The Hummer is a cut above the rest in the class of off-roaders. Terrain-conquering has been its specialty since it is based on the US armed forces' High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Humvee), the Hummer and its Lunar Rover-rivalling capabilities have won it many admirers since its launch in 1992, this list including filmstars and oil moguls from across the globe. So what's so special about this H1?
Well, this H1 gets DC Design's makeover. The brief given to the team at DC was simple — retain the Hummer's original looks while making its interiors as grand as a luxury saloon's.
Externally, there isn't all that much to differentiate the DC car from the standard model. A heavy duty metal cladding for the front grille, winch, and headlights make this Hummer look even more butch when viewed head-on. Other additions to the exteriors of this Goliath include housing for its roof-mounted auxiliary lights and a smart new roof rail. The tail sees the fitment of a Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) storage bay under the spare wheel. Dainty and pretty it isn't, but then that isn't what it's all about in the first place.
The exteriors and interiors are poles apart in styling. Open the doors and you will be greeted by a cabin that is as far removed from the original's as can be. No longer does the interior bear resemblance to a battle tank. Out go the tacky plastics that have long been the hallmark of H1s and in comes a healthy dose of aluminium, faux wood, and chrome. The interiors look and feel rich with the high-grade leather and the small three-spoke steering wheel contributes too. You can even sink your feet into the deep carpeting.
Straight lines make way for curves on the inside. The boxy centre console on the original is replaced by a swooping fascia replete with classy chrome-finish air vents. But the DC Hummer's pièce de résistance is its intelligent infotainment system. Nestled in the region of the gear lever are an Apple iPad, Philips Pronto universal control panel, and a GPS system — enough to make the most ardent of techno buffs drool. The iPad looks after in-car entertainment and comes with 64GB of memory. But what's really eye-catching is the Philips Pronto that looks straight out of a James Bond car. The touchscreen device is your go-to gadget for controlling all electricals right from the external lights to internal LEDs and even power window operation. Its touch-operated engine on/off feature is perhaps the coolest function. While all electricals are integrated to this system, DC has retained all original switches to serve as backups. The rear passengers get their own headrest-mounted LCD touchscreens and these are linked to a 500GB hard disk, which is great for hundreds of hours of movies. However, rear occupants also have to make do with limited space. This is due to the Hummer's massive central transmission tunnel that robs the car of much space and working around this would have called for extensive remodelling of the drivetrain.
The catch though is that you can't have this Hummer, for this is a one-off destined for a buyer in Saudi Arabia. But those genuinely interested in such a customisation can get in touch with DC Design. All you need is to write a fat check, have plenty of patience (this H1 took four months to modify) and, of course, you need to buy a stock.
