After news of a price target of $-0-. It's down over a dollar right now to $3.03.

 

Sounds like a great time to put the stock on your watch list-but on the flip side, if anyone didn't see this coming, they need to remove the shades. The thing is, how many different models of what is essentially the same vehicle do they need to make? GMC/Chevy trucks-virtually the same. The minivan they make, between Chevy, Buick, Pontiac, same, same, same. The G6 and its Chevy counterpart, same. Give me a break already! Although I fully believe that the American auto companies should be helped out with low interest loans only, (since we are helping the financial sector, who don't carry near as much if any tangible assets,) I do believe every all these companies that we the taxpayer are being forced to bail out, should be forced to clean house, from the top down, and fully reorganized with people who know how to run a business, and not just know how to count profits. There should be reprocussions to their actions. They have been laying thousands of blue collar workers for years now, and are just finally talking of laying off salaried (managerial) employees. Wow-thats a novel idea-how bout we lay off everyone that makes the product that we sell to make a profit, while hoping our numerous models of the same crappy vehicle continues to sell. (seething sarcasm)

Not to mention, there has been a correction coming in the auto market for a while now also, with 1/2 ton trucks being sold for well into the 40k range, and 1 ton trucks going for upwards of 60,000. I went and looked at the new Challengers a few months back, that had the infamous added dealer profit sticker next to the MSRP for 20-30k above the list price. So, because of their greed and plain stupidity, I should feel bad about them not selling vehicles? Ain't gonna happen.

 

I agree, chevy should try to help them selves before asking others to help them.
Don't forget the cadilac truck. SOOOO many duplicates. All are second rate.

 

Now we have the new H3 truck....I guess the h3 wasn't selling, so they wanted to sink more money into a dead horse.

 

Yeah-ain't that thing ugly? Not to mention all the duplicates that Ford makes inbetween its Ford/Lincoln/Mercury brands. And when is the last time you heard someone say, "I just gotta have that new Mercury!" These companies have been able to expand exponentially over the past few decades, they should be able to contract in the same manner.

 

Excellent post

 

The thing I never could figure out was the whole design change away from the original AM General HMMWV. I thought the civilian H1 was an extremely capable vehicle. It's design and engineering was superb- for example, the inboard brakes near the differential, the unique suspension and geared hub assembly. Be that as it may, somewhere along the lines ownership changed hands, or something to that effect, and the second and third generation Hummers became nothing other than slimmed-down SUV bodies with tiny windows on a GM pickup chassis. Of course, this is my opinion.

I guess my point is this. The H1 came from nothing... a brand new concept that made a powerful name for itself. Improvement would be one thing... the military has had multiple upgrades. But completely digressing it's characteristics into something completely different is beyond me. The original Hummer is long gone, and what remains is a Chevroleep (Chevy Tahoe, Jeep Cherokee look-a-like hybrid). GM should have just stayed with a sure thing.

 

ajpulley, that is the whole thing, the market for an extremely capable 85 thousand dollar H1 is minimal at best, so they capitalized on the look and built for the masses, who demand different parameters.


Not a bad thing, so long as they still made the H1....

 

Ya, I realize that market was small. But, on the other hand, if GM had a handful of specialized small markets, it might keep them afloat.

This might be a poor example- apples to oranges maybe- but, you don't see them taking the exterior of a Corvette and making a paper mache over the Chevy Malabu/Pontiac G6 unibody, do you?

It just seems to me from my experiences that having a few diversified niches can keep you going when the economy isn't. And, those small ventures, when done well, can be very profitable.

If I could have afforded one, me second vehicle would read very differently.

 

It's very simple, and it was their plan from day One: They purchased Hummer for the Brand Name. Nothing else.

The H1 was too costly, too capable, and too much not a GM product to leave it in production too long. They wanted, like many of their other veichles, to "Generalize" it and rake in the profits, since most people just have to drive a nameplate, they have no idea what the vehicle really is, and why it differs so much from the real thing.

I read this article yesturday in the Wall Street Journal, it's in-your-face, but I tend to agree with the author's perspective. Unfortunetly I read it in the paper copy, and I can't find it on their website. If someone else is more adept at this, please see if you could find it. Thanks...

 

And very few even get it off of the pavement!!!!!!!!