Hummer goes downscale a little with H3 model
The aim in designing the Hummer H3 was to make sure it had the unmistakable ''You talking to me, buddy?'' style and attitude of its H1 and H2 siblings, but on a footprint that makes a lot more sense in the real world.
And General Motors seems to have pulled it off, since in photos the new model looks like it might be a refined new version of the H2, when in reality it's a lot smaller and a lot more accessible, which is marketing-speak for ''less expensive.'' The only question is will the H3 have the same impact without the ominous, hulking size of the first two models?
That remains to be seen, but Susan Docherty, the Canadian who is now the marketing general manager for Hummer worldwide, says that when the H3 arrives at dealers in the spring of 2005 it will certainly ''establish an extraordinary new presence in the previously ordinary world of mid-size SUVs.''
Hard to argue that with Docherty, who had various jobs with GM in Oshawa before moving to GM of Europe and then to Detroit, where she had direct marketing responsibility for the wildly successful Cadillac Escalade lineup before moving on to her current job.
Hummers in general are among the most striking vehicles on the road, and in the mid-size SUV segment the H3 looks like a commando standing next to a bunch of accountants dressed for fishing or, in the case of the Toyota 4Runner and Nissan Pathfinder, like accountants dressed for eating sushi.
Because Hummer was able to keep the correct angles and proportions, the H3 looks like the H2 but is actually 439 mm shorter in length, 152 mm shorter in height, and 165 mm narrower. That means a length of 4742 mm on a wheelbase of 2842 mm, a width of 2170.5 mm and a height of 1893 mm.
Docherty says that gives it a size that's ''roughly'' the size of a mid-size sedan, and that's roughly right, though at 2132 kg the H3 will be heavier than a mid-size sedan.
Being smaller and lighter should help with the fuel economy issue, which is a big, big problem for people who buy the H2 with its big V8.
In the H3, power will come from the Vortec 3500, which is a 3.5-litre inline-five that develops 220 hp at 5600 rpm and 225 lb-ft of torque at 2800 rpm.
That doesn't sound like much for that big of a vehicle, but it will deliver more reasonable fuel economy and, Docherty promises, match the V8-powered H2 in most driving conditions, which is often laggardly when called on for some jump.
But it looks stylish no matter how slow it's going, and costs the owner less to look cool, so it shouldn't be a problem.
H3 will be available with a five-speed manual transmission as the base shifter, and owners can pay more for a four-speed automatic that Docherty says ''includes shift modes specific to low-range operation, which, combined with speed-based throttle progressions, help optimize driveability in low-range, off-highway operation.''
The H3 also has a standard new Borg-Warner two-speed electrically controlled full-time four-wheel-drive system with a 2.64:1 ratio low-range gear reduction for highly controlled off-road obstacle climbing. An optional version provides aggressive low range gearing a 4.03:1 ratio for ultimate obstacle-climbing control.
For the vast majority of buyers who wouldn't dream of taking the H3 off-road, that means it has the chops to fool the impressionable into thinking you're more adventurous than you really are.
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And General Motors seems to have pulled it off, since in photos the new model looks like it might be a refined new version of the H2, when in reality it's a lot smaller and a lot more accessible, which is marketing-speak for ''less expensive.'' The only question is will the H3 have the same impact without the ominous, hulking size of the first two models?
That remains to be seen, but Susan Docherty, the Canadian who is now the marketing general manager for Hummer worldwide, says that when the H3 arrives at dealers in the spring of 2005 it will certainly ''establish an extraordinary new presence in the previously ordinary world of mid-size SUVs.''
Hard to argue that with Docherty, who had various jobs with GM in Oshawa before moving to GM of Europe and then to Detroit, where she had direct marketing responsibility for the wildly successful Cadillac Escalade lineup before moving on to her current job.
Hummers in general are among the most striking vehicles on the road, and in the mid-size SUV segment the H3 looks like a commando standing next to a bunch of accountants dressed for fishing or, in the case of the Toyota 4Runner and Nissan Pathfinder, like accountants dressed for eating sushi.
Because Hummer was able to keep the correct angles and proportions, the H3 looks like the H2 but is actually 439 mm shorter in length, 152 mm shorter in height, and 165 mm narrower. That means a length of 4742 mm on a wheelbase of 2842 mm, a width of 2170.5 mm and a height of 1893 mm.
Docherty says that gives it a size that's ''roughly'' the size of a mid-size sedan, and that's roughly right, though at 2132 kg the H3 will be heavier than a mid-size sedan.
Being smaller and lighter should help with the fuel economy issue, which is a big, big problem for people who buy the H2 with its big V8.
In the H3, power will come from the Vortec 3500, which is a 3.5-litre inline-five that develops 220 hp at 5600 rpm and 225 lb-ft of torque at 2800 rpm.
That doesn't sound like much for that big of a vehicle, but it will deliver more reasonable fuel economy and, Docherty promises, match the V8-powered H2 in most driving conditions, which is often laggardly when called on for some jump.
But it looks stylish no matter how slow it's going, and costs the owner less to look cool, so it shouldn't be a problem.
H3 will be available with a five-speed manual transmission as the base shifter, and owners can pay more for a four-speed automatic that Docherty says ''includes shift modes specific to low-range operation, which, combined with speed-based throttle progressions, help optimize driveability in low-range, off-highway operation.''
The H3 also has a standard new Borg-Warner two-speed electrically controlled full-time four-wheel-drive system with a 2.64:1 ratio low-range gear reduction for highly controlled off-road obstacle climbing. An optional version provides aggressive low range gearing a 4.03:1 ratio for ultimate obstacle-climbing control.
For the vast majority of buyers who wouldn't dream of taking the H3 off-road, that means it has the chops to fool the impressionable into thinking you're more adventurous than you really are.