Hummer H3 Alive and Well With Tweaks

Despite a tough run through high gas prices and a sour economy, and with a sale to a Chinese company pending, Hummer will produce a 2010 H3 and H3T. Both will arrive in dealerships by next month.

The vehicles will receive a couple of notable tweaks. First, they will have an available E85 Flex Fuel 5.3L V8 engine as an option. Rated at 300 horsepower, we wouldn’t exactly call this an attempt by Hummer to go “green” but the new ethanol-capable engine does offer a cheaper fuel choice (especially for those who live in ethanol-subsidized states in the Midwest).

Secondly, Hummer will offer three new colors for the 2010 model year: Red Rock Metallic, Silver Stone Metallic and Canyon Metallic.

The price for the H3 will remain the same for 2010 with an MSRP of $33,390, while H3T pricing starts at $30,195 (a $165 increase for those keeping track). Neither price includes a $780 destination charge.

2010|Hummer|H3

Chinese Company Preparing to Buy Hummer

Chinese manufacturer Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company has confirmed that it is the party in talks with GM to buy the Hummer brand. GM and Tengzhong have said the deal will keep in business the Hummer plant in Louisiana that makes the H3 and H3T, as well as an American dealer network and even the Hummer headquarters and operations.

We foresee a Chinese sale looming over the brand's image stateside, however, with a negative connotation among American buyers. There is no connection between GM's Hummer brand and the military Humvee vehicles built by AM General in Indiana.

It has been widely held that any company buying Hummer would not concentrate solely on the struggling American SUV market and instead focus on expanding into the Middle East, Asia and Russia. Currently, GM doesn't sell the Hummer brand in China, though it does sell Cadillacs and Buicks there.

The new owners have stressed the importance of growing the brand in China, where a growing upper-middle class is fueling a boom in car sales. This year, China could overtake the U.S. as the largest new-car market in the world.

What do you think? Does the nationality of the buyer matter in regard to a Hummer sale? Would it weigh on your decision to buy one?

Hummer Sale Pending: H3 to Continue

This morning, GM announced it had a tentative agreement to sell its Hummer brand and keep nearly 3,000 U.S. jobs in place, including at the dealership level. The buyer and the sale price weren’t disclosed, but GM did say it would work as a contract partner during the transition, as we've previously reported.

They also confirmed that the Hummer H3 and H3 SUT would continue production during this transitional period.

While Hummer has lost its luster in the U.S., GM stressed that the sale would expand the brand's global reach.

No New Saturns or Hummers after 2009

During GM’s announcement today that Pontiac would no longer exist after 2010, the company also said it would stop producing new Saturns after the 2009 model year and Hummers by the end of 2009.

Previously, GM had said it would build Saturn through 2011. The 2009 model year is currently being sold; GM generally switches over to the new model year during the summer. This means no new Saturns — and likely no new Hummers — will roll off assembly lines after this summer.

While the end of Pontiac may be seen as a sad day to automotive buffs, the same can’t be said for Saturn and Hummer. The two brands don’t have the cachet or fanbase of the 83-year-old Pontiac. However, this accelerated timeline caught the industry off guard.

If you’re thinking of buying a car or SUV from either brand, spokesmen from both companies say that they will be fully backed by GM’s warranty until either brand is sold. That same warranty is also backed by the U.S. government for any GM vehicle sold through May 31.

Both Saturn and Hummer are in the process of being sold to new owners. There are a number of scenarios for each brand, which we detail below.

Recall Alert: 2009 Hummer H3T

GM has issued a recall for 1,738 Hummer H3T vehicles from the 2009 model year due to a faulty fuel tank front support strap, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The strap may fracture, leaving the fuel tank supported by only the rear support strap and stone shield. If stress caused either of those to fail, the fuel tank could fall off the vehicle while it’s in motion — a dangerous situation to be sure.

Dealerships will install a new-design fuel tank front support strap to affected vehicles free of charge. Owners can contact Hummer at 800-732-5493 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236.