Nov. 8, 2006, 10:23PM -- Reuters News Service

Another Hummer coming down pike

2009 launch is likely for SUV to take off-road

Conceptual illustration by C&G member Mute

DETROIT - General Motors Corp. will likely launch another Hummer in 2009, the head of the niche brand said Wednesday.

"The new product will have unparalleled off-road capabilities," Hummer General Manager Martin Walsh said. "Like our current Hummers, it would be recognizable from a distance."

The brand currently has two models: the H2 and H3. It stopped production of the H1 in June.

Earlier this year, GM's activist investor Kirk Kerkorian urged the automaker to consider spinning off Hummer, which began as a high-mobility vehicle for the U.S. military.

But GM executives have argued Hummer is key to its strategy as it tries to recover from a $10.6 billion 2005 loss, reverse a market share slide and return to profit in the U.S. market.

Global Hummer sales rose 54 percent in the first nine months of 2006, when overall GM sales fell 2.5 percent.

Walsh said the brand is "very successful" because 60 percent of Hummer buyers have never owned a GM vehicle before.

"We bring them in from other brands, and then they stick within the GM family when picking their next vehicle," he said.

Hummer typically targets affluent people in their 40s. The median age for an H3 buyer is 44, and 43 for an H2 owner. The average household income for H3 owners is nearly $128,000 while the average H2 buyer's household earns close to $170,000.

GM product chief Bob Lutz said earlier this year Hummer needs to add two or three more models.

Hummer last month started producing H3s at a plant in South Africa, which will serve all markets outside North America.

Walsh said Hummer plans to launch the H3 in Australia and South Africa next year, and expects solid growth in Western European markets such as the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain over the next year.

Even as GM's sales of sport utility vehicles were hurt amid high gas prices earlier this year, Hummer sales remained strong through those months.

And despite the possibility of another rise in gas prices, Walsh said he does not see an immediate future for a hybrid version of any Hummer product.

"We don't really see hybrid technology as an ideal platform for Hummer because it does not allow the vehicle to demonstrate true off-road capabilities," Walsh said.

Yet he did say making flex-fuel capable Hummers, so they can run on gasoline or ethanol and gasoline blends, is part of the brand's future plans.

Click HERE to see the C&G Designer Guild's take on the future of HUMMER

Flex fuel simply adds to the "Go anywhere, Do anything" attitude of Hummer. They could add "Burn anything" to it.

Needs a soft top model though.

Sounds like the H1 will make a comeback very soon.

''Hummer typically targets affluent people in their 40s. The median age for an H3 buyer is 44, and 43 for an H2 owner. The average household income for H3 owners is nearly $128,000 while the average H2 buyer's household earns close to $170,000''

In my late 40's and a single income family, so my salary is not anything like 100+ a year (although I am paid well as a low level mgr. in gaming out here in Vegas). Salaries like those stated make me wonder what the hell these people do . Some have two income familes I suppose. Make a H4 to replace my Vue, for 25-30k at most, and I might consider it, even on my salary- LOL.

I have to say that this is an answer to an unasked question. But Kudos to Hummer designers...that must have been a challenge to design. It is fresh thinking and design like this that just send sales figures through the roof!

oh, and it looks like a Dodge Raider...those were hot tickets in the 80's!

thats only a chop you know....real thing might not be anything like it

I'd like to see more HUMMER's, in smaller forms to compete with Jeep.

A two-door model with the I-5 would kick ass.

I'm still waiting for the H3T though. Make me happy GM.

no more I-5's

boooooo

Does this mean I will be able to get my Jeep Rubicon in GM form? I hope so, and I also second the no-go on putting the I-5 in it.

no more I-5's

boooooo

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Absolutley. use the I-6 out of the trailblazer at least

Check Ted's newly updated code page:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/tedkrygier/future.htm

GMT785 - HUMMER H4 Jeep Wrangler sized Hummer

No mention of timing though.

no more I-5's

boooooo

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Does this mean I will be able to get my Jeep Rubicon in GM form? I hope so, and I also second the no-go on putting the I-5 in it.

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Absolutley.  use the I-6 out of the trailblazer at least

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Uh... if it's a smaller HUMMER and has a little less weight than the H3, then I think the I-5 should be a good call... really!

Uh... if it's a smaller HUMMER and has a little less weight than the H3, then I think the I-5 should be a good call... really!

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That's what I was thinking too.

Considering what they get out of the I5 now and with a Turbo can be a nice package. They need to move the I6 to the Current H3 and use the I5 in the H4. This would be hot as I am not a jeep fan, but hummer me baby with this.