Friday 11 January, 2008 at 12:39AM (Nereus)  ::  permalink  ::  comments (2)

Yeah it might be a bit of a gas guzzler, but what a sweet machine. It's the Hummer HX concept, General Motors' answer to the Jeep Wrangler, and wow what an answer. Article from CNNmoney.com. Check it out..

General Motors executives have long said that their Hummer line needs a new model. Soon, it will be adding a pick-up. Beyond that, the only direction left to go is smaller. And that means going head to head with the Jeep Wrangler. With its HX concept car, to be shown at the Detroit Auto Show next week, Hummer has taken every feature Wrangler fans love about their favorite off-roader and brought it into a more modern looking Hummer motif.

The Hummer HX is about as convertible as a convertible can get. Not only do the roof panels lift off and the doors come off their hinges, but the HX's fenders come off with a quick turn of a screw. The rear quarter windows lift out as well. In case you get into real trouble, it's equipped with a set of specially designed tools including a rechargeable flashlight, collapsible shovel and fire extinguisher.

The HX seats four. The rear seats fold down and can be removed for added cargo space - their thin-backed shape was inspired by lightweight aircraft seats. Much of the interior is covered in bare metal. A three-element gauge cluster changes automatically to show either a tachometer for normal driving or a wheel angle indicator for off-road driving.

The Hummer HX concept will be powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine that can run on gasoline or an ethanol blend. It will have a six-speed automatic transmission and full-time all-wheel-drive. The front suspension has a stabilizer bar that can be automatically disconnected for extreme off-road situations GM claims that it can wade through two feet of water.

Yes please.