Hummer has received a temporary stay of execution, or at least the 153 remaining Hummer dealers have, as General Motors has extended their franchise agreements for another 60 days, Automotive News reports. The reason? More offers have come in, it seems, since the deal with Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co., Ltd. collapsed earlier this week.
The Hummer leadership now has until May 1 to find a buyer for Hummer, or portions of it.
"The next step in the process is to sit down with those interested parties and figure out who is serious and who just doesn't make any sense," Hummer CEO Jim Taylor told AN. "Some are well-known equity houses, who do this for a living. Some are just those who say, 'I want to buy it.'"
Reuters is reporting that four more Chinese manufacturers have entered a bid. None are mainstream automakers, say sources close to GM, and none are likely to be interested in buying all of Hummer. Instead, they might be interested in only tooling and equipment from the brand's Shreveport, Louisiana, production plant.
Still, nothing's a sure bet, as the Tengzhong deal is thought to have fallen apart due to objections from the Chinese government, and other companies may be loath to challenge the government. In addition, Hummer's product portfolio really isn't any better a fit for the Chinese market than it was for the United States.
estreka says:
06:40 AM, 02/27/10
It won't do GM much good to sell a mere fraction of Hummer. They'd still be exposed to the litigation that will inevitably happen.
DLu says:
09:22 AM, 02/27/10
Pictures like this make me sick. Somehow it's supposed to be cool or whatever to plow through nature on these lumps of metal. You can get a buff, sexy body hiking rough terrain, which looks a lot better than these ugly things. I guess it's less embarrassing hiding fat rolls behind a big gaudy grill. I hope the likes of Hummer will go away from civilian use forever.
brn says:
09:55 AM, 02/27/10
estreka, what litigation?
I'd like to see Hummer stick around as a specialty brand. The problem with Hummer is that GM tried to make it a mainstream product, like Jeep. Perhaps AM General could take the name back.
the_big_al says:
10:51 AM, 02/27/10
I see nothing wrong with the ability to take a vehicle like that through the woods... I doubt that the people driving those have fat rolls, considering the kayaks on the top... forests and rivers and the like are there for us to use (not abuse), and I don't see what the deal is with using them properly and respectfully................. (hoping not to open an greenist can-o-worms...)
firstwagon says:
02:26 PM, 02/27/10
+1 the_big_al
I think DLu was so quick to make an eco statement he didn't even notice the kayaks. Kayaking is much more of a workout then a stroll though the woods.
And off roading does no real harm to mother nature. It's a great way to get city folks out of the trendy coffee shops and off the couch and out into the fresh air.
firstwagon says:
02:35 PM, 02/27/10
+1 the_big_al
I think DLu was so quick to make an eco statement he didn't even notice the kayaks. Kayaking is much more of a workout then a stroll though the woods.
And off roading does no real harm to mother nature. It's a great way to get city folks out of the trendy coffee shops and off the couch and out into the fresh air.
firstwagon says:
02:35 PM, 02/27/10
+1 the_big_al
I think DLu was so quick to make an eco statement he didn't even notice the kayaks. Kayaking is much more of a workout then a stroll though the woods.
And off roading does no real harm to mother nature. It's a great way to get city folks out of the trendy coffee shops and off the couch and out into the fresh air.
firstwagon says:
05:13 PM, 02/27/10
3 posts????? How did I do that?
DLu says:
06:57 PM, 02/27/10
@ the_big_al and firstwagon,
Guilty as charged. Thank you for putting some sense into me. :)
I wish and pray that more people see things that way. Somehow I am not optimistic ...
hybris says:
11:19 AM, 03/ 1/10
I really wish that somehow in all of this madness with who wants to buy Hummer the mistakes that are the H2 and H3 can be seen as they are: mistakes.
If GM wants a band aid on the Hummers reputation start serious work on either clean diesel engines or hybrid models, from there maybe they can start introducing something that more inline with what a Hummer is supposed to look like ie a H1.
I could go with a H3 if it was a smaller version of the H1.
/rant
Sorry Hummers have been one of my dream cars for a long time and to see the path they are taking now a days crushes me a little bit.
yash24 says:
10:24 PM, 10/28/10
That's really sad. Although I would not buy a Hummer anyway because it is made by the Government Motors, Hummer is a nice company. Lobster lovers do not be discouraged by the ignorance of Democrats and liberals to scream Hummer when they drive cars, which are more polluting and / or operate an additional 20k miles per year than you do.
GM has already begun to close its Pontiac and Saturn brands, and was intended to do the same for Saab to reach an agreement, the Dutch company Spyker Cars. automobile manufacturer in the United States has survived thus far only the U.S. government has approved a major investment, but hopes to rebound more efficient cars and crossovers.
http://www.carsbyownerinusa.com/browse_by_make_model.php?MID=HUMMER