Hummer needs two or three new models, Lutz says

Reuters / September 27, 2006 - 4:00 pm






PARIS -- General Motors' Hummer brand needs to double its product lineup by adding two or three more models, the executive charged with GM's product planning told reporters today.

"Hummer needs some more products. It needs two or three more products to give it sufficient market coverage," GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz told reporters at the opening of a Hummer dealership in Paris.

Lutz said making a Hummer-branded pickup truck, which would have ample passenger seating, remained an "option."

Earlier this year GM faced pressure from activist investor Kirk Kerkorian to consider spinning off Hummer, which began as a high-mobility vehicle produced for the U.S. military.

But GM executives have argued that the brand is central to the automaker's strategy as it moves to cut costs, shore up market share and return to profitability in the U.S. market.

Sales of Hummer were up almost 50 percent in the first 8 months of this year. By contrast, GM's overall sales were down 12 percent.

Hummer currently has three models: the H1, H2 and H3. GM announced earlier this year it would stop production of the original H1 Hummer, the biggest of the three.

The H3, which is built on GM's compact pickup platform, accounts for about three-quarters of the brand's current sales.

Hummer, which GM bought in 1999, has acquired both fervent fans such as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and outspoken critics who see the heavy SUVs as a symbol of American consumer excess and dependence on foreign oil.

 

Pickup truck H3T and Wrangler like H4 I could see, but what else?

I think what Hummer really needs is so Diesels. A Hybrid H3 with the Tahoe hybrid setup would be nice to shut up all the Hummer critics.

 

I have to agree. A four door truck model, yes. A Wrangler vehicle definitely, but would it be a 4 door like the new Wrangler Unlimited? What about a Diesel/Hybrid?

 

What, they want to be like Jeep and explode from 3 models to 7 in under two years? Talk about oversaturating the market ...

I agree a Wrangler competitor would be great, especially now that the Wrangler has gone mass-market and added a four door. It's another way Hummer can claim to be more 'authentic' than Jeep. But I think it should stop there. Hummer is positioned as a premium brand, so cranking up the volume is just going to water down its exclusivity and make it not so special anymore. Unfortunately no automaker is going to say no to more sales in the short term.

 

Hummer does need more models (can't believe I'm advocating more SUVs! ).

For all intents and purposes, Hummer dealers are nothing more than H3 dealers. They no doubt need more product.

But they need affordable product.

 

I can see an H3 based Avalanche-like model with a 5.3 coming.

 

that would be cool.

 

You can 'theoretically see it'. Or you can see it based upon what you have heard? Including the implications that a unique Hummer GMT355 is coming with a v8.

 

Well, if they plan on making Hummer to compete with Jeep, they have a long road ahead of them. They need to make something like the Rubicon or the Toyota RSC Concept, and maybe a truck along the lines of the Gladiator Concept. Then GM can kill off some of its SUVs before they get into the same situation as is being reported about DCX.

 

Are there even straight Hummer dealers though? I know one up here just sells them alongside Caddys.

 

Yes, all of that.

 

Agreed wholeheartedly. Overkill and lack of variation is what got GM in its hole. Why try this again, but on the truck/SUV side...again? Especially with sales not being all that hot and no diesel in the works?

Sell Hummers with Caddys and call it a day. It's not like either will make up a huge slice of sales pie as it is, since they are out of most buyers budgets or needs.

What next? A hummered version of an Aveo or Solstice?

 

A H3 truck with a LSx engine would be pretty sweet. Or maybe a V6 turbo diesel.

 

Don't use those words, PacerX will sue you for using them without his permission!!!

 

When I was looking at turning in my G6 lease in July, I was definetly considering the H3 Hummer. However, I just couldn't get over how underpowered it was and went with the TrailBlazer SS.

Our local Hummer dealer is combined with a Buick/Honda dealership. My Dad has been really wanting a Hummer, especially since the H3's came out. He currently has a 05 Buick Rendezvous and went to take it in for an oil change at the Buick dealer. The service dept at Buick was closed for some reason and they sent him over to the Hummer service department for his oil change. My Dad still raves to this day about his experience. He's like "They had Plasma TV's in the waiting room - premium coffee machines and the service was awesome!" I think he almost has my mom convinced that when the lease is up on the Buick, he's gonna get his Hummer. I'm not sure what the demographics are on the Hummer, but my Dad is a 59 year old retired HS Math teacher, now working part-time as a College Math Professor.