Autoblog

CNN's Baghdad battlecruiser, the Warrior One, will be going up for bid at January's Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale to raise money for the Fisher House Foundation. The well-known Hummer H1 was purchased at a Kuwaiti dealership and used during 2003 by CNN while they were embedded with the First Battalion, 7th Marines during the war. The crew came under heavy fire near Baghdad in April of that year while driving the vehicle.

After its tour of duty was over, the vehicle was turned over to TLC's Overhaulin' crew in the summer of 2006. Doing what they do best, the team overhauled the engine and body, and also added a network-worthy entertainment system. Airbrush artists were set loose on the exterior as well, adding images of photojournalists and military men and women to honor "those who have served during the war and those who have covered it."

All of the proceeds from the upcoming auction will go to aid the Fisher House Foundation, which supports the families of America's military members in their time of need. Fisher House provides "comfort homes" to family members of military personnel who require medical attention at major military and VA medical centers. These homes allow family members to be close to their loved ones during the hospital stays. The Fisher House Foundation serves more than 8,500 families every year.

The vehicle was on display near the media center at SEMA and every time we passed it we noticed another detail. Take a close look and you'll see that the "louvered" hood is actually punctuated with dozens of "CNN" logos. The beltline border depicts other military vehicles. The murals are phenomenal, especially with the sand-colored background adding a military feel. The stereo system is probably sufficient to act as a mobile broadcast vehicle. The roof even shows a CNN satellite floating high above the U.S. of A. The "Overhaulin'" transformation of this Hummer will air on November 21.

[Source: CNN]