No more new H1s

[PARAGON]

DETROIT - If you want a big Hummer, you?d better get it now.
The 2006 model year will be the last for the H-1, the hulking, gas-guzzling status symbol that has attracted celebrities and off-road enthusiasts but has drawn the ire of environmentalists.
General Motors says it will no longer make the H-1, based on the military?s Humvee. It?s the foundation for the automaker?s Hummer brand, but GM expects it will build the last one next month.
The H-1 has attracted well-heeled drivers looking for a military-style vehicle with an intimidating stance. For the 2006 model year, the H-1 was offered as a high-performance H-1 Alpha that costs between $130,000 and $140,000.
Hummer general manager Martin Walsh says Hummer plans to focus on models with broader appeal instead of the niche-market H-1.
Since taking over the Hummer name in 2000, GM has introduced the still-hefty H-2 and a midsize H-2 sport utility vehicle.

[PARAGON]

I'm wondering since AM General has some big contracts to keep producing HMMWVs for a few more years, they might produce a Humvee for the civi market in some form.

We are testing vehicles based on the G-wagon right now, to replace the HMMVWVs.

[HoKC]

• To ALL HUMMER DEALERS:
  
  This communication is a follow-up to today's IDL broadcast announcing the discontinuation of the H1 Alpha. Please refer questions to Jeff Edwards, HUMMER sales director, at 313-665-0230. Inquiries from the news media should be sent to Dayna Hart, HUMMER Communications manager at 313-665-7718 or dayna.hart@gm.com. Thank you.
  
  HUMMER H1 Alpha is its official name, but in 1992 when the HUMMER brand was born and first went on sale to the public, it was simply known as "the HUMMER." Now, fourteen years and nearly 12,000 sales later, the model will cease production at the end of the 2006 model year.
  
  While the H1 was the foundation for the brand, the HUMMER sales continue to grow exponentially around the globe with the introduction of new models, like the H3. Rather than continuing to invest in the exotic, niche-market H1, HUMMER will dedicate its engineering, manufacturing, marketing and dealer resources to bringing more new or significantly revised models to market. AM General, the creator and manufacturer of the HUMMER H1, will focus all of its research and development efforts on continuing to make the finest light tactical vehicles in the world available to the U.S. Armed Forces.Due to the H1's extreme capability and durability, it helped establish the heritage and extreme off-road credentials consumers associate with the HUMMER brand and H2 and H3 today. Since H1 has an unusually long lifespan (typically up to 15 years), HUMMER owners can continue to depend on HUMMER dealerships to provide warranty repairs, parts and service for their vehicle for many years to come. AM General's military HUMVEE will continue to represent the brand's extremely capable DNA.
  
  AM General, maker of the H1 Alpha, has been converting its assembly lines from retail H1 Alpha production to production of HUMVEE models, which are in high demand by the U.S. Military. AM General and HUMMER/General Motors will continue to work closely together to produce the HUMMER H2, which is manufactured in AMG's Mishawaka, Indiana facility.
  
  History of the model: in 1992 an unprecedented window of opportunity opened, when
  production levels of the military HUMVEE decreased. This enabled AM General, using the same assembly line, to build a retail-version of the military HUMVEE, which was sold as the "HUMMER" model. The model name was changed to HUMMER H1 in 2000, after General Motors purchased the marketing rights to the HUMMER name. It became the H1 Alpha in the 2006 model year, and included an improved Duramax 6600 diesel engine, enhanced off-road capability, and improved fuel efficiency and driving comfort on the road.
  
  
  
  Martin Walsh
  HUMMER General Manager

[f5fstop]

Sad day at GM for many of us....

[NEOCON1]

i couldant believe it when i heard it what will be the new hummer flagship ?

[got toyota?]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/12/hummer.ap/index.html

[DRTYFN]

Now they can put the extra Duramax engines in the H2.

[f5fstop]

[PARAGON]

Originally Posted by NEOCON1

i couldant believe it when i heard it what will be the new hummer flagship ?

Obviously the H2 becomes the lead vehicle for the brand.

Now, the whole "real Hummer" argument will become moot. Since the H1 will no longer be made, it will no longer be a Hummer, oddly enough. I wonder what they are saying over on the slow site.

