General Motors monster, the Hummer H1, a tank-like SUV used by the U.S. military, sold to the public by GM, with a price tag of 140000$ poor fuel economy and massive size have made it impractical for many customers, it is posible to be decommissioned soon.

While there is no decision yet, Hummer's new general manager, Martin Walsh, said in a few years, the slightly smaller H2 sport utility vehicle could replace the H1 as the brand's flagship model.

The H1, with fewer than 400 sales last year, is still "very important" to the brand's image as an off-road leader with iconic design, Walsh said.

The comments come as Hummer is trying to broaden its appeal to consumers and as gas prices hover near $3 per gallon.

In less than 15 years on the U.S. auto market, the H1 has become a status symbol to the moneyed elite -- thanks to enthusiastic endorsements from Arnold Schwarzenegger and hip-hop artists -- and a gotta-have-it toy for hard-core off-roaders.

The "product expansion" planned for the Hummer brand will be based only on rugged truck frames, he said. Aside from adding a high-performance Alpha version last year, GM has done little to change the original H1, a vehicle it markets as "the most functional off-road vehicle ever made available to the civilian market."