Hummer's been having a hard time of it lately. After GM announced it would unload the brand or kill it off, several potential buyers denied interest and the automaker was forced to admit that the faltering economy was making a sale increasingly difficult. However, amidst this stream of bad news, one intrepid individual has a new way to rescue the faltering division: cutting the European H3's horsepower, specifically from 241 hp to just one horse, in the form of a new wagon-wheel H3.
Created by Matthew Harrison, of course, the wagon-wheel Hummer isn't really meant to save gas -- it's an art exhibit, on display opposite the Royal Academy of Arts in London for the fifth Zoo Art Fair, held October 17-20. Shown on behalf of the East London gallery Limoncello, according to a release on the vehicle, Harrison's Luddite-friendly H3 combines "the legendary off-road vehicle with 'Wild West' wooden wheels to create a sculpture that is a mixture of art, engineering, and motoring." It goes on to add that Harrison feels "the crux of Hummer is formed by both its being and its afterlife."
While Harrison's new art exhibit may provide some much-needed publicity for the H3, especially in Europe, GM is moving ahead with Hummer's sale, having formally put the brand on the block last month. And to help facilitate this, today the automaker is announcing that Cadillac general manager Jim Taylor will leave the luxury division and become Hummer's new CEO. Cadillac's general manager since 2004, Taylor has seen the luxury brand's sales drop 16.4% in 2008, and while, were GM to keep Hummer, he would remain at the company, according to spokeswoman Joanne Krell. A sale of the off-road brand would leave him "at a decision point" about leaving GM.
Hummer sales are in a freefall, down 47.4% through September, although it's possible falling gas prices could help spark a rebound. Considering that one of America's largest Hummer dealers recently switched to selling smarts, however, the brand's future doesn't look bright. If these trends continue, the Hummer "afterlife" Harrison speaks of may arrive sooner than people think.
Source: Hummer and Automotive News (Subscription required)