Reply #10: So what was the market share of trucks in 1936 compared to the 1990s? [View All]

[JackRiddler]

And does it help you to call people dumb while you say stupid things?

http://www.forbesautos.com/buyersguide/suv/2007/07-suv-history.html

While the Walter P. Chrysler Museum proclaims that the SUV craze started with the Jeep Wagoneer, which was built from the ground-up with four-wheel-drive in mind, other manufacturers claim legacy or leadership with SUVs. Land Rover enthusiasts cite the 4WD Series I designed in the late '40s as perhaps the most iconic SUV whose design lives on in the Land Rover Defender (not currently sold in the U.S.). Not coincidentally, the first Land Rover was based on the Willys Jeep, many examples of which littered Britain after WWII. Others would claim Ford’s early Bronco, Chevrolet's Blazer, or tractor-maker International Harvester’s Scout models led the way for SUVs becoming so popular. All of these models were a hit from the late ‘50s through the ‘70s and have became increasingly popular with hipsters and tastemakers in recent years.

The Ford Explorer is notable for popularizing four-door midsize SUVs in the early '90s, though Chevy and GMC fans will argue that four-door versions of the Blazer and Jimmy played a part. The last two decades have seen a steady stream of new SUVs from every manufacturer, with increasing levels of sophistication and comfort.

One distinct up-stream swimmer is the militaristic Hummer H1, which AM General first offered to consumers in 1992. Unrivaled as the most serious, brutish four-wheel-drive vehicle around, its evolution from the U.S. Army's turret-gun toting HUMVEE reads like a Hollywood movie script starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Actor-turned-governor of California Schwarzenegger was so enamored by the HUMVEE’s capabilities during the filming of the 1991 feature film "Terminator II: Judgment Day," that he approached AM General to build a civilian version for the streets. Not only was the Hummer H1 born, but it has since been followed by the H2 and the recently introduced smaller H3. An even smaller H4 is reportedly in the works. The Hummer’s Herculean appearance, war-tested durability and get-out-of-my-way stance quickly made it the darling of attention-hungry celebrities and wealthy, conspicuous consumers, not to mention commercial users, despite the fact that environmentalists vehemently bash its size and abysmal fuel consumption.

While the now-discontinued H1 went a long way to concretizing the idea of a premium SUV in the minds of consumers, most didn't want something so extreme. As a result, luxury car manufacturers in the U.S. and abroad accommodated with increasingly posh SUVs. In fall of 1998, Cadillac marched into new territory with its gigantic Escalade.