What Should GM Do With Hummer?

[mbukukanyau]

I am also following this thread here. Quite interesting views

[mbukukanyau]

My opinion, is this, Hummer can be Range Rover's Nemesis. You just need to do the vehicle right. The price points of Hummer are really good. GM needs to look at that.
Yes, Start with a GMT900 frame, but, build a true world class vehicle, with high content engines, serious off road capabilities, loads of technology, and loads of comfort.
Unless the Elites can drive it the way they drive range rovers, GM has nothing to offer...

Right now, Hummers are plastic wonder tahoes

[Firebird00]

Sell it to somebody else. Take the money they get from it and reinvest it into smaller cars or paying off debt.

[LAMRONH]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

The problem here is that GM just doesn't know how to manage a niche brand.
They're clueless.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH HUMMER!!!

Hummer is a brand that exudes toughness, ruggedness, and the ability to off-road at a moments notice without a care in the world.
SO SELL IT AS SUCH!!!

Drop in a diesel... biodiesel... Adapt Saab's BioPower system... Work on a hybrid system like Land Rover.

There are so many options here for HUMMER.

The issue isn't about being green. It's about maintaining the core meaning of the brand.
So what if HUMMER won't sell H1 and H2 anymore. H3 is a more than viable alternative. Or an HT3. How about a Jeep-style vehicle? Or even an H2 that is smaller -- Range Rover sized -- to cut down on the weight?
Or even take a page from Land Rover and make them all aluminum bodies!

It would be devastating for GM to lose a high profile name with an image that is so correctable. Other than Saturn, there is no other GM brand with such a sharp focus as HUMMER.

I agree, there is nothing wrong with Hummer.
What is wrong is that most modern managers and leaders in the western world have been MBA'd to the point of pathologically limited imagination and risk taking.

As you write, Hummer could diversify in many potentially profitable ways.
GM could build a dune buggy style ATV, they could badge-engineer one of the commercial ATVs with the Hummer brand until they can build their own. They could build a line of Hummer bicycles, Hummer HPV (Human Powered Vehicle) watercraft.
They could build a line of rooftop carriers like Thule, only design outside the box just a bit.
The possibilities for spinning off the Hummer image of outdoorsy, rugged, military-chic products are endless.

If GM is stupid and unimaginative enough to just sell the Hummer brand, I predict Hyundai or an Indian or Chinese company will buy it.
They will hire some Americans as consultants, and they will morph the brand into something that can compete vigorously and successfully in the post-2008 world.

If GM is going to dump something, dump Saturn. It doesn't have 1/10th the equity that Hummer does.

[EldoFan]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

Hummer is a brand that exudes toughness, ruggedness, and the ability to off-road at a moments notice without a care in the world.

.....yeah, for Yuppies and/or those with deep pockets

Look at the cost differences between Jeeps & Hummers and you'll see why they (Hummers) have no chance/a much harder chance of attaining the same iconic status.

[LAMRONH]

Originally Posted by drew630

Than we might as well just shut down GMI altogether because nothing discussed here on GMI really matters to GM or any of the automotive brands.

I didn't know GMI was a lobbying arm of...The People.

We will need to have a couple of bake sales so we can raise about 200 million for a lobbying nest egg, for starters.

Remember, money talks.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by LAMRONH

If GM is going to dump something, dump Saturn. It doesn't have 1/10th the equity that Hummer does.

And dump Hummer; it doesn't have 1/10th the future that Saturn could have.

Equity only gets you so far, to continue building something that gets such abyssmal fuel economy as the Hummer does is pretty much the same stupidity that got GM into its current mess and diminished market share. Thinking is not enough, thinking wisely is best. Think beyond the Now. GM can't afford to make the same mistake twice when it comes to SUV's vs. rising fuel costs. If they do, GM deserves to fade away.

[drew630]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

Yeah, cuz that's what I meant. I just meant it doesn't matter what they do with it because someone is going to be unhappy about GM's decision, I wasn't implying that GMI is pointless.

Ahh, gotcha. I was kinda wondering why you would even be here if that was the case.

[yoblues]

Do you really think GM would be dumping Hummer if sales were not tanking? I paid $4.15 for gas yesterday, it's over for gas guzzlers as far as mainstream vehicles go. GM is being realistic for a change.

[monza164]

What about going into a dealership to buy a Chevrolet Hummer? One model sold as a Chevy or GMC, that could be a convertible or hardtop and about the size of a Wrangler. It'd be perfect for the world markets that use 4x4's (like Africa, Brazil, and Australia) and it would nicely replace the gmt360s.

