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Trademark application points to evolution of new Hummer EV logo

A trademark application has revealed yet another evolution of the logo expected to adorn GMC's new Hummer EV pickup truck, bringing back the big "H" badge utilized on the H2 and H3 model lines of the expanded SUV lineup's heyday.  The image included with the filing depicts a logo that should be familiar to Hummer fans (or really any American who left their house between 2003 and 2010), with "EV" supplanting the old numerical model indicator. The "Hummer" and "EV" typeface appears to be a direct lift from a filing that surfaced back in April.  This should provide some comfort to folks who are fans of the idea of a future-proofed, all-electric pickup, but want something that embodies the charisma and road presence of the models sold in Hummer's now-deceased, not-so-environmentally-spectacular incarnation. While we don't yet know really any details of the new all-electric SUV, we do know it will be sold via GMC dealers, meaning the revived nameplate will not bring the rest of the Hummer brand along with it.  We haven't really seen much of the new truck, save for teasers and hints here and there. Even the "reveal" back in June only gave us a vague, big-picture look at the truck's silhouette, and various companion images and videos have hinted at features such as a removable roof assembly.  The truck’s general shape is off-road oriented with squared-off, sharp lines tracing the entire silhouette. Its big, knobby tires and blocky wheels are clear indicators of what GM was aiming for with this electric pickup. As for the SUV, comparisons to the Ford Bronco four-door will be inevitable. If our eyes are picking up the scale of this photo correctly, though, the Hummer SUV appears to be a slightly larger vehicle than the four-door Bronco is. Although, the wheelbase for the SUV is shorter than that of the Hummer truck. ThatÂ’ll help it off-road. Those small bumpers and short overhangs along with the bumper cutouts should be hugely beneficial to approach and departure angles, as well. GMCÂ’s shots of the Hummer in the studio are equally as revealing. We can see what looks to be an intense front skid plate and two big tow hooks. In addition to the off-road gear, GMC has allowed a look at the frunk. The front “grille” is one piece with the hood of the truck, so the whole assembly pulls up. That makes for what appears to be a very easy-to-load front trunk compared to other EVs that force you to lift items up and over the front of the car.

Are orphan cars better deals?

Most folks don't know a Saturn Aura from an Oldsmobile Aurora. Those of you who are immersed in the labyrinth of automobilia know that both cars were testaments to the mediocrity that was pre-bankruptcy General Motors, and that both brands are now long gone. But everybody else? Not so much. By the same token, there are some excellent cars and trucks that don't raise an eyebrow simply because they were sold under brands that are no longer being marketed. Orphan brands no longer get any marketing love, and because of that they can be alarmingly cheap. Case in point, take a look at how a 2010 Saturn Outlook compares with its siblings, the GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave. According to the Manheim Market Report, the Saturn will sell at a wholesale auto auction for around $3,500 less than the comparably equipped Buick or GMC. Part of the reason for this price gap is that most large independent dealerships, such as Carmax, make it a point to avoid buying cars with orphaned badges. Right now if you go to Carmax's site, you'll find that there are more models from Toyota's Scion sub-brand than Mercury, Saab, Pontiac, Hummer, and Saturn combined. This despite the fact that these brands collectively sold in the millions over the last ten years while Scion has rarely been able to realize a six-figure annual sales figure for most of its history. That is the brutal truth of today's car market. When the chips are down, used-car shoppers are nearly as conservative as their new-car-buying counterparts. Unfamiliarity breeds contempt. Contempt leads to fear. Fear leads to anger, and pretty soon you wind up with an older, beat-up Mazda MX-5 in your driveway instead of looking up a newer Pontiac Solstice or Saturn Sky. There are tons of other reasons why orphan cars have trouble selling in today's market. Worries about the cost of repair and the availability of parts hang over the industry's lost toys like a cloud of dust over Pigpen. Yet any common diagnostic repair database, such as Alldata, will have a complete framework for your car's repair and maintenance, and everyone from junkyards to auto parts stores to eBay and Amazon stock tens of thousands of parts. This makes some orphan cars mindblowingly awesome deals if you're willing to shop in the bargain bins of the used-car market. Consider a Suzuki Kizashi with a manual transmission. No, really.

GMC Hummer EV infotainment built with Unreal Engine used by 'Fortnite' and 'Rocket League'

We're only a couple weeks away from the reveal of the GMC Hummer EV truck and SUV. And we're expecting a lot of boasting about impressive capability and unique features. What we weren't expecting was for its infotainment system to be built on a video game engine. That's the news that has come out of Epic Games, creators of Unreal Engine, the basis of the Hummer's infotainment system. If you've been an avid video gamer anytime in the last 20 years, Unreal Engine should be recognizable. The first version of it powered Epic's "Unreal" and "Unreal Tournament" games, and more recent versions power multiplayer hits such as Epic's "Fortnite" and Psyonix's "Rocket League." The engine has been licensed out to countless other game developers for titles by both indie developers and large game companies. But its use in the GMC Hummer will be the first time it has powered a production car's infotainment system. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Epic didn't say which version of Unreal Engine is being used in the Hummer. Presumably it's a version of Unreal Engine 4, since Unreal Engine 5 hasn't been released yet. Also, while Epic released a trailer announcing the partnership and showcasing Unreal's 3D rendering and menu developing tools, it doesn't give us a peak at what the infotainment and instruments of the Hummer will look like. The company does tout fast boot-up times, powerful graphics, and over-the-air updates as useful features included with Unreal. But for a clear look at the final product, we'll have to wait for the October 20 reveal. Related Video: