Hummer Australia Sales Defy US Crash

[jbernie]

Originally Posted by BBDOS CV8

Selling 800 in 8 months is hardly earth shattering or vindication of anything. That's probably a couple of nights overtime for the plant. If all they've done is meet preorders it's hardly going to help the overall picture for Hummer, especially as those sales are to people who put down deposits i.e. really want one.

It's if they can sell them off lots when buyers aren't committed. And these would all have been ordered before $1.60 a litre ULP. I wonder how many orders they've taken in the last month?

But how does that compare with the Toyota Land Cruiser, Prado etc down there, ie the other full size SUVs on the market.

Also, Australians do like V8s and as can be seen with HSV etc, the market is still there, HSV is selling records #s, or has been. The fuel economy isn't really excessively bad, granted it is nothing amazing either. But so long as it is competitive in the market it should be fine.

Also keep in mind, Hummer is still an image thing down there, why be seen in a big suv everyone else has when you can have a Hummer and be different.

[PontiacBixler]

Originally Posted by 2648562

I bet most people in Australia don't put 24 inch rims on them and cover them with chrome. Hummers do have a practical side--most Americans just ignore it (including GM who didn't care how they were portrayed as long as they were selling).

There's something so disgustingly true about that statement.

Hummer was advertised as an "Urban Status Symbol" SUV right along with the Escalade. However, there are people out there that do need a 4x4/AWD that has some ground clearance and slight off road capabilities. I happen to live smack dab in the middle of such a region.

If the H3 could have cut that chromed out crap out of its options list and spent that R&D money on how to put a more efficient engine in than that I5 POS and lightened the load, Hummer might not be in such a bad predicament right now.

[91 s-10baja]

Holden H3?

[Robert Ryan]

I bet most people in Australia don't put 24 inch rims on them and cover them with chrome. Hummers do have a practical side--most Americans just ignore it (including GM who didn't care how they were portrayed as long as they were selling).

Your wrong there. They are "bling" machines here primarily. One company has stretched "Hummer Limousines," have seen one.

But how does that compare with the Toyota Land Cruiser, Prado etc down there, ie the other full size SUVs on the market.

No Comparison at all Bit like comparing the sales of a Lotus Elite to the F150 in the US. As BBDOS CV8 has said

Selling 800 in 8 months is hardly earth shattering or vindication of anything. That's probably a couple of nights overtime for the plant. If all they've done is meet preorders it's hardly going to help the overall picture for Hummer, especially as those sales are to people who put down deposits i.e. really want one.

It's if they can sell them off lots when buyers aren't committed. And these would all have been ordered before $1.60 a litre ULP. I wonder how many orders they've taken in the last month?

[68CoupeDeVille]

Why not scale it down from it's pseduo-luxury, urban-trendy status to something more akin to Land Rover and sell it all over Africa/Middle-East/Asia/Australia/South America as a legitimate competitor for back-country use? Use a good, reliable transfer case, ditch the IFS for a live axle, and follow a KISS design structure so replacement parts are relatively cheap and simple to swap.

Not everyone in the world hates America for just being America. Build an H3 wagon and an H3T quad cab similar to the Hilux. Capitalize on the physical similarities to the H1 and its image of strength.

[jbernie]

Originally Posted by Robert Ryan

No Comparison at all Bit like comparing the sales of a Lotus Elite to the F150 in the US. As BBDOS CV8 has said

BBDOS CV8 didn't actually provide sales figures of the comparitive vehicles that I listed, obviously 100 odd sales a month won't save a brand, even though the Aussie H3 is made in South Africa, it is still important to see how the sales in Australia compare with similar products in that market.

[Robert Ryan]

BBDOS CV8 didn't actually provide sales figures of the comparitive vehicles that I listed, obviously 100 odd sales a month won't save a brand, even though the Aussie H3 is made in South Africa, it is still important to see how the sales in Australia compare with similar products in that market.

Basically it is a a niche vehicle, that is why the Lotus v F150 analogy. Landcruisers, Prado's etc are mainstream and are sold in large numbers. The Toyota Landcruiser sold 1783 vehicles last month.

[Robert Ryan]

GMNA sold 1843 Hummers last month in the US. 1783 Toyota Landcruisers were sold in Australia, we have a 15th of the US's population. No prizes for guessing that fate of Hummer.

[BBDOS CV8]

Patrol has actually died - the old model was indestructible and didn't achieve Nissan's predicted spares sales, so they dumbed the new one down, and owners have filed a welter of complaints.

Big AWD sales are distorted by mining and agriculture. I haven't seen any H3s except for blinged versions, mostly black with massive wheels.

The H3 is not a competitor to a diesel Landcrab or Patrol. The biggest shock people get when seeing them is that they're shorter than a Commodore. And about as big inside as a Captiva, and about as well equipped, seeing as you can get Nav and things like bluetooth and MP3 with the Cappy. That and no diesel is the biggest turnoff. Even the Captiva, which is not a serious AWD machine, sells 60% diesel.

The H3 I would guess is pushing for the same pool as things like the Jeep Renegade - 4 wheeled Harley Davidsons - which sells in probably three figures annually, maybe just 4.

[GMusa]

GM should keep HUMMER.. just downsize.. like Jeep size vehicles.

[jbernie]

thanks for the details BBDOS CV8

[baloo]

I just don't see the reasoning behind keeping Hummer around.

When a car has a blown engine, you look at the rest of it: If the interior is still good, the transmission is still ok and the body doesn't have problems, you fix it. However, if the interior is trashed and the body is rusty, you get rid of it because a new engine isn't worth it.

And that is the problem with Hummer, there is no part worth salvaging. They would need a completely new line-up, a completely new image and a completely new customer base. Doing all of that would require a huge sums of money, and even if this endeavour were to succeed, you'd end up with a niche brand that has lost its raison d'être (the H1).

[RedVee8]

Once again, H3 needs a diesel. Hummer in Oz need a H4.
Hummer for Oz needs to be a real offroader that you can use onroad. It probably is, however that is not the image here. The lack of a diesel cruels it once again. It needs to be a LandCruiser,Patrol,Land Rover competitor. It needs word of mouth praise for usability and dependability. Has it got the time to develop this?

I would be shot by my wife if I suggested a H3 to replace the Cappy when the time comes around, yet she'd probably be ok with a Tahoe or Arcadia if we had them.

Also, from the full story - it says the H2 is massively heavier than a Suburban.
Why? I thought the H2 was based on the Tahoe/Suburban, prev version at least?

[2648562]

Originally Posted by Robert Ryan

Your wrong there. They are "bling" machines here primarily. One company has stretched "Hummer Limousines," have seen one.

That's sad then. Not for you guys, but the brand. I would've thought if anyone could appreciate them for what they were inteneded it would've been Australians.

If I had the money I would have an H1 loaded up in my garage right now for "emergencies" and occasional fun.

[Exploder]

Also, from the full story - it says the H2 is massively heavier than a Suburban.
Why? I thought the H2 was based on the Tahoe/Suburban, prev version at least?

Perhaps it's because of the off-road gear. A Range Rover for example is about as heavy as a Tahoe (about 5400lb) despite being quite a bit smaller.

Still, the H2's 6400lb weight is pretty excessive. It's one of it's biggest drawbacks IMO.

As for Hummer in Australia, I believe given a diesel option and better marketing and less chrome, it can gain acceptance there. That is, if Hummer even exists by then...