[andretti2008]

this may sound crazy but i'm going to put it out there. for starters i consider GM's financial wows in the states and there i feel that they should sell Hummer point blank! but there i take into concideration the fact that their overseas sales are keeping them in the game for a few more years (if ya'll dont qiut rebadging aveos). this may be costly for GM but i dont know, keep hummer. turn it into a Jeep/Land Rover/ comp. plain and simple. with that being said, no need to talk about the off road cap. make them alittle more lux-up like rovers and true-off roadness of a Hummer. diesel/two mode option.

[bone]

Sell it, if that's possible. Otherwise, just dump it. Spend the money on the new Aveo and Cobalt.

[SierraGS]

GM needs to do what it should have done years ago with Hummer, give it a lineup to compete with Jeep.

Cadillac had the luxury SUV market with the Escalade but GM had no iconic off road competitor for Jeep, at least until the H-3 was introduced and it sold well at first, but lacked the right powertrain.

GM fixed half of the H-3 problem with the Alpha powered by the 5.3L V8 but did not give it the 2.9L Turbo Diesel it needed for the U.S. market. I will give GM credit for at lease putting a smaller Diesel in the H-3 for other markets.

The H-3 and H-3T with a good Turbo-Diesel will get good MPG for this tyoe vehicle and a BAS Hybrid system with built in electric generator like the old GMT800 mild Hybrid would help.

Following these moves with a new H4 Wrangler competitor (2D and 4D) will boost sales volume.

The vehicle that would really turn the Hummer brand around is an "Urban Buggy" a cross between a Dune Buggy and a small Crossover built on a unibody chassis with a small I-4 for power (maybe the new 1.4L Turbo and 1.3L Turbo-Diesel as a high MPG option with a possible BAS hybrid). It would has an aggresive stance and be easy to get through city traffic and past off road obstacles and its light weight making it a good sand buggy.

Put the Hummer vehicles with Pontiac and Saturn and all three will thrive.

[member12]

I say keep it....but turn down the bling and fill the market that Land Rover used to fill before they turned into grocery getters. Hummer was done incorrectly since the H2. Their products should be more like the H1 and sold around the world.

Someone has to fill that niche. Jeep just doesn't cut it anymore. It's too easy....GM has to do it. I'd hate to see HUMMER killed or turned into a Jeep like brand- no Hummer Patriots please.

Just one Land Rover Defender style truck in 2 and 4 door bodystyles with canvas or hard tops. Simple construction, built to last 500,000 hard miles, and appealing to the purist. The Hummer brand should be paired with Cadillac, a more off road capable Escalade can fill the Niche where the H2 used to be since Hummer is not about luxury. It should be sold everywhere Toyota sells a Land Cruiser- including countries without roads. It's a world brand, not an American brand. HUMMER should be the go to truck for adventure seekers and for those discovery channel style trips.

Think Jeep Wrangler, but bigger, more capable, more durable and less colorful in every way.

[SierraGS]

Originally Posted by LAMRONH

I agree, there is nothing wrong with Hummer.
What is wrong is that most modern managers and leaders in the western world have been MBA'd to the point of pathologically limited imagination and risk taking.

As you write, Hummer could diversify in many potentially profitable ways.
GM could build a dune buggy style ATV, they could badge-engineer one of the commercial ATVs with the Hummer brand until they can build their own. They could build a line of Hummer bicycles, Hummer HPV (Human Powered Vehicle) watercraft.
They could build a line of rooftop carriers like Thule, only design outside the box just a bit.
The possibilities for spinning off the Hummer image of outdoorsy, rugged, military-chic products are endless.

If GM is stupid and unimaginative enough to just sell the Hummer brand, I predict Hyundai or an Indian or Chinese company will buy it.
They will hire some Americans as consultants, and they will morph the brand into something that can compete vigorously and successfully in the post-2008 world.

If GM is going to dump something, dump Saturn. It doesn't have 1/10th the equity that Hummer does.

I agree with the MBA part, absolutely the main problem with all U.S. based companies.

Like the Dune Buggy part (see my post #58 above) sorry I did not read through the posts before I made mine or I would not have duplicated the idea.

The Bike and outdoor products idea is great!

Sell Hummer brand accessories that can be used while off-road (in your Hummer) or owners of other SUV's can buy them, as could beach dwellers for cruising the beaches and boardwalks.