Hummer rolls through town 04/14/2001 By Kevin R. Balentine / Advertising Writer There
are vehicles that draw stares wherever they go.
The 2001 Hummer is available in a variety of body styles and colors.
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Italian cars with names like Lamborghini and Ferrari go at the top of that list. For the time being, the PT Cruiser is on that list, much like the New Beetle was when it debuted. These sexy, powerful and cute cars are built on image, with substance lurking beneath the surface. One other vehicle has no trouble drawing attention wherever it goes. Not only that, it can go many places those other objects of desire can't. The AMG Hummer goes anywhere it wants to, as long as it isn't covered by more than 30 inches of water. Of course, this kind of go-anywhere ability comes with a price tag. Quite a hefty one, too, even when compared to the other large sport utility vehicles on the market. The test model, a four-passenger wagon, has a base price of $94,529. Options like the gray cloth interior, $1,874; a package including a central tire inflation system, brushguard, trailer towing package, cruise control and more, $9,593; tinted windows, $306; highway touring tires, $200; and 17-inch Hutchinson aluminum wheels, $2,457, brought the sticker to $108,959. Add in the $875 destination charge and the total rises to $109,834. If you're interested in a stripped-down Hummer, the two-passenger pickup hard top is available at a bargain-rate price of $75,987. Four-passenger models start at $83,733 for the soft top model. For those who can't stand olive drab, Hummers are available in nine colors, including Ocean Blue Metallic, Competition Yellow, Metallic Pewter and Mesa Dusk. The test truck came in Candy Apple Red. Real military colors aren't available on public-consumer models. Black is available, but it is much shinier than any self-respecting military unit would want its vehicles to be. The Hummer is bought for a number of reasons. Some buy it as a toy, some use it for serious off-road driving. For those interested in the off-road aspects, there's plenty to be impressed with. It has a track width of 71.6 inches and a wheelbase of 130 inches, giving it an incredibly stable base and low center of gravity. Monstrous 37-inch tires ride on aluminum wheels. A quick look around Dallas pegged an average price for four new tires, including mounting and balancing, at $2,100. That's a lot of cash for tires, but consumers who can afford the Hummer's ticket price probably aren't too concerned about expensive tires.
The Hummer interior is spacious and geared toward the driver.
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They're also probably not too concerned about diesel prices. The price of diesel has been about the same as the price of regular unleaded. The Hummer will go through quite a bit of diesel whether rolling around town, tackling Big Bend or cruising on the highway. It has two tanks, a main 25-gallon tank and an auxiliary 17-gallon tank. The switch between the two tanks has to be made by the driver via a toggle on the dash. The driver can switch on the fly or at a dead stop. There are no EPA numbers available on the Hummer, but fuel economy is probably somewhat less than most full-size pickups. The Hummer is surprisingly easy to drive for a vehicle that is almost as wide as a standard lane of traffic. The steering has almost too much power assist, but it makes getting around parking lots a breeze. The Hummer has an outstanding turning radius of 26.5 feet. That's on par with many large sport utilities currently on the market. While easy to drive around, the Hummer is not as easy to live with. The ride is harsh and unforgiving. While it is able to handle any bump, dip or hole that can be found on Dallas roads, it transmits every bit of shock into the passenger cabin. The brakes require a lot of work to stop the Hummer, but they work surprisingly well considering the weight of the vehicle. The Hummer comes standard with Meritor-WABCO antilock brakes. When it stops, however, the Hummer rocks back and forth before coming to a rest. The Hummer's performance envelope combined with seating positions and the odd size of the vehicle didn't set well with everybody. Some passengers complained of motion sickness when riding in the vehicle. The cabin is as loud as many tractor-trailers, despite having heat and sound insulation high on the list of standard equipment. There's not much to be done about the sound. The engine sits almost in the middle of the cabin under a large hump between the front seats. That seemingly odd configuration makes sense when the Hummer's original purpose is taken into account. The Hummer is designed first and foremost as a military vehicle. Equipment survivability is an important issue for the military and having the engine in the middle protects it from small-arms fire. Fortunately, the civilian version has the excellent Monsoon stereo system that can drown out much of the engine noise. The controls are angled toward the driver and a six-compact disc changer is mounted high on the dash in the middle. The system The engine for the Hummer is built to military specifications. The turbocharged diesel displaces 6.5 liters and produces 195 horsepower at 3,400 rpm and 430 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,800 rpm. The listed maximum speed is 83 miles per hour, and with just 195 horsepower, it takes the Hummer a long time to get there. Average acceleration to 60 miles per hour usually takes about 18 seconds. Merging with highway traffic would be a nightmare if not for the fact that people tend to get out of the way of 7,154-pound behemoths. There are few reasons for anyone to own a Hummer. Maybe
the best reason is just having a spare $110,000 laying around and a garage full
of other cars to drive.
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