Interesting read regarding hummers

[EB-maen]

http://www.goldcoast.citysearch.com.au/profile?id=46616

Hummer invasion

Our pick
The baby version of the US military's favourite 4WD is eyeing Australia.

Editorial

Four-wheel drive backlash? What backlash? Just when you thought Australia had enough four-wheel drives Holden is reportedly considering selling the latest baby Hummer.

General Motors vice-chairman for product development, Bob Lutz - the person who fast-tracked the Monaro's export to the United States - sees an international future for the go-anywhere military lookalike four-wheel drive, reports on-line industry journal, goauto.com.au.

Holden chairman and managing director Denny Mooney, says Lutz is "playing around" with the idea of Hummer being more of a global brand. The website says that Lutz feels the Australian market could be a natural for a rugged, outback kind of vehicle.

According to goauto.com.au, Lutz's desire to spread the Hummer brand could reflect sliding sales in the US, where rising fuel prices have had an impact. Sales of the full-size H1 are down 65 per cent this year compared with 2003 and sales of the smaller sibling, the H2, are down 27 per cent.

"We've got enough on our platter at the moment, frankly. Bob has bugged me about it more than I have thought about it," the website quotes Mooney as saying.

Because of its bulk, the original H1 military vehicle does not appear to be under consideration for Australia. The smaller H2 is not presently available in right-hand drive. But the even smaller Hummer, the H3, could be a possibility.

The H3, which made its debut at the recent California motor show, would appear to be the best prospect and Mooney says the vehicle's architecture could allow a right-hand drive conversion.

It is likely it would follow the arrival of another American icon, Cadillac. Despite strenuous denials by Holden, General Motors executives in the US have said the revival of the Cadillac brand in Australia is a formality and imminent.

How many Hummers are there?
H1 is the most closely related to the military vehicle; the others simply have the military look. The H1 is powered by a 6.5-litre turbodiesel V8 engine that produces 152kW, hauling a kerb weight of 3428kg. It comes as a wagon or an open top.

H2 is the first of the GM-inspired vehicles with the Hummer look and is powered by a 6.0-litre V8 petrol engine that produces 242kW. It weighs 2909kg and is sold as a wagon or, in the latest version, as a four-door vehicle with a small utility tray at the back.

H3 is powered by a 3.5-litre turbocharged in-line five-cylinder petrol engine that produces 260kW. It is claimed to match the V8 H2 in acceleration. It is 430mm shorter, 152mm lower and 165mm narrower than the H2 and it sits on a three-piece welded ladder frame with boxed sections for strength. It has torsion bar front suspension and a multi-leaf-sprung rear suspension and is claimed to be able to ford water up to 61cm deep and to be able to climb 40cm vertical steps.

go the h3

[paul7v7]

my pick would be the H1. The original and the best.

[3Toed]

Originally Posted by paul7v7

my pick would be the H1. The original and the best.

:werd:

H1 > dog poop > H2 > H3

[The MaDDeSTMaN]

What about the torque, in something like a hummer I would think the torque would be more important then the kW...

[EB-maen]

yeah, a 5-cylinder hummer just isnt really right; hummers are invincible death-mobiles, and the 6.5l turbodiesel would be the way to go. it was just the step-climbing thing that got me :P

[XR Martin]

The production H3 wont get the Turbo engine (initially anyway)
Just a 220hp N/A version of it.

Price will be around US$30k, or about the same price as a V8 Explorer XLT which retails for $55k here.

[EA_Bender]

i saw hummer and i thought something else....

[Bucket]

Let me guess it will be called the Holden Adventra??

[Thanatos]

I like the way they say "the Australian market could be a natural for a rugged, outback kind of vehicle" as though it's going to actually see rugged terrain and not be used to pick the kids up from the fancy private school in toorak. lol

[460cixy]

hummer look alike bodys on chev 4x4 chassie not no my shoping list at all

[Hawk]

I saw a Hummer in Sydney on Christmas Eve. I have also seen one here in Greensborough about a year ago...and they certainly catch your attention. Don't think it would be a bad move by Holden to attempt to bring them in...they already have recognition worldwide.

[460cixy]

any one remember the suberban? that took off like a lead baloon. most aussies are too raped up in nissans and toyotas and hype to buy an over sized over priced yank machine . with no more off road ability than a daihatsu scat