HUMMER legacy, the 2006 H3

Press Release

Control H3 provides a surprisingly smooth, comfortable ride, along with the responsive handling and braking control that customers want for daily driving. Key chassis features that contribute to this combination of smoothness and control, both on- and off-road, include:

A fully welded ladder-type frame, with a modular, three-piece design that incorporates fully boxed components for outstanding strength and stiffness.

An independent front SLA torsion bar suspension and "Hotchkiss" design multi-leaf, semi-elliptic, single-stage leaf spring rear suspension. The standard suspension provides excellent on-highway comfort and outstanding off-road capability, while the optional Off-Road Adventure package delivers more extreme off-road capability.

Underbody protection that includes four standard protective shields, including the front skid plate; an oil pan skid plate that also protects the front axle; and a transfer case shield and a fuel tank shield. Additional protection is also available from optional chassis-bolted rocker panel protectors.

A highly sophisticated standard power rack-and-pinion steering system, with a three-bushing design and a 17:1 ratio that contributes to a very maneuverable 37-foot curb-to-curb turning circle.

Electro-hydraulic four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with Dynamic Rear Proportioning, for quick, controlled stops.

Standard single-wheel, full-function traction control that uses a combination of engine intervention and brake management to allow as many as three wheels on a slippery surface and still provide impressive traction capability. It also interacts with the transfer case to provide additional off-road operating modes.

StabiliTrak vehicle stability enhancement system, which enhances safety, stability and control on all roads.

Iconic Style HUMMER design is iconic. H3's daring looks make it readily identifiable as a HUMMER. It's a matter of form following function. Features like its wide track width, short overhangs and huge tires provide stability, outstanding ground clearance and quick rock-climbing capability in off-road driving.

The H3's flat, chiseled surfaces; upright windshield and windows; signature seven-slot louvered grille; round headlamps housed inside square openings; and pronounced fender flares are all pure HUMMER. Power and strength emanate from its cube-like metal billet form.

Large tires are a staple of HUMMER style, clearly signaling the trucks' capability. H3's 32- and 33-inch tires carry that family trait strongly. Six-lug 16-by-7.5-inch aluminum wheels are standard, with chrome wheels available.

The large rear swing gate encompasses fixed glass, standard rear wiper, defogger and full-size spare tire. The swing gate-mounted spare, a HUMMER first, enhances interior cargo room.

Among other exterior design highlights are a highly protective aluminum front skid plate; hefty, stamped-steel front and rear bumper bars; a composite front fascia, with "HUMMER" molded into the driver's side; standard front tow hooks; and a welded-on rear bumper recovery hook.

Comfortable, convenient The H3's interior is inviting and modern, blending premium cues with world-class craftsmanship. Upscale touches include a perforated, leather-wrapped and stitched steering wheel and automatic transmission shift handle; bright-accented instrumentation; brushed, machine-finished trim plates; chrome door release handles; chrome bezel for the automatic transmission shifter; and a chrome H3 emblem in the center of the steering wheel.

Sporty front bucket seats and 60/40 split rear seats, with foam inserts and soft bolsters, provide both comfort and good off-road operating support. They are available in standard cloth and optional leather.

The instrument panel is positioned to ensure an optimal view of the road, with easy-to-read liquid crystal displays and a driver information center in the center of the cluster. A center stack includes four levels of controls arranged horizontally for easy use.

Four audio systems are available, all compatible with GM's OnStar system and optional XM Satellite Radio. They include an optional touch-screen DVD-based Navigation Radio, with a 6.5-inch screen, separate DVD and CD slots, Radio Data System capability and navigation map database.

A large, 36.1-by-24.6-inch power sunroof is available and includes easy-to-operate "express" opening and closing functions, with anti-pinch safety protection.

Some additional standard electronic features include power windows and door locks with lockout protection; electric rear window defogger; outside power-adjustable manually folding rearview mirrors; self-dimming "electrochromic" inside rearview mirror with compass and outside temperature indicator; and three 12-volt, covered auxiliary power outlets (two in front, one in the cargo area).

Safety and security HUMMER owners value the inherent strength and feeling of security their trucks exude. The H3 fulfills that promise with available features such as Stabilitrak vehicle stability control, roof rail-mounted side curtain air bags, rollover protection system, tire pressure monitoring and stout vehicle structure projected to earn five-star safety ratings for both the driver and passenger in front and side impacts.

The H3 incorporates structural enhancements designed to help in crash protection as well as a number of advanced safety systems to assist in both crash avoidance and protection.

A reinforced passenger compartment safety cage helps provide protection against side and front impacts. The strong, rigid steel structure surrounds the passenger compartment, runs from the A-pillars to the roof rail, back to the D-pillars and includes the bottom rocker panels, under-floor longitudinals and frame. The all-steel body panels and exceptionally strong frame further protect occupants in a collision. The fully welded, ladder-type frame optimizes crash performance, in addition to standing up to rigorous off-road requirements.

Additional crash protection is provided by a standard frontal dual-stage air bag system. The H3 has GM's Passenger Sensing System, which uses weight-sensing technology to turn the front passenger air bag on or off as appropriate. If the sensor system detects an unoccupied front passenger seat or the presence of a smaller occupant, the front passenger air bag is designed to automatically turn off so it would not deploy in the event of a frontal collision. Even with this system, GM strongly recommends to restrain child passengers in an appropriate child seat placed in the second or third row of the vehicle.

Optional roof-rail-mounted, side curtain air bags drop all the way down to the belt line to help provide head and rollover protection for the driver and front passenger. A rollover protection sensing system also helps protect occupants against impending rollovers by triggering side curtain air bags to increase the likelihood of occupant containment in a rollover event, and seat belt pre-tensioners to reduce the likelihood of occupant contact with the inside of the vehicle.

H3 will feature the new sixth-generation OnStar hardware with digital and analog coverage. OnStar's Gen 6 hardware includes upgraded hands-free voice recognition capabilities including more intuitive continuous digit dialing and improved voice recognition accuracy. OnStar features core safety services and Personal Calling that allows drivers to make and receive hands-free, voice-activated phone calls.

Some of the other standard safety and security features on the H3 include daytime running lamps, a PASSLock II anti-theft vehicle security system, remote keyless entry, battery rundown protection and an electronic tire pressure monitoring system.