By Andrew Liszewski
In a world where gas consumption has become a big issue, it makes sense that the once gigantic Hummer has evolved into the HX concept revealed at the show this year. (Or a bit earlier depending on who you ask.) While significantly smaller than its predecessors, the Hummer HX still manages to maintain the unmistakable Hummer look, as well as its performance. Designed by 3 young, recent additions to the Hummer Design Studio, the HX includes features like easy to remove doors thanks to exposed pins in the hinges, and fender flares with quick release fasteners allowing them to be popped off for additional clearance around the wheels.
The inside of the HX concept also has some nifty improvements. For one thing, there’s no conventional radio. Instead you’ll find a dedicated jack for an iPhone or iPod, as well as a USB jack for connecting a flash drive full of MP3s. The gauge layout also uses reconfigurable LCDs that can change automatically depending on the activity. For example, while driving the center gauges will display a speedometer and tachometer, but will change to a wheel angle indicator when the transmission is in low gear. Even the HID headlamps up front include focus rings that will automatically adjust when the vehicle is turned on, just like the autofocus on an SLR camera.
You can find some more photos of the concept after the jump, including a shot of one of the HX’s first celebrity encounters.
Believe it or not actress Rosie Perez seemed to be a big fan of the concept. Here she is pictured with one of the HX’s young designers. It’s pretty bizarre what random celebrities you run into at the show.