In 1979 the Army was looking for a new
High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). AM General competed in
the development of a vehicle to meet the standards of the military. The
prototype HUMVEE was created. After 50,000 miles of extensive, repetitive
testing, it was decided that the HUMVEE was the best vehicle for the job. In
1983 the U.S. Army awarded a $1.2 billion contract to AM General for 55,000
HUMVEES. Production began on a vehicle dubbed the HUMMER M998. In 1992 a
civilian model was introduced.
