Britons Vote Ford Mustang as the World’s Manliest Car

Bluebeards Revenge is a UK brand of shaving cream and post-shave balm scientifically proven by Science™ [sic…] to reduce beard growth- or so it says on their webpage. The brand recently conducted an email poll of 1,835 Britons, asking them to rate the world’s “manliest” and “least manly” cars.

The results are in, and –drumbeat please- the winner is the Ford Mustang that was found to be the “manliest car on the planet” with a net total of 21% of the vote.

Runners up were the Aston Martin DB7 (15%), Range Rover (13%), Dodge Viper (11%) and Hummer H1 (10%). On the opposite end of the spectrum – the world’s “least manly” cars – were the Volkswagen Beetle (31%), Mazda Miata / MX-5 (20%), Ford Ka (11%), Toyota Prius (9%) and Nissan Cube (8%).

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Call of Duty Inspires Hummer H1 Wrap

It’s not only the big screen that motivates individual owners and automakers alike to build a model that either replicates or is inspired in one way or another by a famous vehicle. Lately, we're seeing the same thing happening with popular video games. Read more »

DARPA Selects XC2V to Replace HUMVEEs [with Video)

The trusted HMMWV (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle), or as the troops (and everyone else) understandably calls it, Humvee, is getting a little long in the tooth, having entered service for the first time in 1984.

So it’s reasonable that DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) started looking for a suitable, and more up-to-date replacement with the Experimental Crowd-derived Combat Support Vehicle project –or, in civilian-speak, “the first crowd-sourced, military relevant vehicle design”.

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Top Gear Season 17 Episode 1 Starts with a Blast: Forget about the Hummer, Meet the Marauder [Video]

Yesterday we brought you news about the first episode of the seventh season of BBC’s Top Gear TV series which aired last night featuring the Paramount Group’s Marauder. The South African-built armored vehicle was driven by TG presenter Richard Hammond in its native country.

However, “driven” is an understatement, since Hammond made the Marauder flatten cars, smash through walls and defy lion attacks. He also took a bright red one for a drive around Johannesburg, creating quite a fuss.

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Defunct Brand Owners Shun GM and Ford

There are some three million former Saturn, Pontiac and Hummer customers in the United States, all of whom will unlikely ever have the pleasure of buying a newer model of their current make again. These are some of America’s defunct brands, all gone the same way as Plymouth, DeSoto, Packard and many others. These latest additions were culled following General Motors bankruptcy reorganisation in 2009. And Mercury owners are in the same boat.

Now, Ford and GM are desperately trying to hold onto these “brand-less” customers. Accoriding to a report from the Wall Street Journal, in this year alone, 70% Pontiac owners, 71% of Saturn owners and 65% of Mercury owners who traded in their vehicles left with something other than a Ford or GM product.

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CFC Proves There's No Limit to Bad Taste with Chromed-Out Hummer H2

Leave it to a German tuner to take something already gaudy by nature and make it even more garish and ugly. "Take your Hammer and drive it sexy", says CFC in the press release on the pimped-out Hummer H2 (with a "u" and not an "a"). Too bad it doesn't say 'where', but let's not make this post more inappropriate than it already is.

After a lengthy visit at their warehouse, CFC's tuning team went ahead and stuffed the Hummer H2 like a Thanksgiving turkey. Starting from the outside, the 'chrome' vinyl wrap is complemented by tinted windows, a carbon wrap for the bonnet and a set of uber-discreet 'CFC' stickers.

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Wind it Down: Say Good-bye to Hummer as Chinese Deal goes from... Sweet to Sour

As of today, General Motors has officially declared that Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co., Ltd. (try saying that ten times fast, I'll wait) won't be buying the Hummer brand after all. If you don't recall, Tengzhong is the Chinese company that thought it could make the Hummer business work in today's world.

There are many rumors to as why China officials would not support the transaction including Beijing's political agendas and environmental concerns (wait, Hummer's aren't efficient and green?), but fact is, the proposed deal is dead.

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Hummer HB Compact Off Roader Design Concept

Truth to be said, no one knows what the future beholds for Hummer now that GM sold the brand to a little-known Chinese company called Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co. But that hasn't deterred independent designers like Andrus Ciprian from envisioning future products for Hummer.

In keeping with the downsizing theme of the industry, the Romanian designer's proposal is an extremely compact off-roader called the HB that features almost no front and rear overhangs, a high road clearance and huge tires.

The designer says that the Hummer HB adopts a body-on-frame construction with power being provided by a biofuel capable V6 engine.

There are two versions of the HB, one with a smaller windscreen split into three sections and an array of cameras that relay video to the driver through screens, and another with a conventional windscreen and additional lights on the roof, designed for the more serious off-roader.

Designer: Andrus Ciprian , Via: Diseno-art

STRUT Hummer H2 Matte-Black

Many people find Hummer vehicles as being too big, too thirsty and too damaging from an environmental point of view - and they're all probably right. However, if there's one positive thing that can be said about Hummer's off-road models that has to be their communicative and distinct styling which sets them apart from anything else you see on the road. Even better when the color of choice is a matte-black like the one on this heavily customized H2 show car that is scheduled to be featured in both DUB and Truckin' Magazines in 2009.

