Defunct Brand Owners Shun GM and Ford

There are some three million former Saturn, Pontiac and Hummer customers in the United States, all of whom will unlikely ever have the pleasure of buying a newer model of their current make again. These are some of America’s defunct brands, all gone the same way as Plymouth, DeSoto, Packard and many others. These latest additions were culled following General Motors bankruptcy reorganisation in 2009. And Mercury owners are in the same boat.

Now, Ford and GM are desperately trying to hold onto these “brand-less” customers. Accoriding to a report from the Wall Street Journal, in this year alone, 70% Pontiac owners, 71% of Saturn owners and 65% of Mercury owners who traded in their vehicles left with something other than a Ford or GM product.

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Japan's 213 Motoring Builds the Ultimate Six Hummer H2

For those still living in 2005, 213 Motoring (Japanese tuner Calwing's US division) has got just what you need to get to the prom in style: a supremely decked-out 6-wheeled H2.

The metropolitan tank gets a huge dose of Extenze to fit that extra axle (and super-size the interior), a body kit, a new exhaust system and a dozen extra lights on its nose.

Inside is just what people have come to expect from limousines: leather, plush carpeting, big TV screens, and liquor. Just what you need to get the party started.

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CFC Proves There's No Limit to Bad Taste with Chromed-Out Hummer H2

Leave it to a German tuner to take something already gaudy by nature and make it even more garish and ugly. "Take your Hammer and drive it sexy", says CFC in the press release on the pimped-out Hummer H2 (with a "u" and not an "a"). Too bad it doesn't say 'where', but let's not make this post more inappropriate than it already is.

After a lengthy visit at their warehouse, CFC's tuning team went ahead and stuffed the Hummer H2 like a Thanksgiving turkey. Starting from the outside, the 'chrome' vinyl wrap is complemented by tinted windows, a carbon wrap for the bonnet and a set of uber-discreet 'CFC' stickers.

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Wind it Down: Say Good-bye to Hummer as Chinese Deal goes from... Sweet to Sour

As of today, General Motors has officially declared that Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co., Ltd. (try saying that ten times fast, I'll wait) won't be buying the Hummer brand after all. If you don't recall, Tengzhong is the Chinese company that thought it could make the Hummer business work in today's world.

There are many rumors to as why China officials would not support the transaction including Beijing's political agendas and environmental concerns (wait, Hummer's aren't efficient and green?), but fact is, the proposed deal is dead.

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Hummer HB Compact Off Roader Design Concept

Truth to be said, no one knows what the future beholds for Hummer now that GM sold the brand to a little-known Chinese company called Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co. But that hasn't deterred independent designers like Andrus Ciprian from envisioning future products for Hummer.

In keeping with the downsizing theme of the industry, the Romanian designer's proposal is an extremely compact off-roader called the HB that features almost no front and rear overhangs, a high road clearance and huge tires.

The designer says that the Hummer HB adopts a body-on-frame construction with power being provided by a biofuel capable V6 engine.

There are two versions of the HB, one with a smaller windscreen split into three sections and an array of cameras that relay video to the driver through screens, and another with a conventional windscreen and additional lights on the roof, designed for the more serious off-roader.

Designer: Andrus Ciprian , Via: Diseno-art

GM Seals Deal to Sell Hummer to China's Sichuan Tengzhong

General Motors officially announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Hummer unit to China's Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd. The sale comes only four months after GM announced that it entered talks with the Chinese heavy equipment maker. Sichuan Tengzhong will purchase Hummer through an investment entity, in which it will hold an 80 per cent stake, while Hong Kong investor Suolang Duoji, a private entrepreneur, will get the remaining 20 per cent stake.

"HUMMER is a strong global niche brand and this agreement signifies another important milestone in writing the next chapter for both GM and HUMMER," said Fritz Henderson, GM President and CEO. "For HUMMER, the combination of its knowledgeable leadership team, vehicle design expertise and the capital financing of Tengzhong portend a successful future."

Although GM did not disclose the financial terms of the agreement media reports claim that the sale price was around $150 million.

GM said that under the terms of the final agreement, the Chinese company will acquire the ownership of the HUMMER brand, trademark and tradenames, as well as specific IP license rights necessary for the manufacture of HUMMER vehicles.

Sichuan Tengzhong will also get manufacturing, key components and business services from GM during a transitional time period, which was not defined by the Detroit automaker. As an example, GM said that its Shreveport assembly plant would continue to contract assemble the H3 and H3T models while AM General's Mishawaka assembly plant will continue to assemble the H2, both until June 2011, with an optional one year extension until June 2012.

"This transaction marks an exciting step for both Tengzhong and HUMMER, as we invest in a business that has significant opportunity in the U.S. and around the globe," said Yang Yi, chief executive officer of Tengzhong. "We are excited about some of the initiatives already underway at HUMMER that we believe our investment will be able to accelerate, particularly related to the creation of the next generation of more fuel-efficient vehicles to meet not only future regulations but also customer expectations."