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Filed under: Commercial Trucks, HUMMER, Police/Emergency, Military
While General Motors looks over a stack of offers for its HUMMER brand, the fate of AM General hangs in the balance. The military contractor developed and built the original Humvee until the rights to the HUMMER name were bought by GM, who then contracted AM General to continue building the H1 (until it was discontinued) and then the Chevy Tahoe-based H2. (The Chevy Colorado-based H3, meanwhile, is built entirely by GM at its Shreveport, Louisiana plant.) With the future of its General Motors contracts uncertain, AM General has announced a new deal of another kind.
Starting in 2010, the Indiana-based company will begin producing a new series of wheelchair-accessible transit vehicles for the Vehicle Production Group, LLC. Although, as VPG points out, the usual development gestation period for such vehicles is two to three years, VPG and AM General intend to get the ramp-equipped para-transit vehicle to market in less than 24 months. Over 3,500 units have already been ordered, leading VPG to project that annual production will well exceed that number, while AM General intends to use the same workforce it currently employs for the new project. As for what the para-transit vehicle will look like, no one knows, but there was word of AM General developing a new version of the Standard Taxi (see above) with a low ride height and large doors that appears as if it could easily accommodate wheel chairs.
[Source: Detroit News]
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Filed under: Concept Cars, SUVs, Plants/Manufacturing, HUMMER, Military, Special/Limited Editions
It sure ain't pretty, though beauty, in this case, is likely in the eye of the beholder. A few years back, a new take on the taxi was provided by Standard Taxi, a company based in Troy, Michigan. The design for the purpose-built people hauler uses GM running gear and is able to haul four passengers in relative comfort. We hadn't heard a peep from the company until today when we learned that Standard is now working on negotiations with AM General to build the vehicle in its plant in Mishawaka, Indiana, where AM General builds the Hummer H2 SUV and SUT. So far, no announcements have been made regarding whether or not the plant would continue working full-time in the face of lagging Hummer sales, though we imagine that plenty of excess capacity is available. According to AM General, the deal would in no way impact the assembly of military Hummer models.
We can't say whether a production version of the Standard Taxi would feature the pushrod 4.3-liter V6 that the concept had underhood, though there are plenty of options from the GM parts-bin from which to pilfer. A Standard Taxi equipped with GM's 2-Mode hybrid system could prove to be extremely well-suited for taxi duty in some of the world's toughest environments.
[Source: Hummer Guy]
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Filed under: SUVs, Euro, Jeep, Military
Click above for a photo gallery of the Jeep J8
Unless you're a foreign military, government, or humanitarian organization, you're not getting your hands on the Jeep J8, a vehicle we think a number of Jeepers would be all over in about two seconds if it were to be offered in neighborhood dealerships. Available as a two-door pickup (above) or a four-door (like the civilian Wrangler Unlimited), the J8 goes on sale this month and was officially revealed at Euro Camp Jeep '08 in Germany.
Power comes from a 150-horse turbodiesel with 295 lb-ft of torque, with that juice going to all four wheels via a five-speed auto and Jeep's Command-Trac 4WD. The J8's built to be a workhorse, with a Dana 60 rear, leaf springs in back, upgraded brakes, and a revamped intake that lets it ford 30 inches of water and handle a sandstorm lasting up to five hours. Its max payload is 2,750 pounds, and it has a towing capacity of over 7,700 pounds. Because the J8's duties will vary depending upon who's placing the order, a variety of cargo and seating configurations are offered, as is left- or right-hand-drive. All this, and no, you can't order one. Yes, that sucks.
Gallery: Jeep J8
[Source: Chrysler]
Continue reading Production Jeep J8 debuts in Germany
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Filed under: China, Etc., Green, Police/Emergency, Military
From Xinhua via our friends at China Car Times comes the above photo, showing Chinese counter-terrorism forces going through drills as they prepare to crush any dissent terror threat that might arise during next month's Olympic Games. The black ninja suits, fritz helmets, body armor, and submachine pistols all fit the profile of a specialized group like this. But... Segways?
