H3 Goes Global

How I wish there will be a diesel H3!

So GM open another plant instead of keeping the JOBS in america, to give it to another Country to put them on the map when they can't feed their own children in their own homeland, Well my last GM purchase was the GTO in 2005 and i already got rid of it and all it's electrical malfuntions,to buy a Ford product, just think in 50 years when China starts a war with us, We'll have to buy our tanks from them because we no longer have MANUFACTURING ON OUR OWN SOIL! Good Luck GM

So GM is striving to be the "Global SUV company," not the "Global fuel-efficient car company." I'm sure this is a signifigant achievment, but I'm afraid I'm finding it a little hard to feel excited. I read the article twice, and didn't see any mention about fuel efficiency compared to competitive brand models sold in South Africa.

Ed,

I think they know, this is not an ordinary vehicle, but extraordinary times call for extraordinary vehicles like the H3, H3T the Buick Efigy and the Velite.

I think we can say that Detroit has seen its share of turmoil but its good to know that you have shown us with these vehicles, GM has the answers to all its problems right in its hands, your hands. If GM could just benchmark it wages, benefits, compensation and other costs against that other big car company, then it's advantage GM.

You know, one of my sister new and favorite pastimes is this...

"Hay lets go test drive some Hummers!!!"

She didn't take me yet but she took my brother and she gave me an add on a great Hummer lease deal. And today, I saw a Banana Yellow Hummer H3 driving about 100 feet behind me before it turned off the highway.

Bottom Line:

When you have a design like the H3, H3T, FJ Efigy, Velite, Enclave and how about a Buick Eight, when you have designs like these you should know what to do.

Build it.

As loud as these designs scream to you "BUILD IT", it translates to us consumers like this...

BUY IT.

Congratulations to you Ed, and all the designers, engineers and GM workers on a fine vehicle in a fine factory.

So is the plan to export the H3 produced in Africa back to the States? Is there a UAW in Africa?

Well, I hope they make a name for themselves in the African Safari as well as Middle Eastern desert-use markets.

There, Land Rover and Toyota have big reputations.
I hope they offer a diesel option.

What promotional ideas do you have in terms of having researchers, government officials and safari owners use them?
The Toyota Land Cruiser is a staple of the UN everywhere you go.
Perhaps a few Hummer H3s are in order as well.

I like a lot the H3

Is there any plans to make this a convertable? It seems like this is in direct competition with the new wrangler... I would like to see the top come off the H3..

Thanks,
Brad

As far as I know, the engineering made to adapt the H3 for RHD and other changes was made here in Brazil. As we know, H3 uses the same chassis of the Colorado/Canyon/D-Max. Does it mean that we'll have the Colorado to replace our aging S10, of course adapted to our reality (diesel engines made by suppliers, etc) or still have that 90's truck with only minor changes competing against a renewed Hilux and maybe next-gen Nissan Frontier and Mitsubishi L-200? Or will you still play in the Ford Ranger league?

Hi Ed--

Great for Hummer!

On another note, since this post was written by you, I'd like to throw out a few comments about styling cues and GM vehicles:

1) Eliminate the ubiquitous trapezoidal grille from GM's styling mantra. It's getting very tired.

2) Refuse to put out rear ends with tear drop shaped tail light lenses that border a trapezoidal trunk opening.

3) End the long hood, short deck profile. It's getting long in the tooth. Come up with some new vehicle proportions. How much further can you push the wheels out to the corners? This is getting very tiring.

4) If a car is going to have a grille, make it bold, otherwise, eliminate it. The artsy-fartsy, miniscule looking pieces on the Malibu and Impala nearly scream "old fogey mobile". The grille is one of the most important parts of a front end. When you design vehicles with "bug-eyed" headlights and small grilles, the entire front end looks out of proportion.

5) Eliminate the GAWD-awful "GM drab" charcoal interior in favor of something with more life. If you're going to go dark, just go black.

6) Pick better interior fabric patterns than those used on the Chevy Malibu interior. It looks like the cheese cloth you have to sit on in coach class airplane seats.

Congratulations GM, on another semi-annual (or more) announcement of opening another assembly plant NOT in the U.S. You must feel proud of yourselves to have your mediocre, overpaid management propped up by $5/day labor. Again.

The Japanese companies earn their money with plants right here in the U.S. They are the new "American" companies.

Dear Mr. Welburn,

as far as the Hummer-Sales in Europe are concerned, in my opinion this should get a more official character. Until today only dealerships of the Kroyman-Group or companies like Geiger-Cars in Munich are offering Hummer in Germany. In my opinion this should be extended also on other dealerships, which are already selling Cadillac, Corvette and Chevrolet so far. In addition there should be established European Hummer-Websites in order to provide some information about those vehicles in the corresponding languages.

