Autoblog

Report: Last-ditch sale effort for Hummer post wind-down announcement fading

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:26:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, GM, Hummer

It's getting tough for even the most ardent supporters of the Hummer brand to continue to keep hope alive. Reports the aficionados at HummerGuy.net: "While many of us were hoping for a last-minute miracle to save the Hummer brand, signs from Detroit are indicating that Hummer production will soon cease indefinitely."

It appears as if General Motors has resigned itself to winding the brand down and letting it die a slow, agonizing death. The automaker says that it's no longer considering offers for the brand and dedicated Hummer staff are reportedly be assigned to serve elsewhere.

Oh, and about that "Save Hummer" summit that's planned for April 11th near Chicago? GM, though it is aware of the rally, has no plans to send representation. That sound that you hear? That's just the tolling of Hummer's death knell. Thanks for the tip, Brian!

[Source: HummerGuy.net]

Report: Last-ditch sale effort for Hummer post wind-down announcement fading originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GeigerCars Hummer H2 Bomber is ready for winter...now that it's spring

Drew Phillips — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SUV, Hummer, Off-Road

GeigerCars Hummer H2 Bomber - Click above for high-res image gallery

GiegerCars has a love affair with American cars, and a particularly strange affection for Hummers. The German tuner has created all sorts of strange variants like a Christmas-themed H2, a 700-horsepower H2 built for a Texas sheriff or any number of racing-liveried Hummers like the "Gulf Wing" or this Martini Racing inspired H3.

GiegerCars' latest creation is the Hummer H2 Bomber. The most notable modification is the addition of four Mattracks 88M1-A1 rubber tracks that replace the twenty inch wheels. The rest of the vehicle features a military design theme as well as a roof box with lighting and a silver matte paint finish. Now all we need is a race on a snow-covered drag strip between this and Ken Block's Subaru TRAX STI. Follow the jump for the press release from GeigerCars.

Gallery: GeigerCars Hummer H2 Bomber

[Source: GiegerCars.de]

Continue reading GeigerCars Hummer H2 Bomber is ready for winter...now that it's spring

GeigerCars Hummer H2 Bomber is ready for winter...now that it's spring originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hummers are for Horses: Artist reimagines the monsterous SUV [w/video]

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Hummer, Humor, Specialty

Horse-drawn Hummer H2 - Click above to view the video after the jump

When the internal combustion engine finally helped the automobile pass the horse-drawn carriage as the chosen method of transportation for a majority of citizens in the United States, that a step in the right direction. Right? Moving forward about a hundred years... when the behemoth Sport Utility Vehicle that never actually seems to venture off the beaten path passed the minivan in the hearts and minds of families across the country as the people-mover of choice, was that a step in the right direction?

If you answered no to either of the above questions, perhaps you'll enjoy the video pasted after the break. Created by artist Jeremy Dean (read about our initial post on the project here), the converted Hummer H2 is called Futurama and is pulled by two white horses named, appropriately enough, Duke and Diesel. Hummers are for horses? See for yourself.

Gallery: Jeremy Dean's Hoover H2

Continue reading Hummers are for Horses: Artist reimagines the monsterous SUV [w/video]

Hummers are for Horses: Artist reimagines the monsterous SUV [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Hummers still good for some things, like towing giant snowplows

Chris Shunk — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: China, Etc., Videos, Hummer, Humor

Click above to watch the video after the jump

Hummer may be the most hated automotive brand in the history of the green movement, but even Al Gore has to admit that there are times when a big, hulking SUV is necessary. The snowed-in residents of Baltimore City are likely very happy there was at least one H2 nearby when one of their massive snow plows got stuck in a couple feet of the white stuff. We're not talking a 20 year-old Super Duty with a blade here folks. Nope. We're talking one of those massive International trucks with four full-sized doors and a plow bigger than your typical midsize sedan.

Hit the jump and watch as the H2 digs deep and rescues the much larger plow truck from the indomitable snow drift. That's enough of a sign of force to make a Chinese company very proud. Or not.

[Source: WBAL TV]

Continue reading Video: Hummers still good for some things, like towing giant snowplows

Video: Hummers still good for some things, like towing giant snowplows originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Artist transforming Hummer into horse cart, i.e. why we love modern art [w/video]

Jonny Lieberman — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:24:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SUV, Etc., Hummer, Specialty, Design/Style

What is art? - Click above for high-res image gallery

In 1948 American born artist Man Ray wrote, "There is no progress in art, any more than there is progress in making love. There are simply different ways of doing it." This is nearly 30 years after he glued some spikes to the bottom of an iron and called it art. And you know what? We couldn't agree more. Meet Jeremy Dean. He's a New York-based artist that began reading about "Hoover carts" during the recent economic bad times. Turns out that Hoover carts were broken down old cars that horses used to lug around during the Great Depression.

With that in mind, Mr. Dean decided to turn a "perfectly good" Hummer H2 that he purchased for $15,000 into a horse drawn cart. We'll let the artist explain the why:

At this time of record financial gains, the auto industry began producing ever extravagant cars and these huge American gas guzzlers became a status symbol in society leading to increased demand for oil and fuel prices soared. So with our very American idea of Manifest Destiny, we meddle in any country that has oil and send our men and women into harms way so that we can continue consuming almost 80% of the worlds resources. But how long can that last?

My own satirical prediction of the future: Unless we come up with alternative fuel sources and rethink our reliance on a hyperinflated consumer based economy, we may be left with no other options than to hook our cars up to a horse. As a symbol of this I [will] take either a Cadillac Escalade or HUMMER H2, which have become monuments to America's consumption, greed and arrogance, and convert it to a horse cart. The cart will maintain all its former glitz and glamour: chrome rims, GPS, working sound system, DVD player, and TV screens. But [it] will be pulled by a horse.

Hey man, horses need jobs, too. As for Jeremy Dean, he has apparently sunk his entire life savings into this project and is hoping to sell it to recoup his costs. We can only wish him good luck and ask one question: Isn't purchasing art for what we can only assume costs an entire briefcase full of Franklins just as much of a "status symbol" as big, ungainly luxury SUVs? Video of the art making process after the jump.

Gallery: Jeremy Dean's Hoover H2

[Source: Back to the Futurama via The Car Connection]

Continue reading Artist transforming Hummer into horse cart, i.e. why we love modern art [w/video]

Artist transforming Hummer into horse cart, i.e. why we love modern art [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA 2009: Hummer quartet is a pretty sweet swansong

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:41:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, SEMA Show, Truck, Hummer, Specialty, Off-Road

2010 Hummer Robby Gordon Off-Road - Click above for high-res image gallery

We almost skipped the Hummer section of the General Motors booth this year at SEMA, concentrating instead on the plethora of Chevrolet Camaro concepts all around them. When we went back for a second look at the day's new design for the Graphics Camaro, we saw the truck above and figured we should probably reconsider avoiding HUMMER after all. We took some pics and scrounged up the press release which you'll find after the jump.

There were four different Hummers on display. The one shown above is a Robby Gordon Off-Road race truck that is absolutely ridiculous -- in a good way. This H3 was built to campaign in the 2010 Dakar Rally and is a full-blown, tube-chassis race truck, just like the Trophy Trucks you'll see running in the Baja 1000.

Next up was the Rod Hall Racing H3 Alpha. This is a stock-class desert runner that ran the 2009 SCORE International Baja 1000., meaning that it features a stock frame, stock suspension design and production-based engine.

The other two trucks were Hummer concepts. First up was the H3 Moab. Said to be inspired by trails like Steel Bender, Moab Rim, and Poison Spyder, it's a 300-horsepower, V8-powered H3 Alpha with dual locking differentials, a Rancho four-inch front suspension lift, custom rear spring-over conversion, and 35-inch BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain KM2 tires mounted on custom 17-inch two-piece Monster Black Competition Beadlock Raceline Wheels by Allied.

Last but not least is the H3T Sportsman. It's been customized with a combination of powertrain modifications, suspension enhancements and an assortment of genuine factory accessories and aftermarket components. The standard Alpha 5.3-liter V8 has been boosted by a healthy 70 horsepower. Suspension upgrades include Light Racing JounceShocks and two-inch-diameter Rod Hall Racing piggyback reservoir-type performance shocks.

Altogether a pretty nifty quartet of Hummers that we'll probably never own. Check out the gallery and all the details after the jump.

