Hummer brand CEO Jim Taylor, speaking with Automotive News, discussed Hummer's rather hazy future. Though the sale has not yet been finalized, the agreements are in place to sell the brand to Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery for $150 million, while that doesn't include any kind of manufacturing capacity, it does have a good deal of intellectual property in the transaction. GM will be providing contract manufacturing of the current Hummer brand products until the negotiated contract ends, but it's up to Tengzhong, Hummer, and Jim Taylor to work out a plan after that.

Currently Hummer is working with Austrian consulting firm AVL to determine a future path for brand and product lineup. The idea is to continue pushing the brand smaller, lighter, and more environmentally friendly. That includes the introduction of the smaller-than-the-H3 Hummer H4 and after that an apparently microscopic Hummer H5. The H4 will be based on the HX concept car and may include a hybrid drive system to push fuel economy up to respectable levels.

More daunting than working out Hummer's product plan is laying out a production system including manufacturing and engineering capacities, supply chains and the like. Essentially, once GM production ceases on the current H2 and H3, Hummer will be starting with a seven bar grille and a name synonymous with gas-guzzling behemoths. Tengzhong has promised to spend big on Hummer with increased production and a wad of advertising cash to re-tool the brand's image, but still, it'll be an uphill battle. Best of luck with all that, Mr. Taylor. [AutoNews (sub req.) via Hummer Guy]

It's almost like rule 34 of the internet, if a marketing hobo imagines a clever thing, someone, somewhere will replicate it in real life. Such is the case here with the Happy Jack Hummer, or, as the builder/owner would like for it to be know as, the "Dummer", it's built on 90's-era Chevy S10 chassis and uses all the finest in plywood veneer's to attain that popular Hummer look. But be careful potential buyer, this creation comes with some pitfalls, such as the infamous "ran when parked" status, which could mean anything from mint condition to rat-eaten wiring with petrified bearing grease, good luck with that. It's supposedly an "off-road vehicle," but it's more like a parade vehicle for your goofy old neighbor down the street.

Here's the original "Happy Jack" ad, just in case you forgot. (Hat tip to Chad!)

[eBay]

The folks at Insure.com put together the following list of the most expensive cars to insure, and rather than just regurgitating that list, we've given each some analysis explaining why they cost so dang much to protect it and you from, you know, stuff.

[via thecarconnection, edmunds, insure.com]

20.) Mercedes SL-Class

Price: $98,500
Cost To Insure: $1,577
Curb Weight: 4220 lbs
Engine Displacement: 5.5 liter V8
HP: 382
TQ: 391
Top Speed: 155

Driver Stereotype: Country club golfing tycoon

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The amount of insurance claims every year have been on the rise with the Mercedes SL, the majority of which involve dented hoods by way of errantly swung golf clubs.

19.) BMW X6
Price: $66,650
Cost To Insure: $1,584
Curb Weight: 5269 lbs
Engine Displacement: 4.4 liter V8
HP: 400
TQ: 450
Top Speed: n/a

Driver Stereotype: Stay-at-home soccer moms

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The ugly and confusing nature of the BMW X6 design has confused many a folk to think they need to kill it with fire, unfortunately at the expense of a much higher insurance premium. Bummer.

18. Honda S2000
Price: $34,995
Cost To Insure: $1,587
Curb Weight: 2864 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.2 liter inline-four
HP: 237
TQ: 162
Top Speed: n/a

Driver Stereotype: Track day / autocross rat or mid-life crisis'er

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: We've heard multiple claims of VtEc Yo! drove the price up on these nimble little guys especially when driven under anger at the track.

17. Cadillac Escalade EXT
Price: $61,130
Cost To Insure: $1,592
Curb Weight: 5990 lbs
Engine Displacement: 6.2 liter V8
HP: 403
TQ: 417
Top Speed: n/a

Driver Stereotype: Rap super star / drug-running thugs

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The desire to have an Escalade in hip-hop and rap videos has caused an unjust amount of claims due to shitty music permanently affixed to the interiors, resulting in a total loss.

16. Land Rover Range Rover
Price: $77,675
Cost To Insure: $1,603
Curb Weight: 5698 lbs
Engine Displacement: 4.4 liter V8
HP: 305
TQ: 325
Top Speed: 121

Driver Stereotype: Bug eye sunglasses-wearing trophy wife

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Too many nose and breast enhancements have resulted in over swelling of the chest and face, blocking access to cell phones and ultimately causing a record number of single vehicle accidents in the Range Rover.

