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AM General to offer civilian Humvee kit car

For anyone feeling nostalgic about the passing of the Hummer brand, or the actual wartime vehicle that inspired it, now is your chance to own a version of the original HMMWV, albeit without an engine.
After a 12-year hiatus from the civilian vehicle market, AM General is reportedly set to offer a kit-car of the C-Series Humvee. The kit will conform to U.S. government regulations and has been made possible by a deal with General Motors.
The kit costs $59,000 - and you still need an engine. A likely favorite would be a Duramax Diesel V8 and Allison transmission combination, as was found on the H1 Alpha. AM General estimates that an owner could buy the kit Humvee and outfit a powerplant and transmission for $75,000. Not bad, considering that H1 Alpha has an MSRP of $140,000 in 2005.

Low gas prices bring the Hummer back to life

It took more than the high cost of gas to kill off the Hummer brand, but the military/civilian vehicle's near-endless need for fuel didn't help sales when gas prices started to climb. Turns out, there is still a thirst for the gas-devouring vehicle in the US. The evidence is anecdotal at best, but since we know prices at the pump can change car shopping behavior in America, the idea that more people want a Hummer now than they have these past few years doesn't surprise us at all. Gas prices in the US are currently sitting at $2.926 a gallon, on average, much lower than the $3.186 per gallon they were a year ago and below $3 a gallon for the first time since 2010. According to the Washington Post, this is causing a slight uptick in used Hummer H1 sales. With a fuel consumption rate of around 12 miles per gallon, every penny drop in gas prices has a big impact on the H1's running costs. Read more on the newfound Hummer lust at the WaPo, including how online interest in H1s was up 11 percent at Autotrader last month. Late last month, TrueCar issued a report on the recent increase in new vehicle sales of large SUVs and pick-up trucks, thanks to falling fuel costs. TrueCar president John Krafcik said in a statement that, "Hybrid popularity is waning, and the country's love of the full-size pickup truck is remarkable.'' Looks like that love extends to the used lot as well. Anyone know someone who has re-joined the Hummer brigade? News Source: Washington PostImage Credit: Carolyn Kaster / AP Green Hummer Gas Prices hummer h1

Woman recorded by motorcyclist texting while driving turns herself in because Canadians

A Newfoundland driver surrendered herself to Ottawa authorities and is facing numerous charges after being caught texting and driving in a viral video this week. On August 27, a motorcyclist named Erik Hannah from Ottawa uploaded a helmet cam video to Facebook which showed his run-in with a woman texting while driving a Hummer SUV with Newfoundland plates. During the course of his interaction with the Hummer driver, Hannah recorded her texting and driving and studiously ignoring his presence. She sat still at green lights and drove slowly while glued to her phone Eventually he rode away, but she sped up and cut him off in his own lane, nearly striking him in the process. He followed her after the near collision and confronted the woman. He told her he had her actions on camera. She wasn't impressed and drove off. He attempted to follow her again, but lost her. The video went quickly viral, racking up more than a million views in short order. He also turned the video over to Ottawa police who attempted to track down the Hummer driver by tracing the SUV's plates which were clearly seen in the video. As of August 30 however, Ottawa Police were less than sanguine about finding the culprit. "If she has watched the news or read the papers and wants to turn herself in, come and see us," said Sgt. Mark Gatien of the OPD's Traffic Enforcement Unit. "We'll give her two tickets and she will be on her way." Despite the OPD's misgivings, the Hummer driver turned herself in on September 1 after becoming an unwitting minor internet sensation. According to the CBC, the Hummer driver turned herself over to police and has been charged for the incident. She faces three charges for her reckless behavior, including distracted driving and careless driving. Related Video: News Source: CTV Ottawa, CBC, Ottawa Citizen Auto News Weird Car News Hummer Driving Safety distracted driving helmet cam newfoundland