Gallery: SEMA 2009: HUMMER concepts

Continue reading SEMA 2009: Hummer quartet is a pretty sweet swansong

SEMA 2009: Hummer quartet is a pretty sweet swansong originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AM General to build VPG MV-1 people-mover at Hummer H2 factory

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:41:00 EST

Filed under: Work, GM, Hummer, Specialty, Electric

Vehicle Production Group MV-1 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Remember the Standard Taxi from the Vehicle Production Group? It's now called the MV-1, and production is slated to begin next year at the AM General plant in Mishawaka, Indiana. That's the same assembly location where the Hummer H2 is built, which makes sense since the MV-1 is based on the same GM underpinnings as the behemoth SUV.

According to its makers, the MV-1 is the first purpose-built wheelchair-accessible vehicle in America, and it's able to accommodate up to six adults or two full-size wheelchairs. An ADA-approved ramp that stows under the vehicle's floor and a 36-inch wide side opening are designed to make entry and exit a simple affair.

With its body-on-frame construction made with fully boxed rails, the MV-1 should prove to be a durable people mover and its well-known GM drivetrain components should also be easily serviceable. Further, VPG has teamed up with Clean Energy to develop a dedicated compressed natural gas powertrain option that will provide a 250-mile range with significantly reduced emissions.

Styling wise, the MV-1 may not be the prettiest machine on the road, but for those needing to transport wheelchair-bound passengers, this design may just be a thing of beauty. See for yourself in our high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: Vehicle Production Group MV-1

[Source: VPG Autos, Detroit Free Press]

AM General to build VPG MV-1 people-mover at Hummer H2 factory originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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STUDY: Hummer owners believe they've made "a highly moral consumption choice"

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:29:00 EST

There probably isn't any one passenger vehicle on earth that earns more ire from environmentalists than the Hummer H2. While the reality of the matter is that most Hummers aren't really much worse when it comes to fuel mileage and overall emissions than any other giant SUV (most civilian Hummers are, in fact, based largely on truck platforms from General Motors) the brand has seemingly been made into the poster child of American excess.

Interestingly, however, according to a small study of 20 Hummer owners published in the Journal of Consumer Research, that stigma may actually be a selling point for those who purchase Hummers. According to the authors of the study:

As we studied American Hummer owners and their ideological beliefs, we found that they consider Hummer driving a highly moral consumption choice. For Hummer owners it is possible to claim the moral high ground... The moralistic critique of their consumption choices readily inspired Hummer owners to adopt the role of the moral protagonist who defends American national ideals.

It's hard to argue that this report offers a conclusive look into the minds of Hummer owners and Hummer haters alike - especially when the sample size is so small - and we doubt it's going to put an end to the debate over the seemingly conflicting rights of Americans to purchase the vehicle of their choice, consume or conserve whatever resources they deem necessary and breathe clean air. That said, it's an interesting bit of research, no?

[Source: Journal of Consumer Research - sub. req'd; via Wired]

STUDY: Hummer owners believe they've made "a highly moral consumption choice" originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Burned-out Hummer limo spotted during wildfires in California

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:22:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Etc., Hummer, Specialty

Cause or effect? While driving home from Supercar Sunday at VCR, we spotted this burned out Hummer H2 limo on the side of the road near the heart of the wildfires in Southern California.

Was this behemoth the cause of, or alternatively, a victim of the fires? Perhaps neither. It may have just been a coincidence that the lengthy SUV lay smoldering on the shoulder near thousands of acres of brush near Mulholland Drive. Perhaps. But one thing's for sure - the party's over for this limo. Here's hoping that anyone that happened to be inside made it out safely.

Burned-out Hummer limo spotted during wildfires in California originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Do HUMMER drivers get more tickets? A new study thinks so...

