 will handle parking-lot potholes that are, literally, as big as bomb craters.
The original military vehicle, the Humvee, played a starring role in the Gulf War, after which AM General, maker of the Humvee, started selling a modified version -- the Hummer -- to civilians in 1992. Since then only about 8,000 of the original model (now known as the H1) have been sold in total, and it's easy to understand why. For starters, the 7,154-pound H1's base price is $112,000 for the regular "wagon" version and $101,000 for the soft-top. Moreover, the H1 offers interior comfort best suited for boot camp.
These no-compromise characteristics, however, gave the H1 a military-chic appeal. So in 1999, GM approached AM General, bought the Hummer brand, licensed AM General to build the H2 on its behalf and set about building a dealer network.
The H2 went on sale in July at 156 Hummer dealers around the U.S. GM ultimately envisions 200 to 225 Hummer dealerships, most of which will include miniature off-road tracks with moguls, ditches, sharp inclines, steps, logs and perhaps even streamlets. Future product plans include a Hummer SUT (similar to the Chevy Avalanche) that may launch in 2004 and most likely a still-smaller H3 after that. Thus, a brand is born.
The first thing I noticed upon climbing into the H2 was, well, it really was a climb. I'm almost 6 feet tall, and I had to grab one of the "assist handles" inside the door frame to help pull me in.
Hummer offers two types of assist steps as options -- a bolt-on tubular steel model and a lighter model for quick removal when you're going off-road -- but even with them, hopping in requires some effort. The tubular assist steps are included in the $2,575 Lux Series option package, which also gets you a six-disc CD player, heated leather seats, extra chrome trim and custom floor mats.
With the Lux Series package, the H2's interior -- which seats five, with optional seating for one more in the far back -- is very comfortable. But it isn't plush. If your idea of rugged luxury is more luxury and less ruggedness, opt for Land Rover's new Range Rover or the Lexus LX 470, but be prepared to pay many thousands more than the H2 costs. The Range Rover's base price is $69,330, while the LX 470's is $61,855.
Both competitors have suspension systems with adjustable height control that can lower the vehicle for climbing in and out. In contrast, the H2's optional air-spring suspension system is designed for more-effective off-roading, not for everyday convenience.
With its boxy shape and near-vertical windshield, the H2 sports styling that is faithful to the original Hum vee's militaristic lines. There is no mistaking the H2 for, say, a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Driving such a box-shaped vehicle is "like driving a brick through the air," as one Hummer exec puts it, which creates certain challenges. The big one is wind noise, but GM has loaded the H2 with soundproof padding. To my ear, the padding does its job.
In fact, the H2 lumbers down highways nicely for a vehicle whose emphasis is on ruggedness. Handling and acceleration are quite responsive, even when passing on two-lane roads. And the heated side-view mirrors fold inward at the touch of a button to make parking easier.
Hummer officials acknowledge that many buyers will never take their H2 off-road. Too bad. That's where the H2 really distinguishes itself. The training track, for instance, includes a "V ditch" with a 60 percent decline followed by a 60 percent incline. If the percentages mean nothing to you, consider this: On the decline you are staring straight at the ground, and on the incline you are looking straight up at the sky. But the H2 climbs in and out with ease because it has short overhangs, meaning that the front and rear ends don't extend much beyond the tires.
All SUVs can go off-road, of course, but the H2 is made to handle wilder terrain than its rivals. Besides the short-overhang design and the huge 17-inch wheels, the H2 boasts enough underbody armor to shield the engine and transmission from any undue bumps.
The H2 can climb a 16-inch step with proper driving technique; the trick is to approach at a slight angle so you have a lead wheel going up. And it can hold its own on a 40 percent side grade. In addition, the cavernous 32-gallon gas tank gives the H2 a range of more than 300 miles between fill-ups.
The four-wheel-drive system offers five push-button mode selections. The "4 HI Open" mode is for normal driving on dry surfaces at any speed, while the "4 HI Locked" mode makes the front and rear wheels rotate at the same speed, for driving on snow, ice, sand or mud. Then there's "4 LO Locked," which reduces the gear ratios for climbing over big rocks, logs or the curbs in Lower Manhattan, and "4 LO Locked + Rear-Diff Locked," which locks the two rear axles together to allow you to climb steep grades filled with boulders. The fifth mode, "Neutral," allows an H2 to be towed by another vehicle. (Chances that you'll ever use No. 5 are slim.)
The H2 offers a list of more than 30 optional accessories, including a Montague mountain bike like the one used by paratroopers that costs around $800. The bike roof rack to carry it will run under $200. Add about $1,000 more for the "Mars lights" (four 6-inch spotlights on the roof) and two more lights on the grille guard.
But my favorite accessory -- yet to be priced at press time -- is the winch with 9,000 pounds of pulling capacity, which will let you rescue people who go off-road in inferior vehicles
I like the "Mars lights" option
But it's still boxy and ugly
The H2, or "Baby Hummer," can handle truly wild terrain -- even bomb craters
SmartMoney
August 1, 2002
By Paul Ingrassia
One thing for certain about the new Hummer H2 from General Motors : It isn't an MTSUV (as in, "me too" sport-utility vehicle). GM started with the U.S. military's toughest all-terrain vehicle, then downsized it and civilized it while retaining its go-anywhere ruggedness.
