From war hero to public enemy
During the first Gulf War the Humvee made a commanding entrance into the public domain. That mass appeal led to the civilian Hummer, which ultimately evolved into an entire brand with various models. In the end, Hummer was engulfed by a very different kind of attention, fueled by overinflated environmental awareness. Unfortunately, this battle tested veteran was not prepared for what lay ahead.
The history of Hummer began in the late 1970s, when the US Army grew weary of its fragmented fleet of light vehicles that were no longer fit for purpose. What was needed was a single, highly versatile 4×4 capable of replacing multiple roles in one decisive stroke. Trials with the Jeep CJ-5, Chevrolet Blazer and Ford Bronco had already shown that none could meet that brief.
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