Hummer’s Just Rewards
By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman
This bit of good news just announced: The Hummer H3 Alpha has been named the winner of Four Wheeler magazine's 2008 "Four Wheeler of the Year" award.
The prestigious award has been handed out annually since 1974, and this is the first time a Hummer has won it. What's more, the Hummer H2 came in second. Our Hummers swept the top two spots in a field that also included the Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee CRD, the Nissan Pathfinder and the Toyota Land Cruiser. To qualify, a vehicle must be entirely new, or have substantial mechanical revisions from the previous model year, in addition to using a two-speed transfer case.
The competition for the award is made up of many different categories, and the H3 Alpha came out on top in several of them, including Off-Road Performance, Exterior Styling and Empirical Scoring, which measures data such as acceleration and braking, power-to-weight, and ramp-over angles.
This is a big deal for Hummer and the H3, because the folks at Four Wheeler know their stuff – they've been publishing it for 45 years. To me, it proves that the H3 is by no means a "poser" truck – it's the real deal. And it is exactly what we've been saying it is… a true performer with great styling and honest-to-goodness social merit. The new 5.3-liter V8 has really helped a lot, obviously.
So, thanks to Four Wheeler for putting H3 Alpha and H2 through the paces and proving their worth. We look forward to their Truck of the Year competition coming up soon.
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Bob,
Congrats on the award. I’m glad to see Hummer recognized for what its real primary purpose is – for rugged off-road use. Although I’m not an off-roader myself, it is good that GM builds capable vehicles for that purpose, and I’m sure many are looking forward to the rumored competitor to Jeep’s Wrangler. I’d love to see Hummer take on a cleaner image, to attract people who love riding through nature, and want to preserve it for the enjoyment of future generations.
Hummer’s make me want to vomit. They are so over the top and a waste since most people just drive to the Mall in them. It’s for arrogant people who think it makes the look “BAD” Almost like a 1980’s image thing. Thankfully, I don’t see too many around. But I am always wanted to ask someone how do they feel driving around such a contraption and taking more than their fair share of space and gasoline.
Hummer is the gold standard of trucks, I think it is to trucks what Honda is to small cars and Toyota is to the family car. (That is an unofficial title I hope Buick will be taking away from Toyota soon.)
The only thing left to do is expand the lineup where intended with a pickup and an H4 Wrangler sized vehicle. Also needs a kick into the land of alternative fuels or alternate drive trains other than gasoline. But who doesn’t?
Also I think the H3 does fill in for the Trailblazer and Envoy if they don’t survive the crossover shift. But you gotta make sure you don’t loose those dedicated buyers. You have to market the H3 to them and let them know what they ask me about my H3 all the time…
1. It’s exceptional value.
2. It’s great gas mileage. For my Inline 5 it gets 30 mpg highway.
3. It’s extraordinary behavior on road as well as off.
4. It’s award winning interior originally designed by Nike.
5. The best warranty in the business.
And here is an important point about 4 X 4’s that the public does not understand. Toyota’s Tundra 2 wheel drive got best initial quality in it’s segment (Consumer Reports I believe). It’s 4 x 4 version got the worse. The public does not understand that 4 X 4’s have a more complex assembly and do not compare well with other brands. Land Rover, Hummer, and Jeep tend to score poorly against non 4 X 4 brands and it’s unfairly tarnishing their image. We have to compare apples to apples and when they do Hummer does indeed come out on top.
One of my co-workers was happy to point out to me that Hummer placed near the bottom of that survey along with other truck brands, he like a lot of people don’t understand why.
Anyway, I always thought that the Hummer H3 was in my opinion the best truck for style, value, and capability ever produced by GM, and in my opinion, ever produced in history. You can pay double for a Land Cruiser of triple for crossovers that can’t do half as much off road. Heck I see some paying more for passenger cars that you can’t take out in the snow.
Bottom line-
and I will borrow a tag line from a retailer,
An educated consumer is your best customer.
I always knew dollar for dollar you had the best truck in the industry, now here is the evidence now go out and tell somebody other than the choir.