UPDATE: Turns out, Engadget is having a caption contest. (Thanks, seoultrain.)
[Source: Xinhua via China Car Times]
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Filed under: Government/Legal, Military, UK
In response to a ratcheting body-count in Iraq and Afghanistan, the UK Ministry of Defence has ordered a fleet of 157 Ridgback armored vehicles. The Ridgback, made in the United States, was unveiled last week at a military vehicles exhibition in Millbrook, Bedfordshire in the UK.
Pictured in the illustration above, the Ridgback offers increased protection for personnel against mines and roadside bombs and will replace the Land Rover Defenders which the British Army currently has deployed in the field. The order is part of a larger £150 million contract to upgrade the army's motor pool in the Middle East. The vehicles will be equipped with weapons and communications systems as well as beefed-up armor. It is capable of carrying 12 people and is equipped with run-flat tires allowing it to travel at speeds of up to 55 mph on punctured rolling stock.
[Source: 4Car]
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Filed under: Etc., Euro, Commercial Trucks, Mercedes-Benz, Military
Click on the above image for a Zetros photo gallery
Mercedes-Benz chose the International Defense Exhibition Eurosatory 2008 in Paris, a show we don't normally attend, to introduce their new Zetros truck. The model pictured above is the Zetros 2733 A 6x6, offering permanent all-wheel-drive to all three axles and the ability to haul nearly 10 tons of equipment and supplies. If you just don't have that much stuff, Mercedes also offers the Zetros 1833 A 4x4, a two-axle derivative with a reduced load capacity. Both versions offer go-anywhere capabilities with exemplary off-road manners and the ability to be upgraded with state-of-the art armor for protection against mine and ballistic attack. While you'd expect the Zetros to handle like a wet noodle, the German automaker insists the Zetros has been designed with the driver in mind, adding "...the ideal seating position behind the front axle delivers intuitive car-like handling." Since we don't have a Zetros planned for an "In the Autoblog Garage" review, we'll just have to take their word on that.
Gallery: Mercedes-Benz Zetros Off-Road Truck
[Source: eMercedesBenz]
Continue reading Mercedes introduces new Zetros military truck
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Filed under: Green, Military
GPM. Think you can learn to adapt your mental fuel efficiency calculators from the standard miles per gallon to the European-style gallons per mile? Some say such a shift in the U.S. will help people better understand just how equivalent two vehicles are in terms of burning fuel to get somewhere. Perhaps, but a shift might be happening anyway, and that gasoline consumption in America peaked in 2007.
Did U.S. gasoline consumption peak in 2007? Forget MPG - let's move to GPM ASTM approves new biodiesel blends, bring on the B20! City services hit hard by gas prices Nissan reportedly considering entry into the sporty hybrid market Mercedes wants to eliminate petroleum from its lineup by 2015 ErockIT serial electric bike impresses eBay Find of the Day: 1981 Ford Fairmont electric car made by NASA? Jason Calacanis moves up the Tesla delivery waiting line to #16, may give away car Mercedes luxury electric vehicle now more than a rumor Production Volkswagen up! may go front wheel drive instead, optional ER-EV European Ford Focus coming to U.S. in 2010! Third shift added now smart cdi coming to the UK in 2009 Renault unveils hydrogen Scénic ZEV H2 Mobile meadow captures truck's carbon emissions on the run
More headlines after the jump.
Continue reading AutoblogGreen for 06.23.08
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Filed under: SUVs, HUMMER, Earnings/Financials, Military, India
General Motors is already having meetings with its dealers regarding all the possibilities for its HUMMER brand. According to reports, there are several companies interested in making a purchase of the military-inspired vehicles, though Tata Motors now appears uninterested despite earlier reports. One suitor is said to be Mahindra & Mahindra, the Indian company that plans on making a big splash entering the American market itself over the next few years. Just-Auto quotes an unnamed official at the company who says "Mahindra is very keen on acquiring the Hummer." Hmm... Isn't it interesting how one little word can change the meaning of an entire sentence. Anyway, Mahindra already produces a vehicle that shares an eerie resemblance to the original GI-spec HUMMER that it sells to the Indian military.
