Is the military version of the Hummer built by GM?
According to the news, GM is selling the Hummer brand to a chinese company. Does this mean our military Hummers will be build by them too?
Quote from: jay on June 03, 2009, 06:19:35 AM
Is the military version of the Hummer built by GM?
No. I'm pretty sure the military version of the Hummer is built by AM General, an off-shoot of the old American Motors Corp. (AMC) The GM version was just an expensive and reskinned version of one of their other big trucks.
AMC owned AM General Corp. from 1971 until 1983. AMG designed the HUMVEE (the miltary version)but produced only prototypes under AMC ownership.
In 1983 the French company Renault bought a controlling interest in AMC requiring the sale of AMG due to US Government regulations that forbade ownership of defense contracts by foreign governments. AMG was bought by LTV Corp.
HUMVEE production started in 1984, with more that 72,000 produced by 1992 when AMG was sold again, to Renco Group. It was also in this year that the civilian version, the HUMMER was introduced. Aside from some specific military items being deleted, and some comfort items added,the HUMMER was the same vehicle as the HUMVEE.
In 1999 GM bought the rights to the HUMMER. The vehicles were still supplied by AMG.
The original (GM) HUMMER was renamed the H1 in 2003 when GM introduced the H2. Although designed by GM and based on their truck platform, the H2 was/is also built by AMG.
In 2005 GM introduced the H3, the smallest of the HUMMERS. Designed and built by GM, the H3 has no connection with AMG.
In 2006, GM discontinued the H1.
AMG is still producing HUMVEEs.
Thanks for the clarification!