Mr Lutz,
Say again all after “honest-to-goodness social merit.”
With all due respect, that needs some explanation.
Regards,
Gary Dikkers
Personally, I believe GM needs to start cranking out diesels for large vehicles soon enough. I’m sure you have some type of strategy around this with your recent acquisitions. And, a diesel hybrid pickup and diesel Volt would be beneficial as well. Of course, if you get HCCI out the door, maybe that accomplishes something similar to diesel. I noted on here before Bob that GM could build an ROI around a diesel/hybrid or hybrid pickup if you could get the mileage…..for older truck and competitive truck owners.
A diesel Volt is right up your alley. GM’s locomotive technology shows you already have a core competency in tuning a constant speed diesel for electromotive operations.
Congrats….
This is excellent news. The H3 is attractive too.
Though not a fan of diesel, if a “clean” diesel was offered, it could expand the appeal of the H3 considerably.
Wonderful, considering that GM dramatically increased fuel economy from 3 mpg to 5.5 mpg and now oil price is $100 per barrel!
People who judge others based on what they choose to drive make me want to vomit.
So Stan do people who drive Toyota Sequoia’s also make you want to vomit? The H3 gets better gas mileage than many other SUVs on the market.
People need to take in some perspective. The H3 is not a gas hog by any stretch – compared to competing vehicles from (gasp) Toyota it’s more efficient. GM didn’t create the truck “boom” any more than Boeing or Airbus created an airplane “boom”. Speaking of airplanes; why is it that someone who drives an H3 is Satan incarnate and someone who flies all over the world promoting a movie in a private jet is somehow sainted. A private jet that in a single trip puts out more Greenouse emissions than the H3 will in a lifetime?
Bob,
We need some Buick news. The Enclave is a hit, but there needs to be a few more models. There are a lot of us waiting to buy a Buick. As the Enclave shows..build it and we will come. The Saturn Vue should have been a Buick. Buick also needs a coupe/convertible! My checkbook is ready and waiting.
The 5.3 was a welcome addition to the H3, if it wuld just come with a 5 or six speed stick. I love the new CTS and the G8 Pontiac/Holden. I recently ordered a new Solstice GXP, and have a new Kappa Nomad(1:18 scale), i wish you’d put that one in to production.
The Hummer is in a class by itself. People who drive a Hummer are in a class by themselves. They want to look mean and nasty in those ferocious trucks they drive. Of course, the most difficult driving they do is a ride to the golf course (that’s roughing it, you know).
I’m really over the Hummer and its horde of users. Still, it is what they want to drive, and who can deny them that, just as I choose to drive a car with 40 mpg ratings. Each to their own, but…
Heck, I have to say it. You can dress up a hog and paint it in pretty colors, but at the end of the day, it’s still just an oversized pig.
jg,
I think GM is going through a philosophical debate and the debate is against Sloan and Toyota. To be very brief…
1. Is it better to design the automakers portfolio around vehicles with no overlap like Toyota/Lexus.
2. Is it still wise to make 2 or 3 versions of vehicles and sell them through different brands with unique styling.
Well it looks like argument 1. is winning out since Toyota is capable of being the largest automaker without overlapping product between brands.
But this is just not true when you start to peel away the truth I can prove to you and GM that #2 is still the best way to go.
1. Holden in Australia has fallen hopelessly behind Toyota in market share. If GM wants a one brand strategy look no further than this market, the only major market where GM does not outsell Toyota except in the home of it’s monopoly of Japan.
2. Most of those Toyotas are minicars in Japan’s closed market.
3. GM still has 25% of the US market and Toyota got as high as 15%.
The way I see it…For a company that pillages about $50 million in profit a day versus GM making close to zero, just ask yourself…
Why isn’t Toyota on the top?
It should have been there long ago with it’s steady stream of new product, profits, lower wages, newer vehicles, quality reputation…
Why isn’t Toyota the sales leader in the U.S.?
