The Hummer H2 is the second model of the Hummer line and the first one designed by General Motors. Built by AM General in Mishawaka, Indiana, from 2002 to 2009, it used a modified GM truck frame rather than the Humvee’s military chassis, and combined Hummer styling with a luxury interior and V8 power.
Hummer H2 at a glance
| Maker | Hummer, built by AM General |
|---|---|
| Production | 2002–2009 |
| Class | full-size off-road SUV |
| Frame | modified GMT820, three-quarter-ton front, half-ton rear |
| Engines | 6.0 L V8, 325 hp; 6.2 L V8, 393 hp from 2008 |
| Gearboxes | four-speed automatic; six-speed from 2008 |
| Length | 4,820 mm |
| Width | 2,062 mm |
| Height | 2,012 mm |
| Wheelbase | 3,119 mm |
| Weight | 2,903 kg |
| Fuel consumption | about 23 l/100 km (6.0) |
History of the Hummer H2
General Motors bought the rights to the Hummer name in 1999 and set out to widen the range beyond the AM General-built H1. The H2 was the result: a vehicle that borrowed the H1’s square-shouldered look but sat on a modified GMT820 GM truck frame, with a three-quarter-ton front section and a half-ton rear. Because the two vehicles were shown to journalists in 2001 and 2002 while still under development, the H2 was well known before it reached showrooms. Production was contracted to AM General’s commercial assembly plant in Mishawaka, Indiana, the same town where the H1 was built.
The standard equipment was lavish for an off-roader: tri-zone air conditioning, leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, eight-way power front seats with memory, a Bose sound system and, depending on the year, a cassette player, a six-disc CD changer or a CD player with MP3 and DVD. Independent front suspension with torsion bars and a five-link coil-sprung rear axle were developed for the H2, and the wheels carried the HUMMER script. Options included adjustable rear suspension in the Adventure Package, a power sunroof, navigation, a rear-view camera and 20-inch chrome wheels.
For 2005 the range gained the H2 SUT, a four-door pickup with a midgate that could be folded to open the cabin to the load bed. The 2008 update left the exterior almost unchanged but redesigned the interior around a new instrument cluster, a leather-wrapped wheel, three new radios with Bose audio, Bluetooth, a rear-seat DVD system and dual-zone climate control. Under the bonnet the 325 hp 6.0-litre V8 gave way to a 393 hp 6.2-litre unit, and the four-speed automatic to a six-speed. A 2009 Black Chrome edition in Sedona Metallic was planned in 1,000–1,300 cars, but the mid-year shutdown meant only six were built and none was sold to the public.
Design and features
- Hummer look, GM underpinnings: the H2 was related to the Chevrolet Tahoe and Cadillac Escalade but styled after the H1.
- Luxury cabin: leather, heated seats, Bose audio and tri-zone climate control were standard.
- Serious off-road hardware: full-time four-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer case and locking differentials.
- H2 SUT: the pickup version’s midgate opened the cabin to the bed for long loads.
- 2008 power: the 6.2 L V8 and six-speed automatic cut the 0–100 km/h time to 7.8 seconds.
Hummer H2 versions
- H2 SUV (2002–2009): the five-door wagon body.
- H2 SUT (2005–2009): four-door pickup with a midgate.
- Adventure Package: adjustable rear suspension and additional off-road equipment.
- 2008 model: new interior, 6.2 L V8 and six-speed automatic.
- Black Chrome (2009): Sedona Metallic paint and 20-inch black chrome wheels; six built.
The H2 followed the military-derived Hummer H1 and was joined in 2006 by the smaller Hummer H3. The two-door Hummer HX concept of 2008 pointed at a still smaller model. More cars are in the Hummer collection.
Sources
- Hummer H2, English Wikipedia: equipment, 2008 update, engines
- Hummer H2, German Wikipedia: dimensions, performance, prices
- Hummer H2, French Wikipedia: origins, equipment, H2 SUT
