2007 Hummer H2 4wd Sut, 1 Of A Kind Turbo Charged 500 Hp, $20k In Upgrades on 2040-cars

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Mil-Spec 003 First Drive Review | The ultimate Hummer H1

We're in something of a golden age for automotive restomodding, and into a heady mix that includes Singer's reimagined 911s, Icon's fancy off-roaders, and lots of updated Land Rovers. The latest company with ambitions to become a top-tier custom car brand is Mil-Spec, which aims to do what the aforementioned companies do, but with the big, brash, blunt Hummer H1. And in particular, the company is aiming to make its Hummers a compelling alternative to a used Hummer H1 Alpha. The Alpha is generally considered to be the best of the breed with the most powerful diesel engine offered, larger brakes, and a nicer interior compared with its predecessors. To find out whether the company's early efforts live up to that ambition, Mil-Spec invited us to drive their third completed vehicle, Mil-Spec 003. It started life as a 1995 Hummer H1, and as with all of Mil-Spec's vehicles, it was completely disassembled, and the body and frame media-blasted down to metal. The frame and related components are then powder-coated with a black gloss finish. The truck's aluminum body, in this case a four-door hardtop pickup variant, but is coated in a resilient bedliner-like material designed for easy care. Bits of Kevlar are mixed in with the material for strength, and it can be tinted different colors and have rougher or finer textures. Underneath the body, one of the five different engines that were available on the H1, usually a diesel V8, is replaced with a 6.6-liter Duramax LBZ turbodiesel V8. This engine was available on heavy duty Chevy and GMC pickup trucks, and a related engine was used in the Hummer H1 Alpha. Whereas the engine in the H1 Alpha made 300 horsepower and 520 pound-feet of torque mated to a 5-speed automatic, the Mil-Spec's LBZ has had turbo upgrades and a different ECU tune allowing it to produce 500 horsepower and 1,000 pound-feet of torque. It's also coupled to an Allison 1000 6-speed automatic transmission. The mechanical upgrades don't stop with the engine and transmission. The inboard brakes are given drilled and vented discs, and an ARB Air Locker locking rear differential fitted. Dual auxiliary transmission coolers also make an appearance and can be switched on as needed. The 003 received 20-inch wheels with 38-inch mud terrain tires, but larger tires can be added if desired.

IIHS: High numbers of drivers treat partially automated cars as fully self-driving

WASHINGTON — Drivers using advanced driver assistance systems like Tesla Autopilot or General Motors Super Cruise often treat their vehicles as fully self-driving despite warnings, a new study has found. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an industry funded group that prods automakers to make safer vehicles, said on Tuesday a survey found regular users of Super Cruise, Nissan/Infiniti ProPILOT Assist and Tesla Autopilot "said they were more likely to perform non-driving-related activities like eating or texting while using their partial automation systems than while driving unassisted." The IIHS study of 600 active users found 53% of Super Cruise, 42% of Autopilot and 12% of ProPILOT Assist owners "said that they were comfortable treating their vehicles as fully self-driving." About 40% of users of Autopilot and Super Cruise — two systems with lockout features for failing to pay attention — reported systems had at some point switched off while they were driving and would not reactivate. "The big-picture message here is that the early adopters of these systems still have a poor understanding of the technologyÂ’s limits," said IIHS President David Harkey. The study comes as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is scrutinizing Autopilot crashes. Since 2016, the NHTSA has opened 37 special investigations involving 18 deaths in crashes involving Tesla vehicles and where systems like Autopilot were suspected of use. Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. Tesla says Autopilot does not make vehicles autonomous and is intended for use with a fully attentive driver who is prepared to take over. GM, which in August said owners could use Super Cruise on 400,000 miles (643,740 km) of North American roads and plans to offer Super Cruise on 22 models by the end of 2023, did not immediately comment. IIHS said advertisements for Super Cruise focus on hands-free capabilities while Autopilot evokes the name used in passenger airplanes and "implies TeslaÂ’s system is more capable than it really is." IIHS in contrast noted ProPILOT Assist "suggests that itÂ’s an assistance feature, rather than a replacement for the driver." NHTSA and automakers say none of the systems make vehicles autonomous. Nissan said its name "is clearly communicating ProPILOT Assist as a system to aid the driver, and it requires hands-on operation.

The biggest gas-guzzlers of 2024: 'The Meanest List' is the opposite of greenest cars

In some circles — especially some automotive circles — bigger is better. This explains the Hummer, for example. In its so-called “Meanest List” of a dozen models, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) makes no apologies for berating “the worst-performing mass market automobiles” sold in 2024 in the U.S. The most diminutive car on the list is a Chevy Corvette Z06. At the top of this particular heap is the Mercedes-Benz AMG G63, a gas-powered SUV that the environmental agency says was “the worst-performing vehicle of the more than 1,200 models assessed by Greener Cars and has an annual fuel cost over $4,000.” Not to mention its MSRP of around $184,000. Rank Make & Model Powertrain Green Score MSRP Estimated Annual Fuel Cost* 1 Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 Gas 20 $184,000 $4,242 2 Ram 1500 TRX 4x4 Gas 22 $98,335 $3,819 3 Ford F150 Raptor R Gas 24 $79,975 $3,777 4 Cadillac Escalade V Gas 26 $152,295 $3,388 5 Dodge Durango SRT Gas 26 $74,995 $3,332 6 Jeep Wrangler 4dr 4X4 Gas 27 $35,895 $3,260 7 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 4x4 Gas 28 $91,945 $3,058 8 Mercedes-Benz G550 Gas 28 $143,000 $3,186 9 GMC Hummer EV SUV EV 29 $98,845 $1,746 10 GMC Sierra Gas 29 $37,700 $3,069 11 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Gas 30 $114,395 $3,169 12 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S680 Gas 30 $234,300 $3,031 *ACEEE analysis using EIA data of the annual cost of driving 15,000 miles In terms of numbers, the dirty dozen of the meanest includes seven SUVs and three trucks. Lonely at the middle of the list is the sole electric, the GMC Hummer EV, which weighs in at 9,000 pounds. The council notes that “though EVs have lower emissions than similarly sized gasoline models, the Hummer demonstrates that size and efficiency, not just fuel source, are important factors in a carÂ’s environmental impact.” ItÂ’s also worth reminding prospective buyers that the average fuel cost of a vehicle on the “Greenest List” eats up only a fifth of the fuel cost of a vehicle on the Meanest List, “showing that greener options can also be more affordable.” The ACEEE also put out a "Greener List" of efficient gasoline and hybrid cars that don't require plugging in.  By the Numbers Green Cadillac Chevrolet Dodge Ford GMC Hummer Jeep Maybach Mercedes-Benz RAM Emissions Fuel Efficiency Green Automakers Truck SUV Electric Hybrid