Fate Of Hummer Brand Is Hours Away [Emblematic of Southern CA's Economy]

OCRegister ^ | March 30, 2009

[Steelfish]

Fate of Hummer brand is hours away

March 30th, 2009 Matt Degen

In a day in which we’ve seen more than enough upheaval in Detroit, there comes this bit of news: The fate of GM’s Hummer brand is to be decided by Tuesday, and things aren’t exactly looking rosy.

According to an AP report, General Motors must decide by the end of the first quarter — that’s Tuesday — whether to sell the brand or let it die.

GM is reportedly still talking to buyers for the brand that made military-derived four-by-fours a common sight in Orange County, but no official word has been made.

According to AP’s report, it is possible that a Chinese automaker will buy the niche marquee.

The Associated Press reports: “The automaker has told dealers it will make an announcement about the brand’s future on Tuesday, but until then, GM will say only that it’s still negotiating with some interested parties.”

“We are cautiously optimistic,” about a sale, GM spokesman Nick Richards told AP, adding that the companies with which GM is talking are from “all different parts of the world.”

With GM on life support via federal bailout money and a push toward greener, more fuel-effecient vehicles, it’s no surprise the automaker wants to shed the Hummer brand, which has been on sale since June.

[mrmargaritaville]

I thought TaTa was going to take it over.

[Kirkwood]

I thought Hummer, Saturn and most Pontiac models were already history.

[Nervous Tick]

I bet Rick Wagoner wishes he’d have given Obama a Hummer.

He might still have his job and the brand might’ve been saved.

[GeronL]

I’ve heard that Chevy and Caddy will be all thats left. whoever it gets sold to by Master Obama

[ItsForTheChildren]

Got a letter from Saturn saying GM was considering spinning off the Saturn Distribution Corporation, which would continue to source vehicles from GM and later, if that proved successful, from other companies.

[St. Louis Conservative]

Whatever Chairman Zero decrees to be done, will be done. And we should all have unconditional faith in His brilliant business expertise.

[oldenuff2no]

Military derived????? That is like saying that a monkey wearing a powdered wig is a member of congress. Actually that is closer to the truth. The H2’s and H3’s are standard chevy undercarriages with a look alike hummer type body bolted on top.
The H1 is the baddest 4X4 ever made but it isn't even closely related to the commercial hummers. Chevy just stole the name for marketing. A standard jeep wrangler will leave the hummers in the dust, mud, or rocks or anywhere else serious 4 wheel driving happens. The commercial Hummers are a well marketed and expensive mini vans.

[mamelukesabre]

[tobyhill]

Yea, this is the ticket to GM’s salvation. Rid their big money makers. /sarc

[Rudder]

For America's sportsmen, Hummer has limitations---it's too wide, doesn't negotiate well in the forest environment because it won't squeeze between many of the trees. My old Land Rover was narrow, even had the headlights recessed into the center of the small grill, between the fenders, and the spare tire either off the stern on on the "bonnet," unlike the side mounted tire on the Jeep (which added to width).

Aside from that, put a big, common-rail diesel in it and I might just buy it.

[SunkenCiv]

No further comment...

[Vince Ferrer]

It is also way too wide for the mountain roads, which is why they never really caught on in the Rocky Mountain states. They are mostly an urban California thing. They were designed for off road adventures in Iraq and Russia, not to go fishing.

[Redbob]

Not just Orange County, but north Dallas and all along the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain too!

[Rocky]

I guess Hummer isn’t in the next five-year plan.

I’m sure the Party has the nation’s interest at heart.

[mad_as_he$$]

Hummer is dead along with several other GM names and models. I guess my vehicles from now on will be Fords.

[mad_as_he$$]

Actually Hummer1’s were designed for Europe.

[headstamp 2]

“Not just Orange County, but north Dallas and all along the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain too!”

That’s Lake Positraction.

[JSteff]

“The H2’s and H3’s are standard chevy undercarriages”

Incorrect.

[JSteff]

“Hummer1’s were designed for Europe.”

And the desert.