Currently, the vast majority of Hummer sales are made in the States, but Mahindra doesn't sound worried about that. "The U.S. market might not be able to afford their own HUMMER any longer, but India is a growing and strong economy. When Indians like something we go out and get it, no matter what the cost, because we know how to make it work for us," according to an unnamed source. Uh huh... good luck with that.
[Source: Just-Auto - sub. req'd]
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Filed under: SUVs, Land Rover, Military
The Land Rover Defender is already a pretty badass vehicle. So how do you make a no-frills, no-nonsense off-roader even more badass? Why, add more wheels, of course! That's the approach taken by Land Rover Malaysia and Sasbilt Technologies Malaysia, which together built the behemoth you see above. While we've seen more than our fair share of stretched Range Rovers and Hummers, this concept truck actually has a purpose beyond prom night.
Targeted towards military applications, the Defender 6x4 Puma features an extra-long wheelbase that not even the jungle camo could disguise. The increased cargo capacity can be used for an electric generator or field telecommunications equipment, and the vehicle can drive through all six wheels or through just four. Unveiled at the Defense Services Asia 2008 show in Malaysia, the concept truck reportedly drew attention from military contractors from around the region.
[Source: paultan.org]
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Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, Military
Click image to enlarge
var _name_new_boot_camp_division_after_Dale_Jr'; The U.S. Navy and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are partnering on a national recruiting program that'll officially kick off when Junior pilots the above #83 car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on May 24. On that very same day, prospective sailors will also be able to visit their local recruiting stations and sign up to be a part of the new "Dale Jr. Division" being formed at the Navy's Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, IL. We are not making any of this up.
This new boot camp division is limited to 88 slots, a nod to the number worn by Dale Jr.'s NASCAR Sprint Cup ride. The Navy will support the new recruiting effort with a full media offensive, and Earnhardt Jr. will be on hand to christen his namesake division when its recruits report in August. Junior will also make a return trip to visit the group when it completes the basic training course. We eagerly await the logical next step in this high-profile partnership with Dale Jr. -- a Navy announcement that funding for a high-banked oval at Great Lakes has been approved.
[Source: Navy NewsStand]
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Filed under: SUVs, Etc., Government/Legal, Military
Click above to view video after the jump
For this blogger, ever since the movie Stripes, there have been recurring automotive fantasies that began with "Wouldn't it be cool if there was a remote-controlled gun turret on this car?" The folks at Dillon Aero, however, were probably watching the evening news as opposed to cinema when they came up with the Dillon Aero SUV: a government-issue GMC Yukon XL equipped with a Dillon Gatling gun.
The vehicle looks like every other typical VIP G-man SUV, except instead of a leather bench in the back, there is a mounted mini gun and a gunner. When the kind of threat is detected that needs a dose of 30,000 rounds of hot lead every minute, the gunner pops up through the roof. The split hatch forms side protection for the gunner, who can swivel 360 degrees while firing. And then, well, the target is toast as bullet casings rain down on the professional grade SUV like in a John Woo movie. Now if Dillon could just work on rocket launchers... Thanks for the tip, Travis!
[Source: You Tube]
Continue reading DO NOT mess with the Dillon Aero SUV
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Filed under: Government/Legal, Tech, Military
Now that the Hummer -- the original Hummer H1 -- is distinctly out of flavor, the U.S. armed services are busy looking for its replacement. Having put out a request for proposals, one of the supposed leading candidates is this: a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle developed by Navistar and BAE Systems, Inc, a British defense industry firm. The two together already provide the H1's temporary replacement, the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle.