The simple reason in my opinion is Sloan his #2 philosophy. An Outlook, Acadia, Enclave simply sell better, covers more of the market and is an advantage over having just one vehicle with one style. WHEN DONE RIGHT.
Now most of the 80’s it was done wrong but as long as an Enclave is as distinct a vehicle from the Acadia as say, Acura RDX is from a Highlander then this strategy will continue to be successful.
The bottom line is, of course Buick should be working on a smaller crossover, no question after the success of the Enclave. This vehicle should be in Buick’s showrooms from Shanghai to Manila, from Vancouver to New York no question.
But now there is this philosophical debate, the Toyota way or GM’s proven and successful way.
The conclusion is, it’s not overlap when it is done correctly like with the Enclave, Acadia, and Outlook trio.
Fastlane short.
I just hope GM will stay GM and and until Toyota can do what GM has done and after it goes through what they went through and if ever they compete on an equal footing, if after all that they can still prove their strategy is better, only then will I think about philosophy #1. But until they do that…
Edward Hayes at least is not hearing it.
BOB,
Congrats on another award-winning vehicle. Now consider the approach on another
segment.
We’ve read about an upcoming Zafira variant for Chevy and Saturn. Pricing has been said to start in the high 20’s.
If true:
GM is making the mistake of letting the business plan’s
profitability projection rule over the base pricing decisions.
They are jacking up prices to try to show quick Return On Investment. This philosophy cannot work with a MASS-MARKET BRAND like Chevy, and the car CANNOT WORK if priced close to Traverse.
Saturn should get the car first, letting it’s Euro-cache rub off on the mass-market Chevrolet. The other way around weakens Saturn’s message when people read the derivation of the platform printed in the beginning of all magazine reviews…
I know this comment is late but I hope youll read it anyway. Please look at the Jeep Compass and Patriot as what NOT to do. Jeep means crazy off road capability regaurdless of what vehicle you buy. Make that meant… They have the reputation capital to recover if they cut the vehicles that dont live up to the brand now. As of right now Hummer brand name means excellent offroad just like the Jeep. DONT slap the hummer name on a cross over or a Cobalt spin off. You would think it would be a no brainer. But Jeep may be on the verge of diluting their brand. Please dont do the same!
Ed Hayes, thanks for the laugh:
“GM’s proven and successful way.”
When did “proven and successful” come to mean “making nowhere near as much money as the competition?” Toyota’s PROFITS are larger than GM’s MARKET CAP. That’s amazing.
You can stop high-fiving all around because there’s work to do. Profits tell the tale; naked brand engineering is a loser. The Enclave may be different enough but the Acadia/Outlook and upcoming Chevy Whatever triples are foolish overkill.
GM hangs on in North America because a big slug of American auto buyers absolutely will not buy an
Asian brand car just because it’s Asian. This gives GM an edge.
In spite of that edge, GM loses customers to the Asians every day and, when they’ve owned their Camry or Accord (and, now, Sonata) for 5 years and are perfectly satisfied, they see no reason to shop GM.
I no longer bother to look outside of the Toyota dealership for new cars and I aim first for a Toyota when buying used. I own several proven reliable high-mileage Toyotas and the only issue they have is rattles coming from the coins in the console bin.
If GM wants my business – the business of others like me, they have to nail reliability and then blow me away with the product.
That’s hard work.
Foose and Boyd are Re-making 200k + old muscle cars.
I think GM could do this as their resources are better.
A new ‘59 caddy, make 500 sell them for 200k each, crome, fins, quality, quality style.
Then make something else.
Like a harley, but a car.
Low production like a dodge viper.
Like gibson and fender have custom shops. Why can’t GM have a custom shop?
GM should do what Americans do best, make American cars, No one could compete.
They could be supper charged V8’s or hybrid. As long as they look fantastic, and have the quality of a Rolls Royce.
Thanks Eric
How about the news out of the Baja 1000 stock class, H3 Alpha and V5 the best in class. As a owner(of H3) and hourly worker @ GM’s home of the H3, Shreveport, just wanted to say great job by Hummer Racing.