2003 Hummer H2 on 2040-cars

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Hummers are for Horses: Artist reimagines the monsterous SUV [w/video]

Horse-drawn Hummer H2 - Click above to view the video after the jump
When the internal combustion engine finally helped the automobile pass the horse-drawn carriage as the chosen method of transportation for a majority of citizens in the United States, that a step in the right direction. Right? Moving forward about a hundred years... when the behemoth Sport Utility Vehicle that never actually seems to venture off the beaten path passed the minivan in the hearts and minds of families across the country as the people-mover of choice, was that a step in the right direction?
If you answered no to either of the above questions, perhaps you'll enjoy the video pasted after the break. Created by artist Jeremy Dean (read about our initial post on the project here), the converted Hummer H2 is called Futurama and is pulled by two white horses named, appropriately enough, Duke and Diesel. Hummers are for horses? See for yourself.

GMC Hummer EV will weigh 9,046 pounds

In the 2000s, Hummer's unique breed of off-roaders summoned a dark cloud of disapproval from environmentalists because they were gas-guzzling SUVs with mammoth dimensions. GMC's born-again Hummer EV will escape the gas guzzler label by running solely on electricity, but it will be even bigger and much heavier than its predecessors. Enthusiast site GM-Trucks reported the Hummer EV will tip the scale at 9,046 pounds (4,103 kilos if you're outside of the United States) in its quickest configuration, and a GMC spokesperson told Autoblog that figure is accurate. For context, the H1 Alpha released for 2006 (and often considered the ultimate Hummer) weighed 8,113 pounds, the H2 checked in at 6,614 pounds with the 6.2-liter V8, and the H3 was comparatively light at 4,600 pounds. When it lands, the Hummer EV will be one of the heaviest new cars sold in the United States. Part of its plumpness can be attributed to its colossal dimensions; it measures 216.8 inches long, 86.7 inches wide, and 81.1 inches tall. In comparison, the H1 stretched 185 inches long, 87 inches wide, and about 78 inches tall. The electric powertrain also played a major role in slinging the Hummer's weight into dually pickup territory. Batteries are heavy, and the Hummer EV's Ultium pack reportedly has a capacity of over 200 kilowatt hours. It has three electric motors, too. Note the 9,046-pound figure applies only to the sold-out Launch Edition model, which will offer 1,000 horsepower, the aforementioned 200-kilowatt battery, and the supercar-like ability to hit 60 mph from a stop in three seconds. GMC will launch cheaper, slower, and presumably considerably lighter variants of the truck in the early 2020s. Although SUVs are often heavier than comparable trucks due to the additional sheet metal, the people-hauling Hummer should weigh less than the cargo-carrying variant. As we reported in April 2021, its output will be limited to 830 horsepower because it's 20 inches shorter than the truck, and the bigger battery pack doesn't fit in this footprint.

Robby Gordon withdraws from 2016 Dakar after stupid accident

Accidents are bound to happen in motorsports, and for that very reason, modern racing vehicles are built to a very high standard of safety. Unfortunately, the accident that caused Robby Gordon to withdraw from the 2016 Dakar Rally involved a road-going Hummer H2 driven by members of the American racing driver's support staff – a vehicle without racing harnesses or roll cages. As the video above shows, this is one accident that was completely avoidable. According to news reports flowing out of Argentina, Gordon had already finished the 13th and final stage of Dakar and was driving his HST Gordini competition truck on a highway headed to the podium where all the back-patting, trophy presentations, and champagne sprays typically happen. Along the way, someone from Gordon's crew decides to pass some bottles and paper bags, window-to-window, from a support vehicle to Gordon's race machine. At about 80 miles per hour. Does that sound like a bad idea to anyone else? And a bad idea it ultimately was. Gordon swerved one too many times to get closer to his support car, coming into contact with it and causing what looks to be a pretty bad accident. Making matters worse, a member of Gordon's team was hanging halfway out of an open window with bottles in hand at the time of the accident. Reports indicate there were two injuries. Thankfully, everyone will apparently recover. It's not clear where exactly Gordon would have finished had he not withdrawn. It is clear, however, that this was a stupid maneuver that never should have happened. For those keeping track, this latest incident isn't the first time Robby Gordon has been involved in an off-road rally accident, having injured a spectator in the 2015 Baja 500. According to Autoblog.com.ar (no relation), Gordon's Dakar accident is under investigation. News Source: Autoblog.com.ar, YouTube Motorsports Hummer Safety Racing Vehicles Videos Dakar Rally robby gordon