Arnold wants a Humvee.

• Position: Arnold Schwarzenegger; High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle

Arnold Wants a Humvee

For the record, Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted a Humvee even before the made-in-Indiana military vehicle became a war hero. Now, the Hollywood hero has even more reason to want to be seen in the driver's seat.

Known in Indiana as a Hummer, the Humvee nickname is actually an attempt to verbalize the vehicle's military moniker: High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. The Humvee is made in Mishawaka by AM General.

Since 1984, the Humvee has been to the military what the Jeep used to be, and then some. It can carry troops into battle or retrieve wounded soldiers. It can carry cargo or air defense systems. It can be fitted with machine guns and antitank weaponry. It's no wonder the star of such adventures as "The Terminator" would feel at home behind the wheel of a Humvee.

Schwarzenegger visited the Mishawaka plant last fall. He asked if he could buy a Humvee, presumably so he could don his tuxedo and make an impressive arrival at Spago's, the trendy eatery in Los Angeles. He also wanted to use a Humvee in an upcoming film.

But it's not as simple as signing on the dotted line. For one thing, Humvees simply aren't sold commercially, although AM General has considered it. What's more, Schwarzenegger wants a hatchback, and the Humvee hatchback comes with a machine-gun turret on top. That's fine for the streets of Kuwait City, but AM General doesn't want such threatening vehicles on U.S. highways. Another snag is the engine: Humvees run on diesel, but Schwarzenegger wants a gasoline engine. And, needless to say, the standard Humvee doesn't have the stereo and leather seats that Schwarzenegger wants.

Though the company has no plans to get into the custom Humvee conversion business, it may agree to a deal with the "Raw Deal" star. The details are still being worked out.

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