15. Audi R8
Price: $114,200
Cost To Insure: $1,637
Curb Weight: 3605 lbs
Engine Displacement: 4.2 liter V8
HP: 420
TQ: 317
Top Speed: 187

Driver Stereotype: Modest Wall St. U.S. economy killer

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: When the economy collapsed, brokers rushed to trade in their Lamborghinis in order to pick up the less conspicuous Audi R8. When the public found out they had merely put a wolf in sheep's clothing, all hell broke loose resulting in AIG-crippling insurance claims.

14. Cadillac XLR
Price: $86,215
Cost To Insure: $1,694
Curb Weight: 3647 lbs
Engine Displacement: 4.6 liter V8
HP: 320
TQ: 310
Top Speed: n/a

Driver Stereotype: Bought the crappy Alante, needed updated crappy Cadillac convertible

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Large amounts of owners have tried to show off the automatic folding roof in their garages causing both vehicle and residential claims. Tools.

13. BMW M3
Price: $57,850
Cost To Insure: $1,714
Curb Weight: 3704 lbs
Engine Displacement: 4.0 liter V8
HP: 414
TQ: 295
Top Speed: 155

Driver Stereotype: Typically a prick with an ego

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Excess amounts of hair gel, collar popping, orange skin and overly bright white teeth have caused many severe accidents due to the dry heaving by oncoming drivers and the subsequent loss of their bodily functions and vehicular control.

12. Jaguar XK
Price: $77,200
Cost To Insure: $1,717
Curb Weight: 3651 lbs
Engine Displacement: 5.0 liter V8
HP: 300
TQ: 310
Top Speed: 155

Driver Stereotype: Grey-haired Florida dweller

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The lack of vertical mobility that Grandpa exhibits seems to have gotten plenty like him stuck in the tight Jag, causing emergency crews to use the jaws of life to cut the roofs for extraction.

11. Chevrolet Cobalt SS
Price: $23,425
Cost To Insure: $1,762
Curb Weight: 2926 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.4 liter turbo inline-four
HP: 260
TQ: 260
Top Speed: n/a

Driver Stereotype: GM faithful in need of SRT4 competitor

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Many a Cobalt SS has been lost by its owner, likely getting mixed in with the multitude of other base Cobalts that all look the same, never to be seen or heard from again.

10. Porsche 911
Price: $76,300
Cost To Insure: $1,819
Curb Weight: 3120 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.6 liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder
HP: 345
TQ: 288
Top Speed: 186

Driver Stereotype: Doctor, Lawyer, Deli Owner

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Insurance fraud is exceedingly becoming more and more prevalent since it's the only way owners will be able to afford the next iteration of the 911 that Porsche seems to release on a bi-annual basis.

9. Lexus IS-F
Price: $56,760
Cost To Insure: $1,881
Curb Weight: 3780 lbs
Engine Displacement: 5.0 liter V8
HP: 416
TQ: 371
Top Speed: n/a

Driver Stereotype: Goes against the grain / hates German sports sedans

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Simply put; The beige Camry's are NOT happy with this car.

8. Hummer H2
Price: $63,090
Cost To Insure: $1,912
Curb Weight: 6614 lbs
Engine Displacement: 6.2 liter V8
HP: 393
TQ: 415
Top Speed: n/a

Driver Stereotype: Gas guzzling, global warming douche

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: While driving on the polar ice caps, many Hummers have fallen into the sea due to the rapidly melting ice, effectively causing a global climate change and heavily padding Al Gore's pockets.

7. BMW M5
Price: $85,500
Cost To Insure: $2,020
Curb Weight: 4012 lbs
Engine Displacement: 5.0 liter V10
HP: 500
TQ: 383
Top Speed: 155

Driver Stereotype: Bigger prick than M3 owner, but can afford to be

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: A BMW M3 owners father. See M3 analysis.

6. Audi S8
Price: $96,200
Cost To Insure: $2,071
Curb Weight: 4586 lbs
Engine Displacement: 5.2 liter V10
HP: 450
TQ: 398
Top Speed: 155

Driver Stereotype: Wealthy, but not ostentatious

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Too many drivers pretend they're Jason Statham in the Trasporter films. Need we say more?