Chris Shunk — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:56:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Government/Legal, Safety, Hummer, Scion, Toyota

Click above to view gallery of the Most Ticketed Vehicles

I had a yellow Chevrolet Corvette Z06 last summer. When I took it by my parents house, my dad warned me not to break the speed limit because sports cars were a big red flag for law enforcement. His logic made complete sense, but it turns out that sports cars aren't necessarily the the most likely vehicles to get tickets. That honor goes to the HUMMER H2 and H3. ISO Quality and Planning, which does studies for insurance companies, found that HUMMER drivers are four times more likely to get a ticket than the average driver. Nobody has any concrete reason for why this is, but some guesses include a misplaced sense of power or an inability to notice road signs and hazards due to an elevated driving position. Of course, it could also be that due to the brand's subconscious negative baggage, police officers are more likely to give HUMMER drivers a ticket than a warning.

Other vehicles that are more likely to be involved in a road violation include the Scion tC, xA, and xB. Those vehicles often find themselves being driven by younger drivers who typically get more tickets anyway. Surprising, though, is the fact that the Toyota Solara and Subaru Outback also made the list. Not exactly barn burners, there. Interestingly, eight out of the 10 least ticketed vehicles come from General Motors, while six of the 10 most ticketed vehicles come from Toyota. View the galleries below to see the entire lists of the most and least ticketed vehicles from the Quality and Planning study. Thanks for the tip, Droids1!

Gallery: Most Ticketed Vehicles

Gallery: Least Ticketed Vehicles

[Source: Newsday]

Do HUMMER drivers get more tickets? A new study thinks so... originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA 2008: 30-inches of bling for the Hummer H2

Drew Phillips — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:39:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Etc., Hummer

Click above high-res gallery of 30-inch wheels

It doesn't surprise us that someone makes a 30-inch wheel. It does, however, that someone actually makes a 30-inch tire. We are behind the times because Pirelli has been making the Scorpion Zero Asimmetrico in 315/30R30 sizes since 2006. We spotted two separate Hummer H2s sporting the tire along with two separate wheels - one with the Giovanna Caracas-8 and the other with Asanti AF 143, both, of course, in chrome. We'd really like to know how a Hummer H2 handles with 30-inch wheels in place, and we can't imagine what these do to the ride quality. The real kicker? We did a search for the Pirelli tires and found that they run for just over $2,000... each. If you include a spare like the blue H2 did, that means you're putting out well over $10,000 just in tires.

Gallery: SEMA 2008: Battle of the 30-inch wheels

SEMA 2008: 30-inches of bling for the Hummer H2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Comparo: Moving Mountains - Toyota Landcruiser vs. Hummer H2

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, SUV, Hummer, Toyota, Off-Road

Click the image above for high-res gallery of the Autoblog Comparo: H2 vs. Landcruiser

The world's maddest battles usually earn a brief sobriquet: Red vs. Blue, Holyfield-Tyson, Lingerie Bowl. Although the battle we'll describe today isn't finished, the clash of HUMMER vs. Any Decent Off-roader - especially HUMMER vs. Jeep - has made so much noise on Autoblog alone that we decided it was time to investigate. Not having a Jeep at our disposal, we pitted an H2 against the Toyota Landcruiser on three trails in the California desert to find out if either of them had any quit - or if they'd keep going but complain about it. Follow the jump for the answer we came up with, and check out the gallery of off-road shenanigans below.

Gallery: Autoblog Comparo: H2 vs Landcruiser

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Continue reading Autoblog Comparo: Moving Mountains - Toyota Landcruiser vs. Hummer H2

Autoblog Comparo: Moving Mountains - Toyota Landcruiser vs. Hummer H2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AM General to produce Standard Taxi cabs?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:06:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, SUV, Plants/Manufacturing, Hummer, Military, Specialty

It sure ain't pretty, though beauty, in this case, is likely in the eye of the beholder. A few years back, a new take on the taxi was provided by Standard Taxi, a company based in Troy, Michigan. The design for the purpose-built people hauler uses GM running gear and is able to haul four passengers in relative comfort. We hadn't heard a peep from the company until today when we learned that Standard is now working on negotiations with AM General to build the vehicle in its plant in Mishawaka, Indiana, where AM General builds the Hummer H2 SUV and SUT. So far, no announcements have been made regarding whether or not the plant would continue working full-time in the face of lagging Hummer sales, though we imagine that plenty of excess capacity is available. According to AM General, the deal would in no way impact the assembly of military Hummer models.

