The Demise of Hummer

The military-inspired H2 HUMMER was the iconic HUMMER, but its sales were never a significant percentage of overall truck sales. It was made in one of the newest and most modern and high tech assembly facilities in America.  At its height, HUMMER sold about 34,000 H2s annually. By comparison, Ford still sells about half a million F-150s annually, and GMC is still selling more than 100,000 Yukons annually. If you add the Chevrolet Suburban to GM’s totals, GM still sells 170,000 full-size SUVs each year. This is essentially the same hardware that the HUMMER H2 rolled on, albeit in a much more mainstream package and some components of them not as tough or designed to take on rugged terrain like the Hummer.
  Many people who liked the H2’s size and capability moved by choice to a more acceptable brand, thereby avoiding the inevitable passive-aggressive tweets about their lack of concern for the environment. In the end, HUMMER took shots for its sheetmetal and not for its running gear.
The Hummers were uniquely American in design and really tough trucks. The mileage of the H2 was not the greatest, but there were lots of other trucks, not nearly as rugged and with approach and departure angle no where near the H2. I thought the same about the Yukon and the Excursion. Yet, I never felt an emotional response to either of their designs.
  When they came along with the H3 size decreased and mileage increased.  I was always amazed that no one touted how truly capable these tough trucks were as well as everyday haulers and comfortable highway cruisers.  With over 50,000 units in 2006 the H3 outsold the H2 and owners loved them.  H3 owners soon realized these were exceptionally capable offroad and in the snow and nothing like their former SUVs unless they were coming from a Jeep Wrangler.  The I5 engine got 18 mpg and the Alpha with the V8 was a true hot rod offroad vehicle. 
  Then came the Hx which at a $24,000 price would have been a real hit, but we'll never know because GM caved in to the environmentalists and bean counters.  The Hummer accounted for less than 3% of all GM sales and owners were almost cult like in their love for them.  Hummer dealerships had the highest ownership satisfaction ratings of any GM dealerships in history, Lynch, Towbin, and Sewell of particular note here. 
   The Chinese sale of Hummer was disrupted by major political pressure and the desire to not have a foreign made Hummer competing with GMs SUVs.  It's nice owning a comfortable Modern Day Classic that can go through 12 inches of snow with no problem, deep water, small logs on the trail, some large rocks, and mud up to the axles.