GM 'hums' a new tune

Motor,  Feb 2002  by Nash, Tom

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Please don't call it the Baby Hummer 'cause there's nothing cutesy or tiny about it. The latest generation Hummer, dubbed the H2, is an extremely rugged, offroad-capable vehicle that offers more creature comforts and options than its older brother, the Hi-at about half the price.

While you can't get an HI Hummer out the door of a dealership for less than a hundred grand, the new H2 lists at around 50G. Still, we're talking about a very small niche market catering to folks with bigger attitudes and wallets than the need for an ultra off-roader.

General Motors acquired the rights to market Hummers a little over two years ago and immediately set about designing a more affordable, comfier and more desirable vehicle to compete with the likes of the Range Rover and Toyota Land Cruiser.

Customer studies show that the typical HI Hummer owner makes about a gazillion dollars a year and has six-yes, six!-or more other vehicles. That's fine, but it severely limits the market. GM thinks it can sell three or four times more H2s than HIs. So the H2 has been given the green light for production, a move that pleases new GM exec Bob (It's All About Product!) Lutz.

Make no mistake, the H2 is still a Hummer. From the beefy ladder-type frame and heavy-duty suspension system, to the monster-stopper Bosch four-wheel ABS brakes with traction control system (TCS), to the 325-hp Vortec 6000 V8 mated to an electronic 4L65E tranny, this critter will get you anywhere you want to go-and back. Many options and accessories will allow buyers to customize the H2 to their heart's content.

Look for the 2003 H2 Hummer in a forest, swamp, mountain or desert near you, starting later this year.

Copyright Hearst Business Publishing Feb 2002
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