5. Mercedes G-Class
Price: $100,250
Cost To Insure: $2,088
Curb Weight: 5510 lbs
Engine Displacement: 5.5 liter V8
HP: 382
TQ: 391
Top Speed: n/a

Driver Stereotype: Urban jungle explorer / poser

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The U.S. military continues to mistake the G-Class as one with terrorist intent resulting in an overly large number of them being blown to smithereens by Homeland Security forces.

4. Ford Shelby GT500
Price: $43,125
Cost To Insure: $2,186
Curb Weight: 3920 lbs
Engine Displacement: 5.4 liter supercharged V8
HP: 500
TQ: 480
Top Speed: n/a

Driver Stereotype: Redneck with lottery money

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Rednecks + High Power = Carnage. 'Nuff said.

3. BMW M6
Price: $102,100
Cost To Insure: $2,236
Curb Weight: 3909 lbs
Engine Displacement: 5.0 liter V10
HP: 500
TQ: 383
Top Speed: 155

Driver Stereotype: Gas station owner's fake bake tanned brother

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: A BMW M5 owners brother and M3 owners uncle. See both M3 and M5 analysis.

2. Dodge Viper SRT-10
Price: $88,590
Cost To Insure: $2,446
Curb Weight: 3430 lbs
Engine Displacement: 8.4 liter V10
HP: 600
TQ: 560
Top Speed: 200

Driver Stereotype: Compensation for the little things in life

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: When the women that get picked up in Vipers realize the owners "shortcomings" they've been known to swiftly and violently act out their revenge, usually with buckets of paint to the interior and a bouquet of keys to the exterior.

1. Nissan GT-R
Price: $79,090
Cost To Insure: $2,533
Curb Weight: 3814 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.8 liter turbo V6
HP: 480
TQ: 430
Top Speed: 193

Driver Stereotype: Gran Turismo-playing, web 2.0, dot com'er

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Massive damage and the loss of hundreds of GT-Rs have occurred when owners realized they could not in fact ride the walls around turns, drive through other cars or reset the game.

The annual nationwide study of 1.7 million vehicles receiving traffic code violations by ISO Quality Planning in California, reveals Hummer H2s and H3s sit atop the list of most ticketed vehicles. Below, the full list of the top ten most and least ticketed vehicles.

Here's the San Francisco-based company's methodology:

Traffic code violations data for a one-year period from 2007 and 2008 were used for the study. Vehicles that were discontinued for more than 10 years were not included in the analysis. Violations were standardized based on the number of violations per 100,000 miles driven for each model. That standardization accounts for the differences in average annual miles driven by different models. Each vehicle model’s violation count per 100,000 miles was compared with the average across all the models to identify the 10 models with the highest and lowest violations, as compared to the average. For example, Hummer drivers were 4.63 times more likely to get a ticket, as compared to the average.

The study found these are the ten most ticketed vehicles, in order from most ticketed to least along with the percentage above the average:
Oh Hummer, why must you consume our pocketbooks? We love you when you run over things, play in the water or transform into a mysterious quasi-governmental robot. With the price of gas coming down, things between us have been more livable, but we still can't afford your ravenous addiction to gasoline. Maybe this is why GM is trying to off you.

Now for the other side of the ticketing coin. The ten least ticketed vehicles in the country, this time from least ticketed to most, along with the percentages less they receive tickets from the average are:

Buicks, Olds and big Chevys? Shocker. An interesting side note: Chevy Tahoes and Hummer H2s are basically the same vehicle mechanically — why the huge difference? Our guess may be it has something to do with the mind-set of the people who drive them. Remember, sometimes stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason — at least when it comes to the type of people who purchase certain vehicles.

[Newsday via Motive Forums, ISO Quality Planning]

Photo Credit: Flickr

This baby was spotted during our holiday travels somewhere in northern Indiana, so we're hoping the owner of this bad boy is actually a factory worker (or was) at the Hummer plant. If not there's something not quite right with this person.

Also, thanks to the fanboys at FinalGear, this map shows roughly what the Australian track looks like from a bird's eye satellite view. It seems to us like a pretty tight course, with some sections looking quite narrow, so it'll be interesting to see how real-world supercars like the RHD Ford GT fare.

According to the folks that sent us this set of pictures, boaters were enjoying the nice weather at Sylvan Lake in Alberta, Canada when a dad and his teenage daughter pulled up in their new boat and new Hummer. After dropping the boat into the water successfully, the dad reportedly yelled for her to pull the SUV out of the water. This is where a textbook launch goes wrong. Instead of selecting that "D" the teenager selected the "R" and the Hummer went rolling into the water. No one was hurt but, obviously, the new Hummer is a bit soggy and Dad was not pleased. (Thanks to Thomas for the pics)

"Perhaps the best deal for GM would be to procure smaller Chinese SUV’s and turn the Hummer brand into an economical SUV brand."