Aside from the cool paint job, the blacked-out H2 also features an array of accessories such as flat black 24-inch alloy wheels, a STRUT body kit, chipped engine, upgraded suspension and even a 'grenade' like shifter.

The overall cost of the custom work performed on the H2 is said to be valued in excess of $60,000 - and that does not include the price of the vehicle itself of course.

Custom features:
* STRUT front end kit, which includes two grilles, front bumper extensions and chimney stacks
* STRUT badges throughout the vehicle
* STRUT wheels / custom ordered 24 inch set of 5; painted flat black
* 37 inch tires (Toyo Open Country)
* 1 inch lift to fit the tires but low enough to minimize head clearance
* Professional grade flat black paint job on entire exterior of vehicle (including bumpers, side panels, etc). We also added a clear coat to protect the paint and provide a subtle sheen
* Custom, diamond tucked suede interior (black), including a suede headliner
* Custom exhaust system with dual tips

* Engine has been chipped for better performance & acceleration
* Amp Research drop down H2 steps
* Custom made H2 BREMBO brake pads; set of 4
* Custom accessory pieces (hood handles, door handles, side markers, etc)
* Flat black Grenade shifter
* Blacked out interior handles, center console, etc.
* Smoked/tinted lights on entire vehicle (front, back, roof, sides, etc)
* Custom carbon fiber on side view mirrors
* Navigation, OnStar, XM radio, iPod hook-up
* Advanced Clifford Alarm System with keyless entry, remote ignition start/kill switch, and a 1-mile tamper detection warning/antenna
* Seat warmers in the front and back
* One touch system that drops all the windows down simultaneously, providing an open air feel
* BOSE sound system with an aftermarket AMP, iPod connection, and woofers with a custom box under the rear set.

Via: Motorpasion , Source: Madwhips

Hummer to Present Three H3 Concepts at SEMA

These ain't the best of times for a brand like Hummer but the General is doing its best to keep as many people interested as possible. For next month's Las Vegas SEMA show Hummer has prepared a threesome of H3 concepts outfitted with a raft of performance and appearance accessories. While none of these H3s is targeted for production, Hummer says that they incorporate original and aftermarket components that are available on the market today. -Continued

H3T Weekend Warrior: Based on the H3T Alpha, the H3T Weekend Warrior features a series of performance upgrades that raise the 5.3-liter V8's output from 300 to 370HP. The concept also uses race-spec stock and aftermarket suspension components, including Light Racing JounceShocks and 2-inch-diameter Rod Hall Racing piggyback reservoir-type performance shock while riding on 35-inch-tall BFGoodrich Baja T/A tires mounted on HUMMER Accessories 20-inch wheels. There is also a set of high-performance disc brakes from DBA.

The vehcile's Baja Orange Metallic custom paint is highlighted by a series of HUMMER accessories, including roof-mounted and grille-mounted off-road lamps, a body-color upper grille and custom hood graphics. The lower grille, mirror caps, door handles and fuel door have a satin-metal finish while inside there's is a custom, black leather-trimmed cabin with orange accent stitching and carbon fiber instrument panel accents.

H3 X Concept: Up next is the H3 X Alpha which gets bright roof crossbows; chrome fuel filler door, assist steps and brush guard; body-color grille and spare tire cover; 18-inch wheels and embroidered seat headrests. The concept's exterior is painted in a special Canyon Metallic color from PPG complemented by the black chrome detailing.

As for the interior, the H3 X Alpha features black leather trim on the seats, console armrest, door armrests and shift knob that is accented with orange stitching. It also features custom mats with orange piping and a headrest DVD entertainment system.

H3 Alpha Four Wheeler Project Trailhugger: Finally, the last of Hummer's SEMA show concepts is the awkwardly named H3 Alpha Four Wheeler Project Trailhugger Partnering with HUMMER that has been developed in association with Four Wheeler Magazine.

Sporting a matte red paint job, the "Trailhugger" is equipped with a set of Simulock 16-inch wheels that are painted flat black to match the rest of the exterior theme. The wheels were mounted on the H3 with a set of BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2 LT285/75R16 tires.

Additional mods in the ongoing project (it will be finished before the SEMA show) include a Gobi Stealth roof rack with a custom, wireless remote-operated perimeter lighting system (with 10 PIAA 2100XT lamps) using components from Directed Electronics; a Warn XD9000 winch with winchline.com's synthetic rope and hawse fairlead; DeFelice Offroad Innovations winch mount system and Up Armor skid plate.

Wild West Hummer H3 - All In The Name of Art

No, people haven't lost their mind with the widespread economic turmoil -well, not yet at least- as this Hummer H3 that's fitted with a set of wooden wagon wheels is actually a piece of art created by Matthew Harrison and it's on show at the fifth Zoo Art Fair (17-20 October) in central London. Harrison said that he combined the Hummer's off-road credentials with 'Wild West' wooden wheels to create 'a sculpture that is a mixture of art, engineering and motoring'. Well, in our opinion he should have added a few horses to complete the theme but then again, we're more humorists than artists. -Continued

Upon the reveal of the artistic H3, Corin Richards from Hummer UK commented: "Similar to HUMMER, this sculpture really is like no other. As well as being built for action, the H3 certainly has a unique, iconic style. We were thrilled to be approached by Matthew and glad to be supporting his work at the Zoo Art Fair."