Students Design Go-Anywhere Hummers Student designers from the Center for Creative Studies-College of Art and Design recently partnered with the American Iron and Steel Institute to create three different concept versions of General Motors Corp.'s Hummer in an effort to produce a safe, lighter-weight and more cost-conscious alternative to today's sport/utility vehicles (SUVs).

The H-4 Surveyor, designed by Rudolf Gonzalez with a nod to Hummer's militaristic roots, is more refined than today's vehicle. "I realized the potential of the Hummer character brand due to its military use and nationalistic pride," Mr. Gonzalez says. His design is cleaner, something he achieved by smoothing the edges and not using spot-welding. And it's meant to be a direct competitor to the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The Hummer Turbine is designed to be built with a military-like turbine engine. "I wanted to take the best of Hummer and military technology of the past," says designer Marc Senger. Style-wise the Turbine boasts wing lights on the side, the same steel brush guards as the current Hummer and rear circular exhaust outlets that incorporate the taillights.

The Vigilante concept is as an entry-level version of the Hummer. Designer David Tang gave the concept a low roofline, steeply raked windshield and gull wing doors to make it as much sports car as sport/utility.

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