Hummer Guy Hummer News and Opinion from an experienced off-road instructor
General Motors submitted their next update to Congress this evening, and although the plan for viability included information about HUMMER, much of it was already known. Even though GM’s actions around HUMMER have been clear for some time, Wednesday was the first time that keeping the HUMMER brand wasn’t even discussed as an option for The General.
“We will make a final decision to sell or phase out HUMMER by March 31st of this year,” said Rick Wagoner, who called a press conference Wednesday evening to discuss the highlights of the viability plan. The report noted that a final resolution for HUMMER is expected no later than 2010.
During a Q&A session, a reporter from the Detroit Free Press asked how long it would take for operations to cease if a buyer for HUMMER wasn’t found by March 31st . GM President Fritz Henderson responded by saying “we’ve been managing (HUMMER) inventories,” and that a wind-down of the HUMMER brand “would happen rather quickly.”
HUMMER was also mentioned in the dealership reduction area of the report. In total, GM is planning to drop over 2000 dealers by 2014, including the roughly 200 HUMMER dealers in the U.S.. GM also suggested that market share for their core brands (Chevy, Cadillac, and Buick) would increase due to reduced competition from HUMMER, Saab, Saturn, and Pontiac.
The overall report is rather mum when it comes to specifics on HUMMER’s future, though we won’t have to wait long. The definitive announcement on HUMMER is just over a month away.
I cannot believe they are going to phase out a Legend just because fuel WAS expensive last year… In my country fuel is STILL very expensive and I don´t really care.
Come on! every SUV Brand was affected! If demand for Hummer fell 50%, can´t they just close HALF their manufacturing capacity and continue improving the Brand? This would make Hummer even more Elite and Exclusive, like Porsche… (how many of these are manufactured yearly??)
Are they so Greedy that they will discontinue it just because it doesn’t sell as well as the crappy F150??
Yes, I own an H3 and love it. If they abandon it, i`ll feel betrayed and will NEVER get another U.S. vehicle.
Greetings.
Just before Humvee became Hummer, A. Scwarzenegger said “You guys are nuts if you don’t do this!” But now, those guys are nuts!
Is Hummer like Saturn, Pontiac, Saab? No, it’s a Legend, the most impressive off-road vehicle, a car with a powerful presence, unique, like nothing else! And what are they doing? They’re killing an iconic brand, an American dream. To do what? To manufacture their trendy “battery-bomb” Chevy Volt! Are they so fascinated by Japanese cars, “Prius” and so on!!! Are they stoned by ecological mind-poison?
I live in Europe and own a H3 that I love. GM doesn’t understand that Hummer has an increasing impact outside US, a very potential market in Europe and Eastern Europe, Russia, Middle East, Singapore and so on … Why don’t they make a “Boutique” Brand with Hummer? And if the demand of Hummer felt 50%, it’s perhaps because people who like this brand have bought one yet and don’t change their Hummer every year! It’s normal that the market is glutted now, but it’s not a raison to blow the whistle and throw Hummer away.
After reading that Hummer could potentially be phased out, I was feeling with my heart in my boots! Remains only to hope that someone would buy and love it.
GM has d one a very poor job in marketing the Hummer Brand. They got fat off the huge profits from the H2 and then failed to advertise the H3 as a vehicle that gets gas mileage as good as, if not better than some of its competition.
You don’t see Toyota getting rid of the 4Runner or Nissan’s pathfinder.
Good job, Martin Walsh……
About 90% of my vehicles have been General Motors and I must say I am very dissapointed on what GM is about to do with Hummer. First, they made it sound like it was the best thing since sliced bread to come out, Second, the vehicles are built right here in America and you want to abolish them. Thats great put more Americans out of work, but ok to build Buicks in China? When GM decided to purchase the Brand it solidified many people in buying them due to GM loylaty. In my family alone there are four Hummers and contrary what people say they are great vehicles and very safe. If anything theses are the smart cars for saftey, not some little tin can death trap that people call cars. There is a strong market for these vehicles and I hope GM pulls there head out of there _ _ _ and makes this work. You just don’t commit to consumers and then say see ya later. I have never owned a foriegn vehicle but if GM does this to this Brand they will really make me reconsider in my loyality. Remember GM word of mouth goes a long Way!