2/18/20 53/100 Humvee

Now for a more recognizable military vehicle with four wheels, the Humvee, as Matchbox introduced this casting in 1994 and one of only a few Humvee replicas out there at the time before being flooded with more when General Motors took over the brand from AM General in the 2000’s.  The HUMVEE, or High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle was created in the 1980’s as a bid from the U.S. government to look for an alternative for the Military Jeep who, despite being reliable and familiar, was succumbing to the increased need of safe and secure mobility with new and stronger body armor.  The Humvee uses a platform that places the engine and cabin between the axles and the engine higher up into the cabin to protect the powertrain from IED’s.  The cabin was shaped to protect the occupants in an explosion that would destroy the rest of the truck, be able to carry and deport from a cargo airplane, run on deflated tires, and forge deep waters and nearly 90 degree slopes.  To do all of this and handle the extra protection it would need a stronger engine, so a turbodiesel 6.2L V8 would be needed to do the trick.  After a successful win during Desert Storm the Humvee became legendary, though as weaponry and technology changed rapidly the Humvee faced criticism when the trucks were not able to handle the deadly IED’s during the Iraq war two decades later.  Matchbox has created a true legend with this Humvee in 4-door fastback profile that features an opening rear trunk and a rotating gun on the roof.  The tan color with mud graphics are appropriate for this truck, the blacked-out wheels sit on a wide track with working suspension and a very detailed base so detailed that the front control arms and springs are visible from the front-end.  The downside is that there is no interior in order for more moving parts to be added, yet even a change in techniques at Matchbox never slowed the Humvee down:  the next year it was called back to replace the delayed H2 SUV concept in yellow without the gun on the roof and recently the Humvee returns in 2018 with no opening rear trunk and working suspension, but the basic look of the Humvee still remains.

Specifications:

· Engine: 6.2L Turbodiesel V8 190 hp.

· Transmission: 3-speed automatic

· 0-60 mph: 22 sec. est.

· Real vehicle price: #200,000 est. 1993

Rating:  4.8 out of 5 stars