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GMC could have used Jeep's prized grille design on its born-again Hummer

General Motors confirmed it's bringing the Hummer nameplate back on an electric, GMC-badged pickup by publishing a dark photo of its front end. The battery-powered drivetrain under the sheetmetal represents a tectonic shift, but we noticed another flagrant break with tradition: it wears six slot-like inserts instead of seven like on every previous Hummer and countless Jeeps. Adding an extra slot wouldn't have landed GMC in hot water. The seven-slot grille has historically been associated with Jeep, and the company proved it's willing to go to significant lengths to ensure another automaker — especially one it perceives as a rival — doesn't use it. Parent company Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) bitterly sued Mahindra over the Roxor's design, including its five-slot grille, and won in 2019, forcing the Indian firm to unveil a redesigned side-by-side for the 2020 model year. And yet, stylists would have very likely been able to get away with it on the Hummer. While General Motors owns Hummer, the brand traces its ancestry to 1970, when American Motors Corporation (AMC) purchased Jeep from Kaiser and changed the name of its General Products Division to AM General Corp. The division manufactured the rear-wheel drive, CJ-based DJ for the United States Postal Service and began developing the Humvee in 1979. Jeep and AM General went their separate ways when Renault began investing in AMC. Foreign companies weren't allowed to own defense contractors, and AMC had more to gain by gradually selling out to Renault than by keeping AM General, so it divested the division to LTV Corporation in 1983. Humvee production started shortly after, but no one protested its seven-slot grille because there was no risk of it stealing sales from a comparable Jeep model. It was manufactured exclusively for the U.S. Army, and civilian sales weren't planned. H2SUV View 4 Photos The original civilian Hummer released in 1992 must have raised more than a few eyebrows but, here again, it didn't directly compete with one of Jeep's off-roaders, so no one complained. It was huge, correspondingly expensive, and its portal axles made the YJ-generation Wrangler wet its pants. It's the H2 concept (pictured above) unveiled at the 2000 Detroit Auto Show that set off alarm bells in Auburn Hills. DaimlerChrysler's lawyers counted the slots in the chrome-plated insert that dominated its front end and shuddered when they reached seven.

Army's first surplus Humvee auction brings in $744,000

The first public auction of surplus US Army Humvees has came and went, and to call it a rousing success would be a major understatement. Auctioneers IronPlanet Inc., unloaded 25 trucks on behalf of the Department of Defense's Defense Logistics Agency. Bidding started at a meager $10,000 for the privilege of driving home in America's most iconic military vehicle. With $744,000 changing hands, the average Humvee crossed the block for just under $30,000, while the highest winning bid was $41,000, for a 1994 vintage, and the lowest winning price was $21,500, Military.com reports. If those prices seem a smidge low, it's because they are. A quick check of AutoTrader revealed that, nationwide, the cheapest Hummer H1 was up for grabs for $31,300, while the most expensive, a 2006 H1 Alpha, was going for $149,995. Of course, there's a good reason you might want to consider the civilian model, as Military.com explains it. AM General, the Humvee's manufacturer, is pretty unequivocal on its website, saying, "The Humvee was designed for a military mission and was not designed to meet civilian safety standards." It gets worse, though. "AM General does not endorse nor support the sale of these military vehicles to the general public or private entities. AM General further opposes any use of these military vehicles by individuals or entities outside of the military context for which the vehicles are designed. AM General does not sell the military vehicle or service parts for the military vehicle to the general public." Somehow, though, we doubt that will stop those that are truly interested in the brutish military vehicle. The 25 Humvees sold in this first auction had simply been gathering dust at Utah's Hill Air Force Base, according to Military.com. Considering this auction's success, and the fact that there are apparently 4,000 more surplus Humvees sitting about, we doubt this will be the last time the military turns to auction houses to unload inventory. News Source: Military.comImage Credit: SFC Michel Sauret / US Army Hummer Auctions SUV Military Off-Road Vehicles humvee

Hummer EV SUV official range announced: 3X truck tops 350 miles

The first run of GMC Hummer EVs were in one single specification: pickup truck in Edition 1 with all the off-road goodies. The most pertinent of those off-road upgrades to electric range being the 18-inch wheels with mud-terrain tires. And it was rated for 329 miles. But now, there are more Hummer variants. The pickup truck is now available with a 3X trim that comes standard with more efficient all-terrain tires wrapped around 22-inch wheels, and there's the SUV with both trims and both types of tires, not to mention a smaller battery pack. And now we have the official range estimates for them. We'll start with the Hummer EV SUV, since all of the official range ratings are new to us. The tires are the key factor, with the all-terrain equipped Edition 1 and 3X both managing 314 miles of range. Yes, this is less than even the mud-terrain-equipped truck, but that's mainly because the shorter length of the SUV means it has fewer battery cells and capacity. It has about 170 kWh of capacity versus the truck's 200+. Adding the Extreme Off-Road Package and its more aggressive tires drops range to 298 miles. The Four-Wheel-Steer system lets the 2022 GMC HUMMER EV Pickup m View 17 Photos As with the SUVs, the Hummer EV truck gets a solid range boost to 355 miles when it's not equipped with the off-road package. There's another benefit to the regular all-terrains on the Hummer EV truck: towing capacity. At 8,500 pounds, it can tow an extra 1,000 pounds over the models with the off-road package. GMC also notes that another potential benefit to the all-terrain-equipped trucks is a suspension tuned for better on-road handling. And our experience has shown that even Hummer with the off-road package isn't too shabby on pavement. Of course, skipping the off-road package will also save you some money, as will opting for the 3X trims. So unless you're really going off-road seriously, and would make regular use of the extra skid plates, under-truck camera and chunky tires, the standard suspension and tire setup really is the way to go. Related video: