HUMMER H3T 2009 Prototype

he new little big truck from GM's butch division bows

At the L.A. Auto Show in 2004, General Motors first introduced the idea of a smaller HUMMER pickup. It was the H3T Concept. The production version of the concept, the 2009 H3T, is scheduled to be on GM's stand at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show in February.

While the '04 concept featured a standard cab with an integrated the bed (similar to original HUMMER H1 variants), the new H3T is a traditional pickup with a separate crew cab and five-foot bed. There is only one cab/box configuration. The H3T rides on a 134.2-inch wheelbase, some 22 inches longer than the standard H3 SUV. The HUMMER truck is also longer than the crew cab iterations of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon mid-size trucks on which the H3s are based. On paper and in person, this is not a small vehicle.

From the B-pillar forward, as you'd expect, the H3 SUV and T are identical. The rear seat of the H3T is standard pickup fare with a three-person bench that folds up to open up floor space for cargo. Behind the cab, the five-foot box incorporates GM's bed-rail accessory mounting system, as well as a removable tailgate.

Powertrains include the standard 3.7-liter in-line five-cylinder that produces 242 horsepower with either a five-speed manual or an old-school four-speed automatic. The Alpha-level 5.3-liter V-8 with 300 horsepower is optional, and given the new truck's weight (our estimate is 4600-4800 pounds), it's going to need all the power it can get. While we hope for a modern six-speed automatic to go with the V-8, it's looking like the heavy-duty four-speed automatic from the existing H3 Alpha is going to be as good as it gets. The Alpha editions will be rated to tow 5900 lb.

Staying true to the HUMMER image, the H3T should prove to be a capable off-roader. Full-time four-wheel drive is standard, as are functional skid plates and 32-inch tires. Taller 33-inch tires and locking differentials are optional.

Pricing will be announced closer to the H3T's on-sale date, which is expected to be late summer/early fall. If GM follows the pricing conventions they've set with the H2 SUV vs. H2 SUT, expect to see prices around $28,000 for a base H3T to $39,000 for the Alpha models.

GM's recent investment of $74 million investment in the Shreveport, Louisiana plant makes producing the new H3T possible. Estimates for yearly production hover around 35,000. The plant also produces the H3 SUV, the Chevrolet Colorado, and the GM Canyon mid-size pickups.