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Mercedes moves R-Class production to AM General in Indiana

Go back a decade or two and you'd have seen the SUV market polarizing in opposite directions: hard-core off-roaders like the Hummer on the one hand, and passenger-focused crossovers like the Mercedes R-Class on the other. Now their fates are set to intertwine, at least as far as manufacturing is concerned. No longer producing Hummers, AM General (which designed and originally produced the Hummer) has been assigned the task of manufacturing the R-Class at its underused, 675,000 square-foot Commercial Assembly Plant in Mishawaka, IN – part of metropolitan South Bend. The decision was undertaken to allow Mercedes to free up production capacity at its plant in Tuscaloosa, AL, where it also produces the M-Class, GL-Class and C-Class, and where it will soon begin manufacturing the GLE Coupe. The vacation of the R-Class assembly line could be earmarked to make room for that new slant-roofed crossover (which was originally thought to be joining the Tuscaloosa plant as a fifth model) or could pave the way for another model to reach Alabama altogether. The multi-year arrangement to manufacture the R-Class makes AM General the first manufacturer contracted to build Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the US, but hardly the only one in the world. The G-Class – which could, incidentally, be characterized as the German equivalent of the Hummer – is built on Mercedes' behalf by Magna Steyr in Austria, and the company builds many of its passenger and commercial vehicles for local consumption under joint ventures in the Far East especially. The R-Class was first introduced in 2005, and though it's still built in America, it was removed from the company's US lineup back in 2012. However Mercedes confirms that, since 2013, it has been and remains available exclusively in China. That puts the R-Class in the rare position of being manufactured in the United States by (or now for) a foreign automaker but unavailable for sale here. AM General Selected As Mercedes-Benz First and Only Contract Manufacturer of Vehicles in the United States SOUTH BEND, Ind., Jan. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- AM General LLC and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc., today announced that Mercedes-Benz has selected AM General to manufacture the Mercedes-Benz R-Class luxury vehicle at AM General's world-class 675,000 square-foot Commercial Assembly Plant.

Hummer officially returns as an EV with 1,000 hp in Super Bowl ad

Hummer, the iconic, controversial and long-dead truck and SUV maker, returned this Sunday in a Super Bowl ad that previewed its comeback under the GMC brand. General Motors announced the move and teased the vehicle with a series of clips (below) Thursday morning, confirming reports of Hummer's resurrection that have simmered for months. The bane of environmentalists in the early 2000s, Hummer is recast as an electric-only truck capable of a jaw-dropping 1,000 horsepower, 11,500 lb-ft of torque (we believe this figure to be wheel torque) and a sprint to 60 mph in 3 seconds. “We came to play ball,” a spokesman deadpanned in an interview with Autoblog. Electric range was not revealed. The teaser shots show a grille that recalls old Hummer vehicles, though the look is updated with flashy lights. GM will build the reborn Hummer at the Detroit-Hamtramck factory in Michigan that was once thought to be set to close. It will be revealed May 20 at an event, possibly in Las Vegas. The truck will be available in fall 2021. “GMC builds premium and capable trucks and SUVs and the GMC HUMMER EV takes this to new heights,” Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global Buick and GMC, said in a statement. “We are excited to debut our revolutionary zero-emissions truck during the biggest night in TV advertising.” The Super Bowl ad aired just before halftime in the United States and featured Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.  In a statement, he said: “Teaming up with GMC to introduce the Hummer EV is a natural fit. Everyone knows about my love for Hummer since high school and IÂ’m proud to be a part of announcing the new EV model. The truck may be quiet, but the performance numbers speak for themselves.” Hummer will take aim at a slew of electric truck and SUV makers, including Rivian, which announced Wednesday plans to help build LincolnÂ’s first electric vehicle in its partnership with Ford Motor Co. Hummer will also face off against the Tesla Cybertruck, BollingerÂ’s EVs and other competitors.    GM shuttered Hummer in 2010 after trying to sell the brand to Chinese investors as it shed units during its historic bankruptcy and restructuring.  With today's announcement, GM issued a truckload of videos on the new Hummer:    

GMC Hummer EV revealed as a 1,000-hp, 350-mile, fast-charging beast

The 2022 GMC Hummer EV has finally been revealed, and it certainly looks the part. It has chunky, squared-off styling, big tires pushed to the edges, and a towering fascia. But it’s not a case of form over function. On the contrary, the Hummer EV is has some pretty wicked technology and gear under the skin. The first version of the Hummer EV that will be available is the tricked-out Edition 1. It features three electric motors, which allows for torque vectoring. These motors make 1,000 horsepower, though GMC still hasnÂ’t given real-world torque numbers. The motors are fed by a 24-module Ultium battery pack. The pack can provide an estimated 350 miles or more of range. Not only that, but it supports 800-volt fast charging up to 350 kW. ThatÂ’s comparable to PorscheÂ’s charging system, and GMC says it can add an extra 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes. Later, a two-motor Hummer EV and a three-motor version without torque vectoring. The Hummer EV rides on fully independent suspension with adaptive air shocks. They can provide continuous damping adjustments for comfort, and have a height adjustment range of 6 inches. When set in its max-height off-road mode, it has two additional inches of ground clearance, and the "Extract Mode" will lift it six inches higher than default. The Edition 1 model also comes with standard 35-inch mud terrain tires, and combined with the suspension, the Hummer EV has a fording depth of 2 feet and the capability to climb over an 18-inch vertical obstacle. Owners will be able to easily add more clearance since GMC made the wheel arches large enough to accommodate aftermarket 37-inch tires. Additional off-road goodies include skid plates along the chassis, rock sliders, the previously covered four-wheel steering with Crab Mode diagonal driving, and 18 camera views including angles under the truck for getting over rocks. Those cameras feature sprayers, too to keep them clean. Detailed information on torque output, torque vectoring, tire pressure, vehicle angles and more are also displayed on the infotainment screen. Speaking of that infotainment screen, itÂ’s a massive 13.4 inches and is paired with a 12.3-inch instrument display. They feature proudly in a squared-off, rugged-looking interior. The Hummer EV will get the latest version of Super Cruise, complete with automatic lane-changing. The Edition 1 gets the removable roof panels as standard, and those roof panels are clear, so you can still get some sun with them in place.