6. Humvee and Hummers
Back in the 1980s, Pentagon was choosing the successor for the venerable and iconic Jeep. They have settled on High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). One of Humvee’s rivals was Lamborghini Cheetah, but it failed its trials. Humvee went on to become one of the most recognizable military vehicles in the world, serving in many armies around the globe.
After the initial success, the military ordered a fully armored version, to provide extra protection for troops going into battle. The civilian version, called Hummer, didn’t fare so well and the company that made them ended up sold to Chinese. One of the facts that doomed their fate was that they were seen as their owners’ attempt at compensation for their lacking in…other areas.
