I haven't seen one. That doesn't mean that they don't exist.However, most replica manufacturers will shun doing a replica of a high-production current-model car for a few reasons.
First off, the manufacturer of the real car will tend to nuke you in court to get you to cease and desist the replication of their car.
Second, the resale value on the original car has to be high enough to get someone to justify spending $30K to finish off a kit. That's where the problem lays with the H2 (other than the owners of these cars keep thinking they're Hummers, or "American Icons" as some of them have said, when, in reality they're just an overpriced, rebodied Yukon made with off-the-shelf GM parts bin parts). The residual value (per the NADA guide) is 34. Which means that when the lease is up in three years the rig will be worth 34% of what it originally sold for...or about $16K. You can't make a good body kit that will sell for that, so most of the replica manufacturers will shrug and give you a "why bother?" look.
On the other hand, the parts that are going into the H2 are certainly worth the $16K. As a person who likes going off roading, I can't imagine, though, owning a 4x4 that has leather, heated seats, OnStar, power this, power that, a 3-million CD changer, or any of the other namby pamby shiney stuff that they're putting on the H2.
My recommendation would be to wait the three years and then pick up a great deal on a used (though never off-roaded!
) machine that should be very off-road capable. Once you get your rig, take out the leather, the carpet, the OnStar (I have a real issue with some company knowing where I am at all times. When I moved out of my parents house and started making it on my own I felt that I really didn't need Big Brother watching me at all times) and all of the other non-essential crap over a weekend. Then you'll have a really good off-road vehicle. That's my intent. I'd love to have a rig that I could take to South America and explore with. They're never going to import my very favorite off-road vehicle of all time (the Land Rover Defender diesel), so I'll have to make due with something else.
Your pal,
Meat.
(8 views)
Hummer H2 Replica?
Posted - February 15 2003 : 12:14:11 PM
