RUNNINGS BY HARRY KIRSBAUM PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN I n golf parlance, "Letting The Big Dog Eat" stands for breaking out the big, bad driver. In auto- motive parlance, it's taking a test drive in a Hummer 142. I picked up the ever-notice- able F12, on a sub-zero day in January with the promise that the heater would work. It did. The El2 is 203.5 inches long, and as tall as it is wide: 81.2 inches, which allows me to peer down the sunroof of any car next to me. This H2 sported a 6.0 liter, 16-valve V8 engine with 325 horses, and drank 12 miles a gallon in the city, 14 mpg on the highway. With a base price $52,285, the one I drove came Nv ith a luxury package for an extra $4,240, which included an XN1 satellite radio; chrome wheels, mirrors, door handles and crossbar rack; carpeted floor mats and a third row seat, right next to the spare tire. The optional sunroof made the total package $58,075. Other options include cargo carriers and a slew of portable items: DVD player, winch, tac- tical mountain bike, refrigera- tor-freezer and vault. The interior is comfortable, roomy and luxurious, and the large, leather-padded handle on the dash gives the white- knuckled passenger comfort when the driver decides to "have a little fun." The HZ can drive in 20 inch- es of water, cross a 40 percent Continued on page 12 JNPLATINUM • \I \RCII • I I