[ckhagman]

It is funny how Martin says AM General created the brand but the news media says GM created the brand. Doesn't matter the media will never get facts 100% right.

Nice MPG quote from AP. Nice way to bash the beast on its way out. The guy probably never drove one.

[PARAGON]

Originally Posted by ckhagman

It is funny how Martin says AM General created the brand but the news media says GM created the brand. Doesn't matter the media will never get facts 100% right.

Nice MPG quote from AP. Nice way to bash the beast on its way out. The guy probably never drove one.

What? Even CNN says that GM "took over the brand." Point to where a report has said that GM started the brand or you are worse than the people that you are bitching about.

[ckhagman]

Originally Posted by PARAGON

What? Even CNN says that GM "took over the brand." Point to where a report has said that GM started the brand or you are worse than the people that you are bitching about.

It was a newspaper article writen when the H2 came out.

[MovinH2]

I said it in the H2 Forum and I'll say it here. THIS SUCKS.

[DDWH]

Originally Posted by MovinH2

I said it in the H2 Forum and I'll say it here. THIS SUCKS.

X2!! Licks the nads!

[Aubs]

Flash off-road has an interesting bit in their "Rumors and Gossip Section":

The Hummer H1 is Dead 5/18/2006

The story gets better every day. Here's an email I received today:
I just spoke with someone who had just come out of face-to-face meetings with AMG personnel. Apparently, AMG has expected to get screwed by GM all along and has had contingency plans in place. They will continue to produce the H1, just not the Alpha. It will go back to the 6.5L TD. It may take a year or two to re-establish a dealer network and sell them, but they have sufficient fleet orders to produce 600-800 units per year right now. I'm told to expect an announcement or press release from AM General at some time in the future correcting the misinformation that has been coming out of GM.
If you carefully read the AMG press release it only says the Alpha will be discontinued.
On the other hand I also heard this from a Hummer Dealer:
I wanted to at least give some input on the recent bad news. I won't go into a lot of my personal views but most at GM and the dealer body see this as a positive thing for them.

I have talked to AM General and they have told me there will be no H1s for the US civilian market at all in the future. The problem is the EPA. Neither the current Duramax nor the 6.5 meets the '07 EPA standards. They had already discontinued the "K" series with the 6.5 a couple of months ago for this reason. The expense to certify the Duramax or the 6.5 is very high and the sales volume does not justify the expense. Roughly 636 Alphas total were ordered by dealers and this was to cover 2 sales years. There were plans for the '07 model year and at least 1 prototype has been built. Unfortunately dealer orders for the Alpha were disappointing and this is probably what tipped the scales as far as spending any more money. If there are any built in the future they will most likely only be for overseas markets or the U.S. Government (border patrol?). If there is a big enough single order, AM General may leave the door open to such units if they were not required to meet EPA standards. Other than that it looks like it is a done deal. I felt sick when I heard.

Excerpt from the AM General release:
Obviously, we cannot make a business case to put tens of millions of dollars into an all new body to sell a few hundred trucks a year. Therefore, General Motors and AM General, together, have made the decision that now is the time to discontinue production of the H1 Alpha series. So effective with the conclusion of the 2006 production run, which will be sometime this June, production will cease on that wonderful vehicle.

So, is this just reading into the semantics? Personally, since the Duramax is only in the ALPHA models, it's probably been a horrible waste of money for AM General since the rest of fleet production is the 6.5 turbo. I think the EPA thing might be an issue, but I doubt it's that expensive to correct (every other automaker is doing it). And the special interiors have probably been expensive without any real return. And really, do you need an Allision tranny, and some of these other improvements? I think the lockers, and HD steering gear are probably the two most important upgrades since 2003, and I'm guessing maybe the new intercooler and fan assembly and half-shafts. So the in theory less expensive items probably were added out of true off-road improvement, and the engine, tranny, and interior for mass-market sales. Which, ironically, backfired.

What do you think?