Another proposal: Please, stop the dealership-separation over here between Chevrolet-Vehicles, built by GM DAT (Aveo, etc.), and those products, which belong to your US-Lineup (Tahoe, etc.). As I believe, this could avoid possible confusion among your customers and, by the way, there's no separation in Canada (for example), neither.

To "Dano-kman":

Today EVERY big company is running global production and Ford won't make any exception. That's simply globalisation... But I wouldn't be too scared for the future. One day also Chinese workers won't be ready to do their job for 2 Dollars/hour anymore, because the time will come, when they also wish to ENJOY western products and not only want to PRODUCE them. Then consequently the Chinese wages also will have to climb or do you believe, western companies are able or ready to sell their goods for such prices, that Chinese people can afford it with their topical payment? I don't think so.

Great news, it's a spectacular and dynamic vehicle that needs just one thing; new engines. Of course a diesel is needed for international markets, which there may already be one, but also a V6 or a small block V8 needs to be added. There isn't enough low end torque with the current engine, thus poor acceleration and even more importantly the engine must work extra hard and gas mileage will suffer because of it.

Kristy,
Let's get a few things straight:

1. GM is a global company--and like all global companies, there are plants in many other countries. The US is not the only place in the world American cars should be manufactured.
After all, the Japanese are here no?

2. Most of the Japanese plants are NOT in the US. You really should get out more.

GM has 77 American plants in the U.S., while the imports are barely into the teens--if so many.
77 versus 10?
I think they have earned the right to build a few other plants elsewhere don't you think?

Lastly,

3. Wherever GM plants are built, the money from sales comes back to America. As long as we're making nationalist arguments, where does the money from import sales go? (Hint: Nowhere between New Jersey and California--that's for sure).

To those who think GM is opening plants in the rest of the world and closing them in the U.S. because they want to, its time to wake up and smell the proverbial coffee. GM in China is bringing profits back to Detroit, and buying time for GM to rightsize and reform the company. There are many reasons GM went down the tubes a few decades ago...yes part of it was their design and quality, which was constantly cut from teh bean counters b/c they had a very expensive workforce.

The Japanese brands building plants in America enjoy the luxury of not having to pay very large sums of money to UAW labor.

GM was the number one seller here in China last year (of the foreign firms). These cars dont get built for export...they get built for the Chinese consumer. If building H3s in S. Africa mean greater profitability, and those profits come back to the states, go for it!

Ed, great progress on the designs! Keep it up!

Eric

It is just amazing to see people on here post that Toyota, Nissan, Honda are the "new American companies". Obviously these people know absolutely nothing about the structure of the automobile industry in general. Between Ford and GM alone in the United States you are looking at a company that is currently supporting upwards of 300,000 employees and their families with wages and benefits. GM alone is the largest provider of health car in the world. These two AMERICAN companies have not only supported a couple generations of American's but GM and Ford were the juggernauts that allowed our great country to mechanize and mass produce the instruments that lead to our emergence as a world power after WW1 and WW2 and have greatly contributed to the current standard of living that you enjoy in AMERICA. I guess all you have to do is built a few plants in the US, forbid the workforce from organizing, pay lower wages and benefits, offer no pensions and you get to be considered the New American companies. Can I help you get your head out of the sand, please?

Has anybody at GM seen this yet?

http://de.cars.yahoo.com/17102006/348/hummer-gt-geiger-faustdick-fluegeln.html

Well, the story is in German, but I believe only the pictures are worth it to visit that link.

Have fun :o)

I am happy to hear that the H3 is going to have a diesel engine - even if it is only in South Africa at this time. I am located in Canada, and am currently holding out for the diesel H3 which is rumoured to be out for the 2008 model year. Mostly I am after the low end torque that comes with a diesel engine. I've done quite a bit of back-road and off-road driving over the years and find the current crop of short stroke gasoline engines that make all of their power over 4000 rpm rather frustrating to drive offroad.

After owning a diesel Jetta for the past year I've also grown rather partial to the increased fuel milage. My Jetta gets around 50-60 miles/canadian gallon (42-50 miles/us gallon). Clearly a diesel H3 isn't going to get this kind of milage, but I would expect it to be a 20-30% improvement over a gasoline engine.

I sure hope GM clues in to the fact that not everyone in North America just want to go to the mall with their automatic transmission SUV!!

H3 would benifit from having the new cadillac 2.9L crd motor from VM. 406lb-ft 250hp