Hummer H3 to get E85 Capable Engines and 4-Cylinder Diesel in 2009

With Hummer’s future uncertain as truck and large SUV sales continue to freefall in the States, you’d think that GM would totally give up on its offroad brand. But for the time being, that doesn’t seem to be the case. As part of its commitment to make half of its vehicles E85 (ethanol) capable by 2012, GM said that along with the H2 E85 FlexPower that will go on sale in the States this October, it is continuing the development of FlexPower engines for the H3 SUV.

Scheduled to hit U.S. dealerships in early 2009, the H3 FlexPower will be able to run on gasoline, E85 ethanol which consists of up to 85 percent ethanol mixed with gasoline, or any combination of the two fuels. According to the American automaker, in the USA alone, more than 3 million of the 7 million flexible-fuel vehicles on the road are GM cars and trucks. -Continued

“Using biofuels, specifically E85, is the most significant thing we can do in the near-term to offset rising future energy demands” says Beth Lowery, GM vice president of Environment, Energy and Safety Policy. “We believe ethanol used as a fuel, not just as a gasoline additive, is the best near-term alternative to the surging global demand for oil because ethanol is renewable and it significantly reduces CO2 emissions compared to gasoline. Best of all, it is available today.”

Aside from the H3 FlexPower, GM is also developing a 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine for the smallest model in its range. The diesel-powered H3 will be an important addition in Hummer’s European range as diesel vehicles across the pond account for more than 50 percent of total sales in most markets. The percentage of diesel variants is even greater when it comes to large SUVs and 4x4s.

GM Recalling Nearly 1 Million Vehicles Worldwide on Electrical Issue

General Motors will be sending letters to more than 944,000 owners worldwide, 857,735 of which are located in the U.S., due to voluntary recall that affects 16 cars and SUVs from 2006 to 2008. The huge recall involves vehicles fitted with a heated washer fluid system that could short circuit causing other electrical features to malfunction and lead to smoke or even fire. According to GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson, up until now, there have been three reported fires related to the problem. GM said that its dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. See the affected models after the jump. -Continued

MAKE / MODEL - YEAR

• BUICK / ENCLAVE -2008
• BUICK / LUCERNE - 2006-2008
• CADILLAC / DTS - 2006-2008
• CADILLAC / ESCALADE - 2007-2008
• CADILLAC / ESCALADE ESV - 2007-2008
• CADILLAC / ESCALADE EXT - 2007-2008
• CHEVROLET / AVALANCHE - 2007-2008
• CHEVROLET / SILVERADO - 2007-2008
• CHEVROLET / SUBURBAN - 2007-2008
• CHEVROLET / TAHOE - 2007-2008
• GMC / ACADIA - 2007-2008
• GMC / SIERRA - 2007-2008
• GMC / YUKON - 2007-2008
• GMC / YUKON XL -2007-2008
• HUMMER / H2 - 2006-2008
• SATURN / OUTLOOK - 2007-2008

Hummer Organizes Driving Academy Event in Morocco

For those of you who are looking to sharpen their off-road driving abilities and to take a break from the daily routine life, GM is launching its first ever Hummer Driving Academy event that will take place in Morocco from 7-12 November 2008. The academy will take a fleet of 14 Hummer H3s on a 1300km (about 800 miles) route which includes the Sahara Desert. Overall, there will be 14 teams consisting of a driver and co-driver. The participating SUVs will carry necessary survival equipment, desert tires and GPS satellite navigation systems, but other than that, they’re standard H3s with 3.7-liter 5-cylinder engines and automatic transmissions. -Continued

The cost of participation in the 2008 HUMMER Driving Academy event has been set at €3.995 or $5,870 per team of two (driver and co-driver), and it includes the use of the H3 vehicles and luxury hotel accommodation but not air fares. According to GM, the Hummer Driving Academy event in Morocco will be followed by a series of events which will be rolled out in 2009. For more information on the event in Morocco you can visit the official site here.

2009 Hummer H2 Black Chrome Limited Edition

For the 2009 model year, Hummer is adding a new version to its H2 SUV and SUT line-up called “Black Chrome”. The limited edition H2 SUV and SUT models are distinguished on the outside by the black chrome detailing that includes the 22-inch chrome-clad wheels, grille, hood latches and handles, fuel filler door, door handles, mirror caps, badges, side air vents, spare tire cover emblem, rocker moldings and hood louver. -Continued

Hummer offers three exterior colours for the Black Chrome editions; the new-for-2009, Silver Ice Metallic, Sedona Metallic and Carbon Black Metallic. The first two colours are combined with the Ebony/Shale interior, while the Sedona Metallic (pictured above) which is exclusive to the Black Chrome edition, is offered only with the Sedona interior. According to GM, production of the H2 SUV and SUT Black Chrome models will be limited to 1,300 units worldwide.