[MrAgent007]

Hello Everyone. Just purchased a new 2006 H1 Alpha Wagon. This is by far the perfect Hummer. Anyways, A M General is telling everyone for the record that there will be no more new H1 production with the Duramax/Allison. What they are not saying is that the H1 will be brought back into production with the same drive train set-up prior to the Duramax in (2) years. Someone is trying to save face regarding adding the Duramax/Allison with the much higher selling price that resulted in a major decrease in sales. The old H1 with the 6500 Optimizer will be back in either 08 or 09 with a sale price much lower than the Alpha. Please be patient, the Optimizer equipped H1 is coming back!

[partsguy]

Please tell me you didn't buy a black one! Talk about dirt and dust everywhere!!
Congrats

But next time I drive by you,you better wave!!!or I'll think mean things about you!!

[Beastmaster]

Really? And how will they pass Tier 2 Bin 5 Emission standards with the Optimzer 6500? It couldn't pass it now.

Congrats on the Alpha! You'll enjoy it, but I find it very unlikely that the current engine variants will pass the 2010 engine specifications that will be in force. 50% of all engines by 2008 must conform to the stricter ULEV-II emission standards that Tier 2 Bin 5 requires, and that includes the big rigs as well.

-Steve

Originally Posted by MrAgent007

Hello Everyone. Just purchased a new 2006 H1 Alpha Wagon. This is by far the perfect Hummer. Anyways, A M General is telling everyone for the record that there will be no more new H1 production with the Duramax/Allison. What they are not saying is that the H1 will be brought back into production with the same drive train set-up prior to the Duramax in (2) years. Someone is trying to save face regarding adding the Duramax/Allison with the much higher selling price that resulted in a major decrease in sales. The old H1 with the 6500 Optimizer will be back in either 08 or 09 with a sale price much lower than the Alpha. Please be patient, the Optimizer equipped H1 is coming back!

[PARAGON]

Originally Posted by Beastmaster

Really? And how will they pass Tier 2 Bin 5 Emission standards with the Optimzer 6500? It couldn't pass it now.

Congrats on the Alpha! You'll enjoy it, but I find it very unlikely that the current engine variants will pass the 2010 engine specifications that will be in force. 50% of all engines by 2008 must conform to the stricter ULEV-II emission standards that Tier 2 Bin 5 requires, and that includes the big rigs as well.

-Steve

ArvinMeritor to supply ActiveClean to GEP

Jun 1, 2006 12:00 PM


ArvinMeritor and General Engine Products (GEP), a solely owned subsidiary of AM General, jointly announced an agreement under which ArvinMeritor will supply its ActiveClean atomizer technology, as part of the emissions control aftertreatment system for GEP's 2007 Optimizer 6500 V8 TurboDiesel engine line. The aftertreatment system will help the Optimizer engines meet United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) engine emissions regulations that go into effect in 2007.

?ArvinMeritor's atomizer product provides uniform disbursement of diesel fuel into the exhaust stream at the optimal particle size, so that the fuel can provide efficient regeneration of a diesel particulate filter and/or a lean NOx trap,? said Silvio Angori, general manager of ArvinMeritor's Commercial Vehicle Emissions business.

The atomizer is part of a system of aftertreatment components that process diesel engine exhaust to enable engines to meet 2007 EPA emissions regulations. GEP will also use exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), oxidation catalysts, particulate filters, and nitrogen oxide traps to meet the new emissions standards.

[EXH1X5]

Originally Posted by MrAgent007

Hello Everyone. Just purchased a new 2006 H1 Alpha Wagon. This is by far the perfect Hummer. Anyways, A M General is telling everyone for the record that there will be no more new H1 production with the Duramax/Allison. What they are not saying is that the H1 will be brought back into production with the same drive train set-up prior to the Duramax in (2) years. Someone is trying to save face regarding adding the Duramax/Allison with the much higher selling price that resulted in a major decrease in sales. The old H1 with the 6500 Optimizer will be back in either 08 or 09 with a sale price much lower than the Alpha. Please be patient, the Optimizer equipped H1 is coming back!

Congrats on your NEW GENUINE HUMMER!!!


Hope no one gets the impression new non-Alpha Genuine HUMMERs will become available to the "GENERAL PUBLIC" in the future.

Most anytime AMG gets orders totaling 600 or more of ANYTHING, they will likely build it!!! Their "nitch-market" has always been going after things that are too SMALL to interest the BIG companies and too BIG for SMALLER companies to handle!