The civilian Hummer H1 had a good long run; a good
decade and a half before GM pulled the plug. But the military version was
around a lot longer than that… and what’s more is that it’s still in
production. But while the basic package has remained essentially unchanged
since its introduction way back in 1984, its manufacturer has just revealed a
substantially upgraded version.
AM General revealed the enhanced NXT 360 version of
the High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or “Humvee”) at the
Eurosatory military equipment expo in Paris, bringing with it a series of
upgrades to make it even more utile while offering better protection for the
personnel inside.
Not the least of those upgrades is the installation
of a more powerful engine. It’s still a 6.5-liter turbodiesel V8, but instead
of the 190 hp and 515 Nm of torque with which it came
initially, this new electronically controlled version packs a far more robust
250 hp and 624 Nm. And instead of a three- or four-speed
automatic transmission, the NXT 360 packs six.
Coupled with an upgraded suspension, that gives the
Humvee NXT 360 a higher payload capacity – the gross vehicle weight rating now
up to 7,100 kg. Considering that the vehicle itself only weighs
about a third that amount, that means it could haul another two
of itself, and do so across a wide array of terrain.
An upgraded central tire inflation system (now with
two compressors), greater wheel travel, bigger tires, higher ground clearance,
and increased approach and departure angles also mean it can go where previous
Humvees couldn’t.
Plus it can withstand barrage from stronger weapons
thanks to improved armor – all the while retaining the same tried-and-tested
platform, accepting the same array of equipment (like the new Hawkeye 105mm
Howitzer cannon kit), without changing its basic footprint. Perhaps best of all
is that the NXT 360 can be ordered not only on newly manufactured Humvees, but
retrofitted to existing ones, too.