We can't say whether a production version of the Standard Taxi would feature the pushrod 4.3-liter V6 that the concept had underhood, though there are plenty of options from the GM parts-bin from which to pilfer. A Standard Taxi equipped with GM's 2-Mode hybrid system could prove to be extremely well-suited for taxi duty in some of the world's toughest environments.

[Source: Hummer Guy]

AM General to produce Standard Taxi cabs? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hedging its bets - HUMMER dealer anticipates doom, pre-emptively downsizes

Dan Roth — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 13:33:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, SUV, Truck, Etc., GM, Hummer

There's no official obituary for GM's HUMMER brand yet, but haters are lacing up their dancing shoes while lovers wring their hands. Dealers with HUMMER franchises have a lot of skin in the game, so the uncertain future is bound to give business officers ulcers. Not willing to wait around to the bitter end, Milwaukee's Bergstrom HUMMER is planning to move into the same space as the group's Chevrolet store. The HUMMER-specific Quonset hut style dealership building will be toned down and pressed into service as an outlet for Certified used GM vehicles. Other HUMMER dealers across the nation are staring down the same conundrum, being on the hook for that big, rugged showroom, test track, inventory, and staff, while the parent company looks to clamp off bleeders. Some might follow Bergstrom's lead and shove the big trucks into a corner of a showroom dominated by a more stable brand, while others are shipping inventory as fast as they can.

Moving product is a tremendous challenge when the bobbleheads on the nightly news continue shrilly about the price of fuel and you've got a lot full of low-mpg, high weight trucks that happen to be a favorite target of vandals euphemistically masquerading as "activists." Customers that do make it through the door are looking for deals, and HUMMER will spot you five thousand bucks to take an H3, PLEASE. Existing customers are looking to get out of their vehicles any way possible, even if it means a financial hit. The mass exodus isn't solely due to hysteria, when it costs over $100 to fill the fuel tank, it chafes to watch the fuel gauge's precipitously quick drop toward "E." Retail issues aside, HUMMER still offers capable vehicles with a high level of style. If you've got a boat to pull, and want to look like the Governator, an H2 could still be just the thing, and now you'll be able to find one for a song; most likely the blues.

Gallery: 2009 HUMMER H3T

[Source: Inside Line]

Hedging its bets - HUMMER dealer anticipates doom, pre-emptively downsizes originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Jun 2008 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Modded HUMMER H2s, Saab Aero X concept on the G.I. Joe set

Alex Nunez — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, SUV, Etc., GM, Hummer, Saab

Today is a movie day, it seems, and once again, it's General Motors in the thick of things. Via HISSTank comes a new set of photos from the G.I. Joe movie set. There, we see a couple of the modified HUMMER H2s that will be used, as well as the Saab Aero X concept. No word on which character's driving the latter. Storm Shadow, maybe? At least it'd match his threads. As for the HUMMERs, they are apparently equipped to traverse hedgerows. At least that's what we gather from those tacked-on rhino-style bumper mods. See more pics at HISSTank and mourn with us for the wholesale destruction of our childhood memories.

[Source: HISSTank]

Modded HUMMER H2s, Saab Aero X concept on the G.I. Joe set originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog does the Baja 500: Round 1, the pre-running

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

Click above for a hi-res gallery from the first day of the Baja 500

Autoblog was invited to join HUMMER for last weekend's Baja 500 and, along with Mike Levine from PickupTrucks.com, we'd be riding shotgun - or in Mike's case, backseat driving - with Chad and Josh Hall, sons of general off-road racing guru and Baja Hall of Famer Rod Hall. Having no idea what it takes to pilot a massive lump of essentially stock machinery at high speeds over rocks, jumps, ravines and cliffside single-track, the lessons - and the dust, heat, and bouncing - would be constant. Check out the gallery of hi-res images below, and follow the jump to find out about day one: pre-running. And that white helmet in the pic above? Yes, that's us, not The Stig. We eat Stigs.

Gallery: The Baja 500: Pre-running with HUMMER Racing

Continue reading Autoblog does the Baja 500: Round 1, the pre-running

Autoblog does the Baja 500: Round 1, the pre-running originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HUMMER attacks perception problems with "Purpose Built" campaign

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:05:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Marketing/Advertising, Hummer

HUMMER's image has always been one of excessive excess. While much of that portrayal is due to GM's own marketing, the people who purchase the imposing 'utes - be they high-profile celebs or well-to-do suburbanites - have done more to define the brand than GM's marketing boffins ever could. But the General wants to change all that.

