Thanks to Hummerguy.net for News Content


December 2009

Fritz Henderson Stepping Down as GM CEO

Details are just now coming that General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson will step down from his post, and Ed Whitacre will act as interim President and CEO. Whitacre held a live press conference Tuesday afternoon and read a prepared statement with the news.

According to officials at the Treasury Department (The controllers of the Government’s over 60 percent stake in GM), “This decision was made by the Board of Directors alone. The Administration was not involved in the decision.”

Henderson took over the CEO spot when the federal government gave his predecessor, Rick Wagoner, Ed Whitacre is the former chairman and CEO of AT&T, and became GM’s chairman of the board in July of 2009.
Fritz Henderson was undoubtedly part of the discussions involving the sale of the HUMMER brand, though it’s unlikely that this will have an impact on an eventual sale.

Late last week we found out GM’s primary attempt to sell the SAAB brand had fallen through with Koenigsegg, similar to the Saturn deal failure with Penske Automotive. Despite the SAAB deal falling through, GM says “serious interest” remains in the brand.

It’s possible that the board was concerned Henderson’s inability to lead the team through major brand liquidations and the image that portrayed on GM’s new leadership. However, selling a profitable brand like HUMMER will be an easier task than two historical non-producers like SAAB and Saturn.

November 2009
HUMMER HX Video Game Debut in DiRT2
HUMMER’s are known for their strong performances in off-road races in real life, and now they’re becoming more and more common in off-road video games. We’ve seen H1s, H2s, and H3s in video games before – but the HUMMER HX makes its video game debut in DiRT 2, the newest rally-racing game from Codemasters.

First, I must say that I am not a serious gamer by any measure, so if you’re looking for an in-depth review of features and gameplay of DiRT 2, check out the two page review from GameSpot.com. Also, a copy of the game was provided by the manufacturer, and the FTC thinks that may make me biased – so read at your own risk.

What I can tell you is that I’ve had a pretty good time playing DiRT 2 and seeing the HX compete in the stock Baja races. The game has different rally circuits from all over the world, and your vehicle selection options depend on the location and track (e.g. you can’t race the HX on a rally-cross race in Malaysia). Though there aren’t tons of stock baja races on the ‘tour,’ users can always select ‘free race’ and set up whatever type of competition you’d like.

I’ve tried online play a couple times, but I’m not sure there are a ton of other players ready to roll. The only time I could find other players they were all speaking German to one another over the network. I do wish that DiRT 2 and a split-screen multiplayer option, but it’s all single player unless you want to take on the Germans – and they’re good!

The graphics in DiRT 2 are pretty impressive – and make for some incredible replays. We’ve recorded a couple low-res videos of the HX in the garage and also some racing action that are after the jump – but to get a better idea of the graphics, check out this video.
If you’re looking for a racing game for the HUMMER fan in your life, we don’t think they’ll be disappointed with DiRT 2.

Five HUMMER Things to be Thankful For
Whether you’re a HUMMER owner, enthusiast, or future owner, there’s plenty to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. A year ago, HUMMER fans were smack in the middle of GM’s “Strategic Review” of the brand, which actually provided more questions than answers about HUMMERs future. Just in the last 60 days, things have really been looking up for the brand, so we’ve compiled a list of five HUMMER things to be thankful for.

5) Team HUMMER is not only back in business after a brief sponsorship hiatus (courtesy of GM restructuring), they’re winning races. Big, big races.

4) The completion of the sale of HUMMER is on track, and could possibly be complete by the end of this year. The wheels may have fallen off GM’s attempt to sell both Saturn and Saab, but HUMMER is different. First, it’s a smaller brand and more manageable. Second and more importantly, the HUMMER brand is profitable unlike the other two.

3) HUMMER isn’t waiting for a sale to be completed to work on future designs. After many months of future HUMMER designs being put on hold, the team is back in gear with their top priority being the H4, a production version of the HX Concept. HUMMER design is also looking long term, working on models like the H5 and future powertrain options.

2) Pricing for the 2010 H3 stayed the same, and the 2010 H3T Alpha price went down. Typically automotive pricing makes a jump from year to year, and sometimes even halfway through the year. Such is not the case for 2010, with the H3’s price identical to 2009 and the 2010 H3T Alpha’s price dropping a few hundred dollars.

1) HUMMER has a future. Renewed sponsorships, a solid investor, future design work being conducted, and a new approach to business are quickly adding up that HUMMER indeed has a future – something that suppliers, plant workers, dealership employees, and HUMMER customers and enthusiasts can all be thankful for.

HUMMER Production Starting Ahead of Schedule

A limited run of HUMMER H3 and H3T models will begin this coming Monday at GM’s plant in Shreveport, Louisiana according to those familiar with the matter. Following the limited run, regular production will resume on November 9th.

Originally, dealers were told that production wouldn’t begin until November, and even though this only puts everyone a week ahead of schedule, dealers will be excited about having new inventory earlier than expected.

The Shreveport plant is also gearing up for global production, which depending on the destination country, could start soon. Building for left-hand-drive nations will only take some minor adjustments to the current equipment, but building right-hand-drive HUMMERs will take a more time and more equipment.

Currently, the plant equipment used to make these models in South Africa is being dismantled and shipped to Shreveport. Originally, the Shreveport plant only produced models bound for North America, but will now build H3s for all the 39 countries that have HUMMER distribution.

Moving global production to Shreveport is good news for the plant workers, who also make the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon – production of which has been somewhat sporadic due to the Cash for Clunkers program.