The civilian Humvee can still be made in the United States, but it is only for export.
General Motors announced in 2006 that it would cease production of the Hummer H1 after 24 years on the marketplace. The model was soon discontinued due to the new emission standards. The last examples were made in July 2006.
VLF Automotive is now bringing the civilian Humvee back to life through a new project. It was founded by Bob Lutz, former chairman of GM. The new product is the Humvee C-Series, as Hummer is still a trademarked by GM.
Humvee Export, an organization made up of five Hummer enthusiasts and entrepreneurs, came up with the idea for the resurrected vehicle. They contacted VLF to build the trucks using General Motors powertrains.
John Costin, president of Costin, stated that there is a “niche market”. “There are people who would like to run five to six miles an hour and have the most fun.”
The Humvee C-Series will not be available in the United States as it doesn’t fall under the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act. Although the machine is more than 25 years-old, it is technically still in production. It will no longer be available in America. Instead, it will be available in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. And, starting next January, China.
Costin said, “If they have everything else, why wouldn’t they want one of these?”
Humvee Export claims that the C-Series, “the Humvee everyone has been waiting for”, is the “new Humvee” and combines “superior craftsmanship, ultimate functionality, aswell as an industry-leading mobility technology.”
Last month, the revived Hummer H1 was officially unveiled in Shanghai. It will now be available in three trim levels: Bravo, Charlie, or Delta. There will be four GM engines available: a 6.5-liter V8 that produces 190 horsepower, 205 hp and 250 hp respectively, as well as a 6.2 liter gasoline V8 that produces 430 hp.