Now there's a moneymaking idea for the General: Build smaller, more fuel efficient and totally unsafe SUVs! [China Car Times]

Sergey Babichenko, a representative of Russian Machines' parent company, wrote to ABC News, explaining, "Mr. Deripaska is a respected member of society, a leading Russian businessman, a philanthropist and an outspoken champion on vital global issues of sustainable development and climate change." That last part's what has us worried: We fear that Deripaska may not be aware of the scope of the environmental backlash Hummer has faced in the States. Then again, if Rick Wagoner had just stuffed naysayers into the trunk of a limo and taken them for a "little ride," perhaps Hummer sales wouldn't be down by 60% this year. [ABC News]

The incentive bonuses are not insignificant: Automotive News quoted Miami Hummer dealer Ed Williamson as saying they could "be substantial," often in the six-figures. Williamson would know: He happens to own the highest-volume Hummer store in the country, Williamson Cadillac-Hummer. So how many of the beasts did the hottest location move in June? Thirty-one, or about one per day. That's compared to about 100 a month during 2007.

Jalopnik Snap Judgment: Sales dropping due to a "loser" image? Irrelevant products? A parent company that's given up hope? It's DeSoto, Studebaker and Oldsmobile all over again. Take a picture of yourself next to an H2 soon: One day your kids will say "I can't believe people used to drive things like that!" [Automotive News (Sub. Req.); Photo Credit: A1 Limobus]

The Standard Taxi would be the first purpose-built taxi since the Checker Marathon, and the design offers some advantageous features. The strange-looking vehicle has easily replaceable body panels for simple maintenance in the urban environment. The low-floor configuration means it'll take wheelchairs and scooters, so the cab should also see use as a paratransit vehicle. And, most importantly, the cab can hold four passengers as well as an heiress-level of luggage. Expect a new, less awkward design for the production version.

Newsletter Announcement

We are very proud to announce that we have teamed up with AM General LLC to build our vehicles. AM General® is located in South Bend, Indiana, where it has manufactured the HUMVEE® (High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle) for the military since 1985. AM General's product heritage includes the venerable HUMMER® H1 and they currently assemble the HUMMER H2 which is marketed by General Motors Corporation. Our vehicle production is scheduled to begin in 2009.

Quality and Performance! Our groundbreaking agreement with AM General will benefit owners, operators, drivers, and the riding public. We looked at several manufacturing possibilities over the past year and we chose AM General because of its excellence in building vehicles and its vast experience in procuring parts and vehicle components, engineering and validation processes, service parts logistics, maintenance planning, warranty service and administration, and launch of production vehicles. More details to come in our next VPG newsletter!

[VPG Autos via Hummer Guy]

If you recall, Ratchet from the first Transformers was a tweaked Hummer H2. Could Ratchet be getting a upgrade? Or will the Hummer H3 serve as a completely new Transformer? GM might just using the black H3s because it doesn't have enough spare Hummer HX concepts for a measly movie expo. Only time will tell.

Maybe that "strategic review" of the Hummer brand meant just dumping all of the Hummer eggs into the Transformers basket. [TFW2005]

Countries raking in huge oil profits are would be the most likely destination for Hummer. Markets in Russia and Latin America continue to demand large SUVs, while China and India are potential suitors as well. At least one analyst speculated about Hummer as a logical fit for Tata Motors. "It would be a great fit with Land Rover," said Rajesh Kothari, a partner with investment banker Seneca Partners LLC and Manchester Holdings. "Hummer is a similar product line; it has similar demographics but a different reach." While the combination of Tatas and a Hummer make perfect sense to us, a spokesperson from the Indian automaker declined to comment.
[Freep; Photo Credit: GraniteGrok.com]

Most of Phelan's arguments center around the drawbacks of shutting Hummer down. Thing is, shuttering the brand has always seemed the least-likely scenario. Instead, GM would be better off selling the brand to an outside investor or automaker who could then supply Hummer products to the markets that demanded them — including the U.S., should they choose to do so. Hummer dealers would mostly remain intact, owners would retain parts and service availability, and the General could post a nice chunk of cash to its books while ridding itself of a brand liability and excess manufacturing capacity. What's not to like here?