Hummer History

In 1992 the first civilian Hummers were delivered. Unlike their military cousins, the civilian Hummer had insulation, sound deadening and a semi-comfortable interior. However, it was still pretty Spartan despite "luxury" items such as cloth seats, air conditioning and heating. At this point the Hummer name became primarily used on civilian versions, and Humvee on military ones.


Although most individuals bought Hummers as novelties for cruising around town or off-road, some were also sold as ambulances, industrial vehicles or firetrucks that could access rough wilderness areas.


Initially the Hummer was only offered with a GM diesel engine, but in 1995 the 350-inch Chevy V-8 briefly became an option. It was dropped in 1996 and a 190-hp turbocharged diesel was added. The civilian Hummer proved to be tough and virtually unstoppable, but also thirsty (less than 10 mpg) and slow as Christmas due to its 6,840-pound weight. Hummers were offered in softtop or hardtop versions. The hefty price tag of $50,000 to $90,000 (depending on model and options) put it out of the reach of mere mortals.


Demand for the Hummer dropped off quickly. By the late 1990s government cutbacks had rolled back sales of the Humvees, and the civilian market never really took off. AMG was losing money fast. In 1999 General Motors rode to the rescue by purchasing the rights to sell the civilian Hummer (now called the H1), and the rights to use the Hummer brand on future vehicles. AMG continues to build the H1, but the GM-built Hummer H2 that followed is an all-new truck based on GM Tahoe running gear. The $100,000 H1 now sports leather interiors and a 205-hp diesel, and seems poised to continue in production as long as there is demand. Now 20 years old, the Hummer is still humming along.