The Baby Hummer -- which, GM notes, is actually taller and longer than the original, though it's also 754 pounds lighter -- is no Chevy Tahoe in military drag. It is truly different. It isn't for everyone, nor for almost everyone. Although the H2 offers plenty of creature comforts, it is otherwise so faithful to its military heritage that it makes sense for only two kinds of people: serious weekend warriors and weekend warrior wannabes.
There are far more of the latter, of course. For a base sticker price of $48,800 (prices include destination charges), they can haul groceries in a 3-ton (actually, 6,400-pound) behemoth powered by a 316-horsepower, 6-liter V-8 gasoline engine. It gets about 12 mpg on the highway (maybe; there's no official EPA number) and rumbles from zero to 60 mph in 9.9 seconds. The H2 will handle parking-lot potholes that are, literally, as big as bomb craters.
The original military vehicle, the Humvee, played a starring role in the Gulf War, after which AM General, maker of the Humvee, started selling a modified version -- the Hummer -- to civilians in 1992. Since then only about 8,000 of the original model (now known as the H1) have been sold in total, and it's easy to understand why. For starters, the 7,154-pound H1's base price is $112,000 for the regular "wagon" version and $101,000 for the soft-top. Moreover, the H1 offers interior comfort best suited for boot camp.
These no-compromise characteristics, however, gave the H1 a military-chic appeal. So in 1999, GM approached AM General, bought the Hummer brand, licensed AM General to build the H2 on its behalf and set about building a dealer network.
The H2 went on sale in July at 156 Hummer dealers around the U.S. GM ultimately envisions 200 to 225 Hummer dealerships, most of which will include miniature off-road tracks with moguls, ditches, sharp inclines, steps, logs and perhaps even streamlets. Future product plans include a Hummer SUT (similar to the Chevy Avalanche) that may launch in 2004 and most likely a still-smaller H3 after that. Thus, a brand is born.
The first thing I noticed upon climbing into the H2 was, well, it really was a climb. I'm almost 6 feet tall, and I had to grab one of the "assist handles" inside the door frame to help pull me in.
Hummer offers two types of assist steps as options -- a bolt-on tubular steel model and a lighter model for quick removal when you're going off-road -- but even with them, hopping in requires some effort. The tubular assist steps are included in the $2,575 Lux Series option package, which also gets you a six-disc CD player, heated leather seats, extra chrome trim and custom floor mats.
With the Lux Series package, the H2's interior -- which seats five, with optional seating for one more in the far back -- is very comfortable. But it isn't plush. If your idea of rugged luxury is more luxury and less ruggedness, opt for Land Rover's new Range Rover or the Lexus LX 470, but be prepared to pay many thousands more than the H2 costs. The Range Rover's base price is $69,330, while the LX 470's is $61,855.
Both competitors have suspension systems with adjustable height control that can lower the vehicle for climbing in and out. In contrast, the H2's optional air-spring suspension system is designed for more-effective off-roading, not for everyday convenience.
With its boxy shape and near-vertical windshield, the H2 sports styling that is faithful to the original Hum vee's militaristic lines. There is no mistaking the H2 for, say, a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Driving such a box-shaped vehicle is "like driving a brick through the air," as one Hummer exec puts it, which creates certain challenges. The big one is wind noise, but GM has loaded the H2 with soundproof padding. To my ear, the padding does its job.
In fact, the H2 lumbers down highways nicely for a vehicle whose emphasis is on ruggedness. Handling and acceleration are quite responsive, even when passing on two-lane roads. And the heated side-view mirrors fold inward at the touch of a button to make parking easier.
Hummer officials acknowledge that many buyers will never take their H2 off-road. Too bad. That's where the H2 really distinguishes itself. The training track, for instance, includes a "V ditch" with a 60 percent decline followed by a 60 percent incline. If the percentages mean nothing to you, consider this: On the decline you are staring straight at the ground, and on the incline you are looking straight up at the sky. But the H2 climbs in and out with ease because it has short overhangs, meaning that the front and rear ends don't extend much beyond the tires.
All SUVs can go off-road, of course, but the H2 is made to handle wilder terrain than its rivals. Besides the short-overhang design and the huge 17-inch wheels, the H2 boasts enough underbody armor to shield the engine and transmission from any undue bumps.
The H2 can climb a 16-inch step with proper driving technique; the trick is to approach at a slight angle so you have a lead wheel going up. And it can hold its own on a 40 percent side grade. In addition, the cavernous 32-gallon gas tank gives the H2 a range of more than 300 miles between fill-ups.
The four-wheel-drive system offers five push-button mode selections. The "4 HI Open" mode is for normal driving on dry surfaces at any speed, while the "4 HI Locked" mode makes the front and rear wheels rotate at the same speed, for driving on snow, ice, sand or mud. Then there's "4 LO Locked," which reduces the gear ratios for climbing over big rocks, logs or the curbs in Lower Manhattan, and "4 LO Locked + Rear-Diff Locked," which locks the two rear axles together to allow you to climb steep grades filled with boulders. The fifth mode, "Neutral," allows an H2 to be towed by another vehicle. (Chances that you'll ever use No. 5 are slim.)
The H2 offers a list of more than 30 optional accessories, including a Montague mountain bike like the one used by paratroopers that costs around $800. The bike roof rack to carry it will run under $200. Add about $1,000 more for the "Mars lights" (four 6-inch spotlights on the roof) and two more lights on the grille guard.
But my favorite accessory -- yet to be priced at press time -- is the winch with 9,000 pounds of pulling capacity, which will let you rescue people who go off-road in inferior vehicles
I like the "Mars lights" option
But it's still boxy and ugly