berg

I just saw that due to rising fuel prices and poor suv sales GM is closing four plants and may drop, sell or revamp the Hummer line.

What a sorry state of affairs. But even if it is nothing else, Hummer has to be the icon of excess.

No way can a vehicle like that survive hard economic times.

RepressedSince15

From Bloomberg:

"Gasoline exceeding $4 a gallon represents ``a structural change, not just a cyclical change,'' Rick Wagoner, chief executive officer of the largest U.S. automaker, told reporters today before its annual shareholders' meeting in Wilmington, Delaware.

The four plant closings will save $1 billion annually and cut North American capacity by 700,000 for trucks and, with added shifts at car factories, by 500,000 overall, he said. At Hummer, ``we're considering all options from a complete revamp to a partial or complete sale of the brand,'' Wagoner said. "

Although I detest Hummer and have vowed to never again spend money on a GM product, I will say that it is sad for America. If we were to fight WWII today, would we have nearly enough industrial capacity to win? I doubt it. Tanks, Liberty Ships, Airplanes, heck, raw steel and uniform cloth - we'd end up scrambling to find plants and skilled workers to build them. Once you train your country's work force to work at big box stores and flip burgers, it's hard to ramp up the war machine. How long until China or Russia starts to take advantage of the new reality? But "the shareholders" had to be appeased. No more long term value creation - what's in it for me, this quarter...

berg

As long as it ain't Chrysler.

I wouldn't ever want to see the new Jeep H3

Keith615

I think it would be good for Jeep customers if GM/Hummer would do a redesign the competed better with the current Wrangler line up.

berg

GM missed the boat on a Wrangler type vehicle more than 60 years ago. They would hard pressed to come up with a competitor to the Wrangler now.

Ford missed it after WWII until they came out with the Bronco then they let it go.

The Chinese are coming out with a Jeep copy. A cheap Jeep will push Chrysler into a tougher competition in the overseas market. I don't know how a Chinese Jeep would be recieved in this country. I know I wouldn't buy one.

JMHO

Lorrel

Yea, I just read that to, as well as some other articles. I'ts a dreary situation. Although I do like the looks of Hummers, not so much the H3, but would never buy one as much, but rather for the working men and women that may loose their jobs. Some don't want to believe just how bad the times are. When the Largest American Automakers have to take these kinds of measures, it just goes on to say that this oil shortage is in fact a crises, and not just some made up thing by American buisness, to increase the price of gas.
This is the reason Chrysler is moving more and more to gas efficient vehicles, and I believe we may see more moves in the future to increase that efficienty. I just hope the "JEEP", as we know it, does not go by the wayside because of this.

pearl-drum-man

Unfortunate. As for Hummer, the H1 is gone, the H2 has been on the block for 2010 I believe, that only leaves the H3 and possibly the new H4 (or whatever they will call it). It seems things were already headed toward a re-work or complete abolishment based on the status of their line-up. THough I'm not a huge fan, I hope it stays around as competition for Jeep.

How about a Jeep/Hummer merger???

scouter4life

I think it would be good if they downsized and had smaller SUV's that were far more efficient (i.e. hybrid) that would probably light a fire under Chrysler to come out with a more efficient Wrangler. Don't get me wrong I love my JK and would not get rid of it unless Jeep came out with a more efficient version that was just as capable.

oZmonKey

There's an oil shortage? I haven't been turned away from any gas stations.

RedneckJeep

Yeah...just think. Chrysler could pick Hummer up and make it part of the Jeep line.