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The manufacturer famous for its supersized off-roaders, derived from military hardware, is being wound down.

Once the wheels chosen by Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Hummer's cult status was guaranteed thanks to each model's cartoon looks.

But, poor fuel consumption, stratospheric emissions and unwieldy size also attracted plenty of attention from campaigners and made them expensive to run.

A year ago Hummer's struggling owner, General Motors, decided it would attempt to sell the iconic marque to allow it to concentrate on its Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac brands.

However, its best hope - Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines failed to gain permission to buy the brand from the Chinese government, which wants manufacturers to concentrate on energy-efficient vehicles.

GM vice president of corporate planning and alliance, John Smith, said: "GM will now work closely with Hummer employees, dealers and suppliers to wind down the business in an orderly and responsible manner."

GM claims Hummer owner's warranties will still be honoured, while their service support and spare parts needs will continue to be met.

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