DETROIT -- General Motors Corp. introduced the latest design concept for its trendy Hummer nameplate on Tuesday, a midsize pickup with a touch of the Nike swoosh.
The Hummer H3T will be on display at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show later this month. At present, the H3T is a design showpiece not scheduled for mass production. It could eventually join Hummer's lineup of hulking sport utility vehicles.
The H3T features a pickup box with side-access doors and a power-operated folding canvas sunroof and drop-down rear window to offer open-air driving.
GM and designers from sports apparel giant Nike Inc. collaborated on several aspects of the vehicle, including its tires and seats. The H3T's seats incorporate lightweight material used in Nike clothing that can cool or warm the body without mechanics.
The H3T is built on a modified GM midsize truck platform and powered by a 350-horsepower, five-cylinder turbocharged engine.
The H3T would join the H1 and H2 SUVs and the H2 SUT, which has the features of both a large pickup and an SUV.
With a mix of muscle and sizzle, the Hummer has become America's new status ride, attracting celebrities and athletes who aren't bothered by its steep sticker price and gas mileage that barely rises above single digits. The H1's price starts at about $105,000, the H2 at roughly $50,000.
Pricing for the H2 SUT, which goes on sale next summer, has yet to be announced.
Through November, GM reported 31,447 total Hummer sales, nearly double what they were at the same point last year.
But the Hummer also has its critics, such as the Sierra Club, which faults the vehicle for its bulk and poor gas milage.
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