Back in the early '80s, AM General designed the Humvee military truck to drive from someplace peaceful to someplace where there's a lot of warfare going on. Obviously a vehicle built for such duty isn't going to be optimized for daily use in suburbia. But over the years the Humvee was tweaked to become nearly livable as the civilian Hummer H1. And now the H1 itself has been massaged to become the 2006 Hummer H1 Alpha — the most civil "real" one yet. Not that it's all that civil.
Still a "Real" Hummer
While the exterior has been dusted with a few "Alpha" badges (Alpha is to Hummer as "SS" is to Chevrolet or "Red Line" is to Saturn) and a new set of wheels, the H1 remains distinctly itself. The big changes that make the Alpha better are within its rough-hewn skin and the most impressive of those are the Duramax 6.6-liter turbodiesel V8 and Allison five-speed automatic transmission from GM's Heavy Duty pickups.
Since entering production, military Humvees and civilian Hummer H1s have employed GM's 6.2-liter and 6.5-liter diesel V8s which were commonly used in other military vehicles so the U.S. Army could keep its combat supply lines as simple as possible. In fact, you'll still find the 6.5 in new military-bound Humvees, though the engine is made by AM General now.
In the 2004 Hummer H1 the turbocharged 6.5-liter diesel produced 205 horsepower, but the H1 Alpha's Duramax slugs out 300 hp and a massive 520 pound-feet of peak torque at 1,500 rpm. Combine that with the flexibility and manners of the Allison five-speed (replacing GM's 4L80-E four-speed automatic) and the Alpha suddenly has a contemporary drivetrain that accelerates with some grace despite its 7,213-pound curb weight.
GM, which markets the Hummer, and AM General, which makes it, claim the Duramax improves 0-60-mph acceleration from a lazy 16.5 seconds to a still-not-quick 13.5 seconds.
To fit into the H1, and retain the vehicle's 16 inches of ground clearance, the Duramax needed a few components repositioned and a new oil pan. But this is still the Duramax and while it's powerful, its biggest attraction is its affable character. This is a diesel that revs with some enthusiasm, isn't particularly loud, and mates perfectly with the unobtrusive Allison transmission.
OK On-Road, Awesome Off
The all-independent suspension uses A-arms thicker than your thighbone and springs that look like they could catapult F-14s off the deck of the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk. Despite this, the ride on the bead-locked 37-inch-tall Goodyear Wrangler GSA tires is pretty good on-road.
The steering isn't particularly communicative, keeping such a wide vehicle in narrow lanes takes concentration, and parking shouldn't be attempted without a spotter, but all in all it's wholly manageable and vastly better than early civilian Hummers. If you find a Chevy Suburban intimidating to drive, however, piloting the H1 Alpha will induce a coronary.
Big Outside, Small Inside
When the H1's interior was redesigned back in 2004, the Hummer came away with new instrumentation, new leather upholstery and one of GM's Monsoon sound systems, but it still had an astonishing lack of space for such a huge vehicle. For 2006, the H1 soldiers on with this cramped interior.
To keep its bottom safe from obstacles, the drivetrain is shoved up along the Hummer's center, which leaves the driver and passengers sitting in narrow tunnels on either side of it.
The H1 is 86.5 inches wide (before counting the mirrors) and yet hip- and shoulder room are stingy and having a conversation across the engine cover's acreage may as well be done by semaphore. As if that weren't frustrating enough, the driver sits smushed up against the steering wheel, the controls are spread about counterintuitively, window switches mounted on the engine cover heat up significantly, getting in and out is a challenge, and there are no airbags. By the standards of modern automobiles, the Hummer H1 Alpha's interior is a disaster.
When the Road Ends
Fortunately, the standards of modern automobiles don't apply to the H1 Alpha when the roads end and the Hummer comes into its natural element — the anarchy of nature and combat. Off-road the H1 Alpha is wonderful. It seems to be a foot narrower, the steering suddenly has scalpellike precision, and the traction seems infinite. Use the onboard on-the-fly tire-inflation system to drain off some pressure and the H1 Alpha climbs rocks and obstacles with a casual disdain. There isn't another production vehicle that matches the Alpha's off-road competence even if there are places its size won't allow it to go.