Mark LaNeve, GM's North American veep of sales, service and marketing, is spearheading a campaign that's trying to show HUMMERs in a different light; specifically vehicles to get a particular job done. "No one criticizes a bulldozer for its gas mileage. That's because it's built to do a job," laments LaNeve in a USAToday interview. Fair enough Mark, but a bulldozer has a single-minded purpose - moving earth - whereas HUMMERs aren't always being used to plug mud and move boats. They've become lifestyle vehicles that are often not used for their intended purpose - just like the majority of SUVs on the road.

Regardless, GM's recent ad campaigns attempt to show the HUMMER in a more functional light, depicting the overblown SUV hauling firefighting gear and helping out with natural disaster relief. "Purpose Built" is the new tagline, but at the end of the day, no amount of PR will help HUMMER if people continue to see them parked outside the local Starbucks.

[Source: USAToday via Winding Road]

HUMMER attacks perception problems with "Purpose Built" campaign originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: HUMMER H2 SUT, or is it?

John Neff — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:26:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Truck, Hummer

Well looky, looky. KGP Photography has caught a lengthened HUMMER H2 SUT out testing in full military apparel, complete with a white star! Looking something out of a G.I. Joe play set, this tester has got a lot of extra inches added behind the B-pillar creating a bed much longer the standard H2 SUT. So what's going on here? Glenn Paulina from KGB surmises that this HUMMER H2 SUT may be riding on the GMT900 platform that's also used by the Suburban and the General's half-ton pickups. The current H2 SUT rides on an older GMT820 platform, according to Winding Road. This suggests that the H2 SUT may be maturing into a bonafide truck of trucks, with the intent of further distinguishing itself from the upcoming H3T. If this is true, it's also possible that HUMMER could be considering a lengthened version of the HUMMER H2 SUV itself, creating a kind of Suburban HUMMER. With the H1 officially gone, there's certainly no chance of cannibalizing your own sales, though that doesn't address the question of whether consumers want an even bigger HUMMER SUV or truck at the moment.

[Source: The Car Connection, Winding Road]

Spy Shots: HUMMER H2 SUT, or is it? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HUMMER headed to Japan in spring of '08

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 07:47:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Japan, Hummer

Japanese fashionistas are getting a three-ton present from the General this coming spring when it will begin shipping HUMMERs to the Land of the Rising Sun. Martin Walsh, HUMMER's General Manager, told the Detroit News that despite slow vehicle sales in Japan, the island nation will become another niche player for GM's iconic off-roader.

Although Walsh remained mum on what models will be making their way across the Pacific, we were surprised during our recent trip to Japan when we saw a few H2s and H3s making the rounds on Japan's congested motorways. The HX concept revealed yesterday would be an obvious candidate for consumers abroad, and we're convinced that an H5 kei-car would be a winner if HUMMER ever decided to think small(ish).

[Source: Detroit News]

HUMMER headed to Japan in spring of '08 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 07:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA honors four vehicles as most accessory friendly

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 04:03:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Hybrid, Sedan, SUV, Truck, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Hummer, Nissan

Because so much of what SEMA is about concerns the aftermarket, each year the organization honors the most accessory-friendly vehicles with an award. This isn't to say that these are the best vehicles on the market, but rather that each represents a car or truck where the manufacturer has worked with the aftermarket and SEMA to help make accessories more readily available from the time the vehicle is launched. They also show how these manufacturers are thinking ahead and planning for customization during the design process to make modifying the car easier after it's launched. There are four classes thus rewarded: Car, Truck, and SUV. The categories have grown this year to include hybrids as a separate group. For 2007, the awards went to the Nissan Titan in the Truck category, the Cadillac CTS won in the Car category and the Hummer H2 won in the SUV category. The Hybrid award went to the Chevy Tahoe. Perhaps the ONLY design award some of these vehicles will ever win.

[Source: SEMA]

Continue reading SEMA honors four vehicles as most accessory friendly

SEMA honors four vehicles as most accessory friendly originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Nov 2007 04:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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