Arguably, most Hummer owners have no idea what their vehicle is really capable of. It's no big secret that many buyers of these squared-off suburban tanks do so for one primary reason: status. The Hummer's status-symbol status no doubt comes from its off-road ability, but you can bet the majority of them have no plans to ever leave the smooth pavement to go rough-riding in the hills. The truth is, it just feels cool to tool around town behind the wheel of one of these things. After all, a Hummer is pretty much as exotic as an SUV gets.
Nonetheless, it would be a kick to see the look on the faces of these urban cowboys (and girls) if they did indeed venture out into the wild. They would be more than pleasantly surprised... they would be flat-out impressed. We certainly were we when we took to the mountainous rock gardens of northern New Mexico with Hummer's smallest offering, the 2008 H3 Alpha.
Not since the original (and now discontinued) H1 Alpha roamed the earth has another Hummer been given the honor of wearing the performance Alpha designation. It denotes a certain level of power and presence. The vehicle aside, the Alpha badging itself broods a definitive super-hero quality. You can easily imagine the design stamped across the chest of some caped character with disproportionately large biceps.
But there's nothing disproportionate about this Alpha package. As a matter a fact, its newfound upshot of power is a perfect fit. Its heartblood is pumped by a GM 5.3-liter small block V-8. Boasting 300 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque, the H3 Alpha is a quick sprinter and can tow up to 6000 pounds of boat.
And off-road it really shines. We powered over rocks and up inclines that seemed impossible to tread.... Read full article