Hummer debuts at $51,990; joins Saab in GM Premium Channel

Hummer is now officially in Australia. Although limited numbers of the behemoths have variously been privately imported and the subject of low volume compliance schemes, the brand is now on sale in its own right, via selected Holden and Saab dealers.

Pricing for the conventionally-dimensioned, South African built Hummer H3 range was announced by GM Holden boss Denny Mooney at the Brisbane Motor Show on Friday. The vehicle officially went on sale on Friday too.

Australia will get a three-model Hummer range comprising: the 'H3', which will retail from $51,990; the 'H3 Adventure', priced from $57,990; and 'H3 Luxury' at $59,990.

First deliveries of the uniquely-styled off-roaders are expected in July.

The three variants are powered by the same naturally-aspirated, fuel-injected DOHC five-cylinder 3.7-litre petrol engine coupled to five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmissions (depending on the model). The engine develops peak power of 180kW at 5600rpm and peak torque of 328Nm at 4600rpm.

Holden says the ADR combine fuel economy for the 2198-2303kg (manual H3 v auto H3 Adventure) five-door wagon is 13.7lt/100 km in manual form, saying this is "comparable to similar mid-size SUVs."

By way of comparison Ford's 190kW auto-only all-wheel drive Territory registers 12.8lt/100km while Toyota's 170kW V8-engined petrol LandCruiser 100 is claimed to return 16.1lt/100km.

According to Holden, the Hummer range will feature a suite of "standard active safety features." These include 'StabiliTrak' stability enhancement system, traction control and ABS. Passive safety equipment across the range includes dual front airbags (with passenger sensing system) and roof rail mounted side curtain bags.

The standard manual-trannie H3 gets cruise control, power windows, 16-inch alloys (five thereof… No poofy space savers here!), remote entry with panic alarm, single in-dash CD, cloth trim and 60/40 splitfold rear seats.

In H3 Luxury specification, the vehicle gets auto transmission as standard plus leather trim, heated eight-way power front seats, an exterior chrome package, upgraded Monsoon sound system and a glass sunroof.

The H3 Adventure is available in manual and is the serious offroader of the range. It boasts the same features as the H3 Luxury (save for the sunroof) but adds an electronic locking rear differential, off-road suspension package and a two-speed transfer case with a low range ratio of 4.03:1. (The standard H3 transfer case features a low range ratio of 2.64:1.)

That said, GM Holden is making much of the Hummer range's offroad ability as a whole. According to Mooney: "Make no mistake -- the H3 has the full off-road capability to live up to the Hummer name… The H3 has been tested in some of the most extreme conditions imaginable, and most recently GM Holden engineers tested the vehicle locally and worked with GM South Africa to ensure the vehicle met the needs of our market."

GM claims the more compact size of the H3 (in comparison to the Chev Suburban-based H2 and full military-spec H1) improves the H3's maneuverability and ground clearance in off-road situations. It says in the US market, the H3 is the only vehicle in its segment that can climb a 400mm vertical wall, scale a 60 per cent grade and traverse a 40 per cent side slope. It says H3 can also ford 407mm of water at 32km/h and 610mm streams at 8km/h.

The Hummer's arrival has also prompted GM Holden to rejig its backroom operations with Mooney using the Brisbane unveiling to announce the formation of the 'GM Premium Channel'

This division will manage GM's 'premium' marques in Australia. These comprise Hummer and Saab currently, but speculation is rife that by 2008 it will also include Cadillac and, potentially, Corvette.

Saab boss Parveen Batish will head up the division, which has already appointed 20 Hummer dealers around Australia. The newly-appointed network represents a selection of existing premium Saab, Holden and combined dealerships.

All dealers will incorporate special Hummer facilities into dealerships over the next 12 months.

According to the rumour mill, it is also possible both HSV and Walkinshaw Performance could offer Hummer-related products before too long.

The first local drives of the H3 Hummer will take place closer to the vehicle's release date. Stay tuned…