Flashback: May '01 issue. We demand a rematch! Never mind.
TJ vs. Hummer No More
We recently said no more Hummer news on these pages. What we meant was no more Hummer news until the Hummer H1 is killed. It has now happened - the vehicle that launched a thousand spinners and sideways trucker caps when it went H2-light is now being dumped from GM's production plate. The Hummer H1 was first made available for public consumption in 1992 as an expensive alternative to penis-enlargement surgery. But rather than continuing with the niche market ($100,000-plus vehicles, men having midlife crises), AM General, which created and manufactures the Hummer, opted to dedicate its life to researching and developing light tactical HUMVEEs for the U.S. military. The '06 model year will be its last. The H2, H3, and H So On will continue.
Hello, My Name Is? That's our pick.
Name That Blimp
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company held a contest to name a new blimp, and 21,000 possibilities came in. The finalists are below (zzzz), although we couldn't help but notice there wasn't a Not Hindenburg or a B-limp, although we'll guess they probably showed up somewhere around 15,436 and 20,998. By the way, what's up with all the Jeep names here? And should we expect the next Jeep to be called Spirit of Trail Rated?
1. American Dream
2. Freedom
3. Liberty
4. Patriot
5. Patriot of Peace
6. Pride of America
7. Spirit of Endurance
8. Spirit of Ingenuity
9. Spirit of Innovation
10. The Spirit of Peace
Jeep News & Rumors
* The Commander and Grand Cherokee are going for the alternative lifestyle in 2007. It's then that flexible-fuel Jeeps will be offered in the lineup, with the ability to run on E85, the alternative fuel that is a mixture of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Great! Only 350 miles to our local fuel station.
* There are two lists: 10 Most Expensive Vehicles to Insure, and the 10 Least Expensive. Guess where the Grand Cherokee falls? Numero seveno on the Least list.
* Attention gamer geeks: The new Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend game stars the Commander and Wrangler Rubicon. Clothing is optional.
Industry News
Anyone else smell corn?
* BFNT and the AASHTO from D.C. to San Fran a la Eisenhower and Firestone? Huh? That nonsensical hipspeak means the American Association of State Highway wanted to acknowledge the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Interstate. The plan? Copy then-future-president Dwight Eisenhower's 3,230-mile cross-country trip from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco in 1919 (with the goal of figuring out whether troops and supplies could get from point west to point east by truck). Halfway through that trip, Harvey Firestone started rolling with the group, adding two of his own trucks, which were running pneumatic tires (to Eisenhower's rubber-heavy group). At speeds reaching 6 mph, we can only imagine the thrills behind the "I Spy" game. AASHTO is redoing the trip as an air kiss to the interstate and to Firestone's idea for an interstate highway system. This modern convoy will travel west to east and include two Firestone tractor trailers. And, hopefully, not take 55 days again.
* BFGoodrich has aligned itself with Tread Lightly! and the United Four Wheel Drive Association to create the Outstanding Trails program. The plan was to select five trails to be the focus of preservation and conservation efforts. Outstanding Trails will run through October, during which time BFG will host a bunch of events (both trail rides and, yes, educational happenings). BFG even is giving a grant to an off-road club to help out with the conservation work. For more details, head to bfgoodrichtires.com/outstandingtrails. Until you get to your computer, here's a look at the "winners" (sorry, but you've already missed the Moab one; that happened in June):
Hell's Revenge in Moab
Naches Pass/Longmire Wagon Train in Naches,Washington: July 6-7
Black Bear Pass, near Ouray, Colorado: August 19
.Pyeatt Draw in Payson, Arizona: October 14
Upper Tellico OHV Area Trail #4, Natahala National Forest in North Carolina: September 30