An article in the New York Times, April 5, 2003, asked whether the Hummer is so popular because of or in spite of its similarity to the Humvee, the military vehicle on which it is modeled. The article by Danny Hakim bore the title “In their Hummers, Right Beside Uncle Sam” and explored the attitudes of owners and sellers of the expensive SUV.
The earlier H1 model has a base price of $100,000 and its more cash-conscious little brother, the H2, starts at $50,000. The Hummer is the only Detroit vehicle being sold without customer incentives: no discounts, no rebates, no zero-interest financing. And to get one you even have to get your name on a waiting list and pay a premium.
Here are some extracts from the article.
“When I turn on the TV, I see wall-to-wall Humvees, and I’m proud,” said Sam Bernstein, a 51-year-old antiquities dealer who lives in Marin County, Calif., and drives a Hummer H2, an S.U.V. sibling of the military Humvee.
“They’re not out there in Audi A4’s,” he said of the troops. “I’m proud of my country, and I’m proud to be driving a product that is making a significant contribution.”
“If I could get an A1 Abrams, I would,” he added with a smile, referring to the tank, “but I don’t know if California would allow it.”
Rick Schmidt, founder of I.H.O.G., the International Hummer Owners Group, said: “In my humble opinion, the H2 is an American icon. Not the military version by any means, but it’s a symbol of what we all hold so dearly above all else, the fact we have the freedom of choice, the freedom of happiness, the freedom of adventure and discovery, and the ultimate freedom of expression.”
“Those who deface a Hummer in words or deed,” he added, “deface the American flag and what it stands for.”
Kevin Fieweger, general sales manager of Bergstrom Hummer in Milwaukee, said the appeal of Hummer was “testosterone,” but added, “I don’t have people coming in here in camouflage and a beret.”
Travis Patterson, 35, an Air Force veteran who lives in Arlington, Tex., said: “To me, the Hummer, the H1, is the most American vehicle on the planet. It oozes patriotism. You put some flags on the Hummer and drive down the road and everyone is honking and waving at you.”
With inspiration like this, how could I not write a song?
–Paul Fairchild, May 19, 2003
Right-click to download or left-click to listen to The Hummer Song.
