[afako]

Longing for the days of Hummer?
Mike Colias RSS
Automotive News
December 1, 2014

DETROIT -- Dealer Joe Serra lost more than 1,000 customers a year when General Motors phased out Hummer about five years ago.

Some of them returned -- but only after Serra added a Jeep franchise, one brand that seems to offer the sort of capability and cachet that meets erstwhile Hummer customers' tastes.

"Thank God I was able to acquire Jeep and retain some of those Hummer people," says Serra, owner of Serra Automotive Inc., which has 34 dealerships in seven states and sold 1,462 Hummers from its Grand Blanc, Mich., store in 2006. "Jeep has it going on right now. It's like they've got that niche all to themselves."

Booming sales of pricey SUVs, tame gasoline prices and the torrid growth of Jeep have left some former Hummer dealers and brand loyalists to wonder what might have been. It also has rekindled chatter about whether GM should take another run at a Jeep Wrangler fighter.

CONTINUE AT AUTONEWS.COM

 

[eaton53]

Re: Badly Missing Hummer, but have Jeep to console: Dealers

Such an opportunity being totally wasted by GMC.

 

[nadepalma]

Re: Badly Missing Hummer, but have Jeep to console: Dealers

Such an opportunity being totally wasted by GMC.

Agreed. Hopefully those rumors about a Wrangler competitor -- and other "off road-centric" products -- are more than just whimsical rumblings. Let's hope that GM is paying consumers more than just lip service.

Honestly, you almost have to wonder why it took so long after bankruptcy to consider this and why they haven't begun to move in this direction already? All that knowledge and development for products like the H2 and H3 were carried out by GM engineers. How difficult would it be to repurpose those lessons learned to GMC? Furthermore, since the new raft of products from Land Rover and Jeep are using FWD-based/unibody construction -- and haven't sacrificed most of their off-road capability -- GMC could easily fulfill their new mandate while using extensively from the corporate parts bin and platform stable.

Lastly, from a marketing standpoint, it almost makes perfect sense so as to create further distance and distinction between Chevrolet and GMC. I could almost envision a day when less "commercial" products are sold at GMC (like the Savanna) and more high-end/off-road/go-anywhere type products are sold with the GMC badge. Doing that would arguably move a lot of commercial customers over to the Chevrolet banner, and it may mean eventually shedding the "We Are Professional Grade" designation for something a bit more luxury oriented, but it would certainly be a profitable and better focused portfolio of products.

 

[richmond2000]

IMHO Hummer HAD to die and was so "stained" BUT now with a stronger GM + an economy turning around + lower gas prices and LESS "ECO mind share" I thing there is a ROOM for a "rebooted" JEEP competitor / line up from GM

I wonder if GMC IS the brand to do that as GMC is getting some success with there Denali LUX sub-line and wonder on the "loss" rate of rebooting GMC into a OFF-ROAD centric brand

I do NOT know how WELL Chevy could pull off a NEW BLAZER at least with the Camaro you could have some "star" power in the Chevy show room globally

 

[Mentat Bashar]

I'm hoping for GMC, and Ford, to develop a Wrangler-like vehicle. I agree that I think it is a wasted opportunity on GMC's part but also I think there is going to be an opening in the armor, so to speak, of the new JL Wrangler from what I've been reading.

Maybe this will force FCA to reevaluate the Wrangler's capabilities after 2018.

 

[fastball]

Hummers were obese, sloppily assembled, shoddy knockoffs of the original 1990 Humvee H1 military vehicle, and the subsequent franchise developed out of that truck. Even if it weren't for the fact they were reprehensible in the eyes of tree huggers, they were really junk when they were new. Jeep makes just as if not moreso capable off road machines with much better design and engineering. Serious off roaders don't even bother with Hummers because they're so huge and heavy. Humvees, yes. Hummers? No.

Grocery getters for filthy rich soccer Moms

 

[vette61]

a jeep competitor should be a chevrolet. as it reaches far more people than GMC does. and chevy should compete with jeep. GMC should go after land rover since cadillac won't

 

[DetroitIron]

GM got kowed into dropping Hummer by environmental extremists and GM's government handlers. Meanwhile, Jeep sales have skyrocketed, particularly through sales to women, who have always liked trucks. Meanwhile, GM continues to come up with jelly bean grocery getters preferred by "Pajama boy", four cylinder loving wimps who think off-roading is missing the driveway by a tire width.
Pathetic.