The Mad Max monstrosity has the same track as the H1, but that's about all they have in common. Built of many off-the-shelf components from Navistar's parts bin, the truck's modular build configuration makes an easier job of modifying it for different missions and repairing. It's shaped to disperse charges from roadside bombs, the armor is an inch thick, it has a flat floor to allow exit from either side of the vehicle, and it can escape a battle without a wheel and without engine cooling. Not bad. Follow the link to get the full specs on the military's potential new charge. But if they want something even more brutish, they could always go for this.
You may also remember that the producer of the original H1, AM General, is also working on its own candidate for the next Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, which we've yet to see.
[Source: Motor Trend]
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Filed under: Concept Cars, Tuners, Green, Military, Motorcycles
There's a diesel motorcycle under development, but it's not being made by Suzuki in Japan or BMW in Germany. It's being developed by a group of pensioners who call themselves the Gray Eagles, an informal collection of retired engineers and executives from Harley-Davidson and Outboard Marine. And if that doesn't strike you as out of the ordinary, the engine is not being developed from scratch or being retrofitted from another application (like the ThunderStar 1200 TDI) - it's being converted from a gasoline engine.
The Gray Eagles started with an '88 Harley-Davidson FXRS and converted its V-Twin to run on diesel, fitting it with a turbocharger and electronic fuel injection. Karl Nilson, one of the team members, was once in charge of Harley's "Nova Project", a program to develop a unique 150hp six-cylinder engine in collaboration with Porsche. That project was shelved in the early 80's due to budgetary constrictions after $15 million was invested, but Nilson, along with his fellow Gray Eagles, hopes to see diesel bikes on the road during his lifetime. The diesel bike is being presented to potential customers such as Harley-Davidson and even the Pentagon, who already run some dirt bikes on the same diesel the army uses for its tanks, jeeps and trucks.
(You can check out a video of the turbodiesel chopper by clicking here.)
[Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Motive]
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Filed under: Concept Cars, Hybrids/Alternative, Geneva Motor Show, Green, Military, UK
Click on the image above to view in our hi-res gallery
Morgan has a lot of dedicated fans, but it's image is about as cutting-edge as a cantaloupe. The last time the company unveiled a new concept, the big news was that it had four wheels. But seriously folks, the Morgan LifeCar is a concept that has been a long time coming. It took several companies and three universities almost three years and nearly ₤2 million, including a healthy dose of government funding, to develop. And it's finally ready.
The LifeCar is based on the Morgan Aero 8 and powered by hydrogen fuel cells with regenerative braking technology in a package that is at once both futuristic and retro. (Leave it to the Brits to do both.) Together with its partners, Morgan, which was responsible for the design and final assembly, will take the wraps off the LifeCar concept at the fast-approaching Geneva show, and we've got an eyeful of images for you in the gallery below.
Gallery: Morgan LifeCar concept
[Source: CarBodyDesign.com]
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Filed under: Concept Cars, SUVs, Etc., Euro, Volkswagen, Military
click above to view more images
When Germany starts stockpiling armaments, it tends to worry the neighbors. This, on the other hand, is more likely to scare your neighbor into buying a HUMMER. While we don't know any technical details about this military-spec Volkswagen Touareg, we wouldn't expect it to turn up on your local dealership's lot anytime soon.
The images show a Touareg stripped of its chrome hardware and slathered in matte green paint. It's been fitted with all manner of combat communications systems, from the looks of the antennas that would likely get blown off by the automatic turret cannon on the roof (which, by the way, appears to be mounted to the stock roof rack). The Vee-Dub doesn't seem to have had much bulletproofing bodywork done, aside from maybe some indiscernible internal reinforcement, which would lead us to believe that, for the time being at least, this appears to be a demonstration prototype only.
[Source: VWVortex via Carscoop]
Gallery: Military-spec Volkswagen Touareg
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