2007 Hummer H3 on 2040-cars

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Sega's 'Hummer Extreme Edition' may be the most 2000s arcade racing game ever

There's a reason GM is leaning on the Hummer name for its upcoming electric truck, and it's because it has amazing name recognition. No matter who you are, you know the name, and there's probably a lot of imagery you associate with it, both good and bad: big, brash, capable, in-your-face. Of course a lot of this was in vogue in the 2000s, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise that there was an entire arcade game based on the brand called "Hummer" and "Hummer Extreme Edition" by Sega. Though, ironically, it launched in 2009, just as Hummer was near its death. And, man, this game sure exemplifies the brand. There were a number of different form factors for the game, all of which involved a car seat, wheel and pedals, and they all had bright yellow paint and some representation of the brand's most polarizing model, the H2, sitting over the screen or behind the seat. Some flyers indicate that some machines could be had in less garish black, green or red colors, but we doubt they were as popular. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Watching actual gameplay, captured by YouTube user iPlaySEGA, "Hummer Extreme Edition" appears to stay true to the brand identity with the SUVs smashing through big outdoor race courses. There's a big emphasis on the smashing part, as that, along with jumps and stunts rewards the driver with extra boost to get ahead of the competition. Players have a choice among the H1, H2 and H3, and each one has modified variants with either meaty tires and brush guards, or slammed on giant wheels with neon and sound systems. According to a description from arcade machine vendor Primetime Amusements, the machine featured four tracks, the ability to link up to four machines for multiplayer, a force-feedback steering wheel and a 32-inch LCD display. Since the game was launched in 2009, it may be difficult to find an example at a local arcade, but it seems like one worth keeping an eye out for. It is possible to purchase one used from various online arcade retailers. A British retailer called Liberty Games is offering a two-person setup for the not unsubstantial price of 9,999 pounds, which comes to just over $13,000. We'd recommend looking for an arcade with one, or, at that price, actually buying a real Hummer H2. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.    

GM renames its Detroit-Hamtramck plant Factory Zero

Maybe we'll win, saved by zero. General Motors on Friday announced that its sprawling Detroit-Hamtramck facility, which is being retooled to build electric vehicles, has been renamed Factory Zero — as in zero emissions, along with the promise of an autonomous future in which there are zero crashes and zero congestion. The company is spending $2.2 billion to retool the plant into a futuristic facility that is flexible enough to build a variety of cars and trucks across the GM portfolio of brands. GM says that's the most it has ever spent on a production facility, and when the plant's cranking out EVs at scale it will have created 2,200 manufacturing jobs. Factory Zero's first projects will be the all-electric GMC Hummer pickup and the self-driving electric Cruise Origin, both build on GM's new Ultium battery platform, with other EVs to follow. Factory Zero should start cranking out Hummer pickups by fall 2021. A Hummer SUV will come along later. Check back with Autoblog when the Hummer is revealed next Tuesday, Oct. 20. Sustainability will be another key feature. During construction, excess concrete from pours in the plant has been used to pave roads, and stormwater runoff is being recycled to charge the factory suppression system and circulate in cooling towers. The 365-acre site also has 16.5 acres of wildlife habitat — GM says monarch butterflies hang out there, along with foxes and wild turkeys. GM says it's committed to powering all its southeast Michigan plants with sustainable energy by 2023, the rest of its U.S. facilities by 2030, and overseas plants by 2040. To that end, Factory Zero has a 30-kilowatt solar carport, and a 516-kilowatt ground-mounted solar farm, from DTE. “Factory ZERO is the next battleground in the EV race and will be GMÂ’s flagship assembly plant in our journey to an all-electric future,” said Gerald Johnson, GM executive vice president of Global Manufacturing. “The electric trucks and SUVs that will be built here will help transform GM and the automotive industry.” Related Video:     Green Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Plants/Manufacturing GM Hummer hamtramck

Hummer will return as an EV nameplate in 2022

General Motors will bring the Hummer name back to market with an electric vehicle, ending a 10-year hiatus with the introduction of a low-volume 4x4 pickup to go on sale in 2022 as part of the GMC lineup. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that GM is working on an offering similar to Jeep's Gladiator pickup, and at least initially, the paper says, the "Hummer" name revival will not extend beyond that model.   The choice to revive Hummer as GMC gives GM flexibility in selling what it projects to be a low-volume model without having to support an entire brand, which would require dealer and service network support, which could potentially prove to be both costly and even legally challenging, as holders of existing franchises would likely want a piece of the action.  GM's choice to shutter the brand in the wake of bankruptcy and restructuring back in 2010 was met with resistance from franchise holders. At the time, Hummer's image of gas-guzzling excess ran afoul of GM's goals to produce affordable hybrid and electric vehicles for the masses.  GM wanted the Chevrolet Volt to be the public face of its future, rather than a V8-powered SUV. Unconfirmed rumors of Hummer's return have been circulating for quite some time. In June of last year, rumblings of an all-electric revival made headlines when GM president Mark Reuss professed his love for the discontinued brand.  While this report is far from official, we won't have to wait long for hard confirmation, as Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has been lined up to front the nameplate's return in a Super Bowl commercial spot. We expect the re-launch will be teased ahead of the NFL championship game on Feb. 2.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.