A True Off-Road Exotic
The Hummer H1 Alpha is as narrowly focused on off-road ability as a Ferrari is on blazing road speed. So maybe it's not surprising that it's priced like a Ferrari, too. All-new H1s are now H1 Alphas with the basic convertible model starting at $126,185 and the hardtop starting at $137,508.
Still a "Real" Hummer
While the exterior has been dusted with a few "Alpha" badges (Alpha is to Hummer as "SS" is to Chevrolet or "Red Line" is to Saturn) and a new set of wheels, the H1 remains distinctly itself. The big changes that make the Alpha better are within its rough-hewn skin and the most impressive of those are the Duramax 6.6-liter turbodiesel V8 and Allison five-speed automatic transmission from GM's Heavy Duty pickups.
Since entering production, military Humvees and civilian Hummer H1s have employed GM's 6.2-liter and 6.5-liter diesel V8s which were commonly used in other military vehicles so the U.S. Army could keep its combat supply lines as simple as possible. In fact, you'll still find the 6.5 in new military-bound Humvees, though the engine is made by AM General now.
In the 2004 Hummer H1 the turbocharged 6.5-liter diesel produced 205 horsepower, but the H1 Alpha's Duramax slugs out 300 hp and a massive 520 pound-feet of peak torque at 1,500 rpm. Combine that with the flexibility and manners of the Allison five-speed (replacing GM's 4L80-E four-speed automatic) and the Alpha suddenly has a contemporary drivetrain that accelerates with some grace despite its 7,213-pound curb weight.
GM, which markets the Hummer, and AM General, which makes it, claim the Duramax improves 0-60-mph acceleration from a lazy 16.5 seconds to a still-not-quick 13.5 seconds.
To fit into the H1, and retain the vehicle's 16 inches of ground clearance, the Duramax needed a few components repositioned and a new oil pan. But this is still the Duramax and while it's powerful, its biggest attraction is its affable character. This is a diesel that revs with some enthusiasm, isn't particularly loud, and mates perfectly with the unobtrusive Allison transmission.
OK On-Road, Awesome Off
The all-independent suspension uses A-arms thicker than your thighbone and springs that look like they could catapult F-14s off the deck of the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk. Despite this, the ride on the bead-locked 37-inch-tall Goodyear Wrangler GSA tires is pretty good on-road.
The steering isn't particularly communicative, keeping such a wide vehicle in narrow lanes takes concentration, and parking shouldn't be attempted without a spotter, but all in all it's wholly manageable and vastly better than early civilian Hummers. If you find a Chevy Suburban intimidating to drive, however, piloting the H1 Alpha will induce a coronary.
Big Outside, Small Inside
When the H1's interior was redesigned back in 2004, the Hummer came away with new instrumentation, new leather upholstery and one of GM's Monsoon sound systems, but it still had an astonishing lack of space for such a huge vehicle. For 2006, the H1 soldiers on with this cramped interior.
To keep its bottom safe from obstacles, the drivetrain is shoved up along the Hummer's center, which leaves the driver and passengers sitting in narrow tunnels on either side of it.
The H1 is 86.5 inches wide (before counting the mirrors) and yet hip- and shoulder room are stingy and having a conversation across the engine cover's acreage may as well be done by semaphore. As if that weren't frustrating enough, the driver sits smushed up against the steering wheel, the controls are spread about counterintuitively, window switches mounted on the engine cover heat up significantly, getting in and out is a challenge, and there are no airbags. By the standards of modern automobiles, the Hummer H1 Alpha's interior is a disaster.
When the Road Ends
Fortunately, the standards of modern automobiles don't apply to the H1 Alpha when the roads end and the Hummer comes into its natural element — the anarchy of nature and combat. Off-road the H1 Alpha is wonderful. It seems to be a foot narrower, the steering suddenly has scalpellike precision, and the traction seems infinite. Use the onboard on-the-fly tire-inflation system to drain off some pressure and the H1 Alpha climbs rocks and obstacles with a casual disdain. There isn't another production vehicle that matches the Alpha's off-road competence even if there are places its size won't allow it to go.
A True Off-Road Exotic
The Hummer H1 Alpha is as narrowly focused on off-road ability as a Ferrari is on blazing road speed. So maybe it's not surprising that it's priced like a Ferrari, too. All-new H1s are now H1 Alphas with the basic convertible model starting at $126,185 and the hardtop starting at $137,508.
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