Hummer H1
Source: Shutterstock.com
Next up on this list is one of the great overcompensation vehicles in the world. Yes, the Hummer was/is the poster child of the overbuilt gas guzzling vehicle. It’s a triumph to consumerism. But really it was the H2 and H3 that were when the concept of the Hummer went too far.
Throughout history, military conflicts have actually been spurs to innovation and production. The Willys Jeep from world war 2 was an icon and led to many years of Jeep and SUV production. Many of the innovations from war find their way to the civilian population in one form or another. The Hummer H1 is one piece of military hardware that become arguably the toughest SUV of all time.
Admittedly the Hummer H1 came in both truck and wagon form, but it’s the wagon SUV that really qualifies for our list. Almost all SUVs require the fully enclosed rear and lift gate. Throughout this list we’ve talked about small wheelbases allowing for vehicles to drive up] further inclines. For such a huge vehicle, the wheelbase is actually as short as it can possibly be. The front wheels essentially stick out to the point where they are further than the front nose of the car. This means that it can travel down inclines no other vehicle can dream of. While perhaps that’s not necessary on your daily trip to take the kids to school, it’s good to know that if your main route is blocked, you can just drive down a steep cliff.
The Hummer H1 also had a wow factor that you just don’t see in many vehicles. It had the strength and power of being a military vehicle at its heart. Anyone who really is into the military was able to purchase one so that they could feel like they were helping out the troops. It also quickly developed into an “American” icon. This occurred partially due to the military use and partly due to the raw size. Custom paint jobs to celebrate the American flag were pretty common for the H1.
