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KC HUMMER LIMOS
Hummers were originally built by AM General Corporation, which was
formerly AMC-Jeep's General Products division, in its Mishawaka,
Indiana, assembly plant. They were created under a contract for the
United States armed forces. The first model, the Hum-Vee, was built
in a variety of military-based equipment and versions. The U.S.
military, on receiving their quota, have adapted some of the
vehicles, including modifications to facilitate a directional
microwave crowd control beam (Active Denial System).
AM General had planned to sell a civilian version of the Hum-Vee as
far back as the late 1980s.
In 1990, two matching white Hum-Vees were driven from London to
Beijing over the rough roads of central Soviet Union. The Hummers
made the trip with ease, for they were built to drive on off-road
terrain. The highlights of this journey were broadcast in the United
States on ESPN. This publicity would pale in comparison to the
attention that the Hum-Vee received for its service in Operation:
Desert Storm the following year. Also, a privately-owned Hum-Vee was
modified into the first Snow-Vee, including the addition of
caterpillar tracks, a new rear compartment and a new engine. This
vehicle was designed for use in and just below the Arctic Circle, and
the Antarctic.
In 1992, AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 High
Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Hum-Vee) vehicle to
the public under the brand name "Hummer".
In 1998, AM General sold the brand name to General Motors, but
continued to manufacture the vehicles. GM was responsible for the
marketing and distribution of all Hummers produced by AM General.
Shortly thereafter, GM introduced two new homegrown models, the H2
and H3, and renamed the original vehicle H1. AM General continued to
build the H1 until it was discontinued in 2006, and was contracted by
GM to produce the H2. The H3 was built in Shreveport, LA alongside
the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups, with which it shares
the GMT-355 platform (custom modified and designated GMT-345).
KANSAS CITY HUMMER LIMOS
2006 Hummer lineup: H3, H1, and H2 (L-R)
By 2006, the Hummer also began to be exported and sold through
importers and distributors in 33 countries.[10] On October 10, 2006,
GM began producing the Hummer H3 at its Port Elizabeth plant in South
Africa for international markets.[10] The Hummers built there at
first were only left-hand drive, but right-hand drive versions were
added and exported to Australia and other markets.
The H2 is also assembled in Kaliningrad, Russia, by Avtotor, starting
in June 2004. The plant produces a few hundred vehicles annually, and
its output is limited to local consumption (five dealers in Russia).
On June 3, 2008, one day prior to GM's annual shareholder meeting,
Rick Wagoner, GM's CEO at that time, said the brand was being
reviewed, and had the possibility of either being sold, having the
production line completely redesigned, or being discontinued.[11]
This is due to the decreasing demand for large SUVs as a result of
higher oil prices. Almost immediately after the announcement, a pair
of Indian automakers, including Mahindra & Mahindra, expressed
interest in purchasing all or part of Hummer.[12]
GM President Fritz Henderson stated several interested parties
approached GM regarding the Hummer business. On April 5, 2009,
Société de Participation Financière Eidos Canada
Inc. (Eidos) made an unsolicited bid for Hummer.
KANSAS CITY HUMMER LIMOUSINE
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