The Plant
A mere 25 yards from the AM General plant that makes the military HUMVEE (now called the H1), another "General" has also built a plant in Mishawaka, Indiana, and will be making the H2.
In a short (actually, unprecedented) 23 months from its debut at the Detroit Auto Show in 2000 to the first vehicle off the assembly line (driven by none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger), General Motors will have a new full-size SUV in its lineup. Slated to produce about 30,000 units a year, yet able to ramp up to 43,000 units if needed, the new plant, like the last six plants built by GM, employs Global Manufacturing Systems, meaning the plant's build systems are designed around the assembly-line operator. Logically broken into three parts, the 630,000-sq-ft plant assembles the body of the H2 in the first third, paints all parts and pieces in the middle third, then brings together the powertrain, suspension, and interior in the final third, before it's driven out of the plant for torture testing. -- Mark Williams
The Future
The question is not what, but when. Long before the first H2 rolled off the assembly line in Mishawaka, Indiana, design and strategy teams were planning the next vehicle to wear the Hummer badge. Although those around the GM campfire are being tight-lipped, our guess is the H2 SUT (July/Aug. '01 Truck Trend cover) will make its debut in late 2004, with a smaller Hummer version (not sure you can call it entry-level), the H3, most likely due in late 2006. Strong candidates for a platform are the ever-popular GMT 360 (Chevy TrailBlazer) or a two-door variant. Going small would allow them to create brand width and bring its capability-first Hummer-authentic personality to a market segment that seems to pop out minivan-like clones several times a year. With traditionally highly focused companies like Land Rover, Jeep, and Porsche searching (floundering?) for products to broaden their reach, while at the same time walking away from what made them great in the past, it will be interesting to see if General Motors can keep Hummer vehicles true to its mission statements. -- Mark Williams