Renault Sherpa 2, the French Humvee

The French equivalent of AM General’s Humvee is the Renault Sherpa, a light 4x4 tactical military truck dedicated to projection and intervention units. But unlike its famous American counterpart the Sherpa never found its way to the civilian market. Renault offers two versions of the military truck, the Sherpa 2 which can seat 4 passengers offering a payload of 2 to 3 tons and the two-seater Sherpa 3 pick-up that features 10' flat bed supporting a total payload of 4.1 tons.

Both versions of the French Humvee are equipped with a Euro4/5 (!) turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel engine delivering 215 HP at 2,300 rpm. According to Renault, the military truck can achieve a top speed of 120 km/h or 75mph on a flat road surface while its autonomy at a cruising speed of 70 km/h or 45mph is 900km or 560 miles. -More photos and a video after the jump

Via: Motorpasion , Source: Renault

Hummer H3T Pick Up Priced from $31,495

With pick up trucks and large SUVs pilling up at dealerships, it’s not exactly the best of times for a vehicle like the all-new Hummer H3T. Set to arrive at dealerships in September, Hummer has priced the H3T at $31,495, including a $745 destination charge. Featuring a five-passenger crew cab and a separate five-foot-long (1.5 meters) bed the H3T packs a 5-cylinder 3.7 liter engine combined with standard full-time electronic four-wheel drive.

Hummer Offers Special Edition H3 Sensation to European Markets

For those in Europe that can withstand the sizzling prices at gas pumps, Hummer is offering a special edition version of its H3 SUV equipped with €4,000 or $6,300 worth of options at no extra cost. Based on the standard H3 3.7 automatic, the Sensation features a unique body-colored grille, a power sliding glass sunroof, black tubular side steps, black roof crossbars, an in-dash 6-CD changer and a Monsoon 7-speaker sound system. The H3 Sensation, which will only be available for short time, is offered exclusively in black or white paint. -One more pic after the jump

Hummer Sales Freefall in June: Down Nearly 60%

The way we see it, unless some Saudi prince or Texan gas-ilioner decides to drop the price of an oil-barrel under the $100 mark, by the end of the year Hummer might manage to put itself out of its misery. In June, GM’s brand sold a mere 2,072 units, down 59.3 percent compared to June 2007 when it sold 5,093 vehicles. During the first half of the year, Hummer sales declined a whopping 40.4 percent compared to the first six months of 2007 (16,158 vs 27,108 units). Think Hummer will make it till the end of 2008?

Hummer’s Sales Plunge in 2008

If you’re still wondering why General Motors is considering every available option for its Hummer division including a complete revamp of its lineup, a joint venture, even getting rid of it, then look no further than this chart from Freep with the brand’s 2008 sales. Paraphrasing the Chinese saying, a number is worth 1,000 words… Just for the record, Hummer’s overall sales for the first five months of the year (January through May) were down by 36% compared to the same period in 2007.

Via: Freep

NHTSA Investigates Fire Hazard on 2.7 Million GM Trucks & SUVs

Federal regulators have began an investigation into more than 2.7 million SUVs and trucks built by General Motors between 2006 and 2008 after reports of 41 non-crash engine compartment fires, including 8 fires that may have caused significant property damage along with 16 cases where fires started while the vehicles were turned off. The probe covers 21 models sold by Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC and Hummer.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) investigators are currently examining the electrical system, engine and engine cooling system, battery cables, under-hood wiring, fuses and circuit breakers. For the time being, NHTSA calls the probe an "engineering analysis", but this could eventually lead to a recall of all the affected General Motors vehicles. -See the affected models after the jump

GM vehicles under investigation:

• Cadillac Escalade ESV and EXT MY2007-2008,
• Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 MY2007-2008,
• Chevrolet Avalanche 2500, MY2007
• Chevrolet Silverado MY2007,
• Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 MY2007-2008,
• Chevrolet Surburban 1500 and 2500 MY2007-2008,
• Chevrolet Tahoe MY2007-2008,
• GMC Sierra, MY2008
• GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 MY2007-2008,
• GMC Sierra Classic, MY2007
• GMC Silverado, GMC Yukon MY2007,
• GMC Yukon XL 1500, XL 2500 MY2007-2008,
• Hummer H2 MY2006-2007,
• Hummer H2 Utility, MY2008
• Hummer H2 MY2006-2008.

GM Considering All Options for Hummer Brand – Including Sale

During GM’s annual meeting of stockholders, the company’s chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner announced that apart from ceasing production at four truck plants in the U.S., GM is undertaking a strategic review of the Hummer brand to determine its fit within the group’s portfolio. In a statement issued by GM, the American carmaker said that it’s considering all options for the brand, from a complete revamp of the product lineup to a partial or complete sale of Hummer. We'd be lying if we said that we weren’t expecting it…