 

[TORRED1]

Hummers were obese, sloppily assembled, shoddy knockoffs of the original 1990 Humvee H1 military vehicle, and the subsequent franchise developed out of that truck. Even if it weren't for the fact they were reprehensible in the eyes of tree huggers, they were really junk when they were new. Jeep makes just as if not moreso capable off road machines with much better design and engineering. Serious off roaders don't even bother with Hummers because they're so huge and heavy. Humvees, yes. Hummers? No.

Grocery getters for filthy rich soccer Moms

Since there are filthy rich soccer moms, and that is what they want then why not build it for them. GM should never have been bullied into getting rid of them. Hummer made no more or less sense than if some one was buying a gas thirsty Ferrari, maybech, Porsche or any other thirsty vehicle. Let the market decide not the government.

 

[JimmyDiablo]

Go back into your bunker hillbilly. Your completely out of touch with reality.

 

[American007]

Luxury and off-road credential seem to sell well. Range Rover, Land Cruiser, and Grand Cherokee Summit are all at different levels of price, still all high, and all sell well. I dont know why GM doesnt have a competitor in this arena. It is a hole that needs to be filled.

 

[F14CRAZY]

It's funny how there are tons of lifted, customized 4 door Wranglers these days and the environmental extremists haven't mentioned them. I'd think that former H2/H3 owners are going to those instead

Hummers were obese, sloppily assembled, shoddy knockoffs of the original 1990 Humvee H1 military vehicle, and the subsequent franchise developed out of that truck. Even if it weren't for the fact they were reprehensible in the eyes of tree huggers, they were really junk when they were new. Jeep makes just as if not moreso capable off road machines with much better design and engineering. Serious off roaders don't even bother with Hummers because they're so huge and heavy. Humvees, yes. Hummers? No.

Grocery getters for filthy rich soccer Moms

I've seen plenty of 4 door Rubicons used as grocery getters

 

[1958carnut]

I think GMC should take up the slack where Hummer left off.

 

[Rocket 88]

The GMC brand needs a purpose and competing with Jeep seems like a natural. How nice would it be to see GM do something great with the brand beyond selling jazzed up Chevy products?

 

[GMOwner]

Gas prices going up was the major reason why the Big Three went to the banks and government to bail themselves out. Because their major source of revenue was pickup trucks, SUVs, and such once the prices of gas went up and stayed up, all three were left with their pants down.

They should not make the same mistake twice.

Gas prices go down only to go back up again. Each time they go down, they do not go further down than they originally were--not the same though when they go up.

My guess is that it is a wise move to veer away from Hummer-like vehicles--regardless of their sales numbers... No one can predict the market and considering the long lead times with developing a vehicle so tied to gas prices (which go up and down on a weekly basis enough to steer consumer towards and away vehicles), manufacturers will focus their efforts on fitting within a specific MPG range--and it keeps going up every year.

 

[gnaples]

bring back the H1 in wagon form for 55grand, add a land rover<circa 1970> 4-door and 2-door defender-size and shaped competitor. Then add in a 2 door, vert wrangler competitor- but maybe a little taller than the wrangler

 

[JimmyDiablo]

What is the obsession around here with bringing back dead brands when the current ones will do? HUMMER failed because it was one vehicle in a brand that GMC should have had.

 

[bone]

If GM does make a Jeep competitor it has to be slightly smaller, lighter, as powerful but with better mileage and as rugged looking. Hopefully the press will not mention "Hummer" when writing about the vehicle.

 

[b4z]

H1 was ridiculous the h2 was at least a usable size.

 

[BuickGNX]

Re: Badly Missing Hummer, but have Jeep to console: Dealers

Such an opportunity being totally wasted by GMC.

What? You mean GMC offer a product that isn't a pathetic Chevy Truck rebadge? That is
pure blasphemy -- just ask GM management.