From the highs of success in the Baja 500 to the lows of an uncertain future, the Hummer brand has had an exciting week. General Motors has released dismal sales figures, revealing a corporate giant being toppled by $4/gallon gasoline. Year on year, May sales for GM are down 27 percent. Another sign of the changing times, the Honda Civic sold more than 53,000 units in May – almost matching the total the Hummer brand sold all 2007, and certainly more than it will in 2008.
At a press conference Tuesday, General Motors Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner, said:
We are undertaking a strategic review of the Hummer brand, to determine its fit with GM's evolving product portfolio... At this point, we are considering all options for the Hummer brand... everything from a complete revamp of the product lineup to partial or complete sale of the brand.
Reports published by Automotive News and others suggest the following scenarios:
- Sell the Hummer brand outright.
- Rapidly move to install its next-generation diesel engine.
- Fast-track the H4 based on the Jeep Wrangler-like HX concept.
Whichever direction the General decides to take, it will need to move expeditiously, as gas prices show no indication of dipping low enough for the public to again embrace gas-guzzling vehicles like the H2 again. A Hummer brand reborn with a freshened H3 and new H4, delivering improved fuel economy and recast as environment-friendly, green adventurers, rather than brutish off-roaders, may have a chance. We hope the executives come up with a plan to give the division another shot at scaling the rocky marketplace trail.
P.S. Aspiring Hummer enthusiasts will find good deals now on new and used models.
Research 2008 Hummer models in the buyer’s guide, complete with pricing, specifications, and photo galleries.
