China 'to block' Hummer takeover

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

A Chinese firm's bid to buy the gas-guzzling Hummer car brand will be blocked on environmental grounds, according to Chinese state radio.

Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery emerged as the surprise buyer for the brand earlier this year.

But China National Radio said Hummer is at odds with the country's planning agency's attempts to decrease pollution from Chinese manufacturers.

The acquisition from General Motors would need Chinese regulatory approval.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8120231.stm

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additional link here : http://www.marketwatch.com/story/china-moves-to-block-hummer-sale

[Eric J in MN]

1. Now China has surpassed us on environmental regulations? NT

NT

[lurky]

5. Their auto emissions have been stricter than ours since 2000.

Kind of annoying, huh?

[Eric J in MN]

6. Yes. The US should lead the world in our environmental regulations. NT

NT

[Auggie]

2. Do we really a need Hummer in our lives, except

perhaps for use by the military? Yeah, it's bad news for GM. But kill the damn thing already. At least the consumer division.

[lefthandedlefty]

26. I heard the military is phasing them out also

Navistar is building the MRAP hopefully to replace it.Since they are using Hum Vees everyday they tend to break down a lot afterall they do use the 6.5 litre GM diesel and 4L60E transmission around here most consider them to be boat anchors.

[fascisthunter]

3. the Hummer should be banned globally

what a monstrosity, what a waste...

[Mopar151]

7. The sky is falling, we're all doomed

Look, an H1 is an amazing off-road/tactical vehicle. The thing is, not many people NEED one - they just WANT one, cuz it fits their self-image.

H2's and H3's are just aggressively styled SUV's - like a Land Rover Defender, an MB Gandlefwagen, or a lifted Suburban. Pretty f'n dumb to fetch a 6-pak with, IMHO - but those who have to have one will find something even dumber to drive if they can't get their first choice.

[fascisthunter]

8. I agree with all you you just stated

the vehicle has had a purpose, just not as a vehicle for civilians... it's ridiculous when you see some bobble-headed blonde, or a cheezy self-indulged meathead ceo riding around in one...

[blue_onyx]

9. Nobody needs one....

but are we going to ban all unnecessary vehicles? Most people don't need huge SUVs but buy them anyway. I don't like Hummer vehicles either and agree that they are unnecessary but banning them seems to go a little far.

[fascisthunter]

11. I didn't suggest banning all unnecessary vehicles

most of them are unnecessary depending on your point of view. However a huge polluter that places all others on the road in danger? So yes, absolutely... regulating what vehicles can be sold to the public is fine with me as long as it is reasonable. In this case, banning a Hummer from the consumer market would be progress.

[blue_onyx]

15. Why are Hummers dangerous?

There are other vehicles that are just as big and get a similar MPG. The Hummer H3 gets 13 city and 16 highway, the same as the Toyota Sequoia. Should the Toyota Sequoia be banned too?

[fascisthunter]

17. yes... actually it should be banned too

it's time people start taking Global Warming serious... any excessive unnecessary gas guzzling over-polluting vehicle should be banned from the consumer market.

[Lagomorph]

36. We don't go awaywhere without..

...hauling something with us. Unless we need to drop off or pickup something, we just don't travel much. We don't consider the luxury of roominess a necessity.

Even so, we have a AWD Subaru that get's 25+ mpg. I don't think we could justify a fair weather microcar, given our winters and hill climbing needs, but there's no reason to spend a lot of money on personal space and satisfying our egos. I'd love to see a hybrid version of the Forester.

[Mopar151]

33. This isn't a Hummer

But it's even dumber too drive this to Starbucks


I think Leno has one of these


These do have a purpose.. Tow a huge camper, or 2 dragsters, or a big (BIG!) boat, or a cool toybox like this


A giant waste, you say? All depends on how you play it, and using the right tool for the job at hand.

[saigon68]

20. bobble-headed blonde??? No Bottle headed blonde

A little bleach apparently goes a long way

[fascisthunter]

21. hahahaha...lol

[Mopar151]

32. We had a governor...

Drove his own Humma to work. Got arrested for illegal shoreline fill while he was gov. (Craig Benson)

[bahrbearian]

23. I drive these for my off -road/tactical adventures.

The don't seem to mess with the evironment too much.

[boppers]

39. I'm pretty sure there's carbon in your footprint.

:evilgrin:

[NickB79]

27. Amazing offroad/tactical vehicle? Say what?

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Hummer-vs-Jeep_30138.htm

That Hummer gets owned by the Jeep all day long.

As for being "tactical", the H1 is not even close to the true military vehicle the military uses, and even the military Hummer is widely criticized for less than stellar performance in the field.

I think the word you're looking for is "tacticool", ie it only looks tactical as a fabricated image.

[Mopar151]

31. Details, please

How does the original military differ from a civilian H-1? AFIK, both have drop gearboxes at all 4 wheels, long travel, 4-wheel independent suspension, true torque split AWD, tire pressure on-the-fly, diesel engine...
The easy way to tell? A "real" Humvee can drive over 2 milk crates stacked, a fake can't make it over 1, because the rear diff hits.

The video "proves" NOTHING. Most of the jeeps shown are as "stock" as a NASCAR Toyota, and all the big fail Hummers shown are fakie H-2's. And the "rocky trail"? I was taught how to drive over that stuff in a Volkswagen Bug or a 2wd pickup, just to get to the party! (its a New England thing...) - Really, the only reason the H-1 hung up was that it was deliberately driven over the largest available rock to do so!

As far as military performance - a lot of that has to do with the weight of retrofit armor and climate control. And the vehicle it replaced (M-38 "Mutt", mfg. by Ford)had such vicious road manners that they were never sold as whole vehicles at surplus!

[jmowreader]

35. Now THERE is a fair and balanced video

That Jeep shit? I could do that all (and HAVE) in an old army deuce and a half.

[MercutioATC]

10. Ban it? By what set of criteria?

Solely because of fuel economy?

If that's the case, you're going to have to ban a lot more than Hummers.

Hummer also makes two models, the H2 and the H3. The H3 gets 14mpg city/ 18mpg highway....the same or better than other high-end luxury sedans and SUVs.

So, I ask you...below what mileage should we start banning cars?

[bahrbearian]

24. 30 MPG EOM

[MercutioATC]

25. You've just banned 80% of the vehicles on the road.

That said, somebody who drives a 15mpg truck ten miles a day consumes less than somebody who drives one of your 30mpg cars 25 miles a day. Are you prepared to also ban "excessive" travel?

Power generation is a large consumer of fossil fuels. Do you plan to ban homes that use too much power?


I'm ok with a gas guzzler tax. I'm ok with the fact that people who consume more pay more.

...but this "banning" thing is just silly...especially setting the floor at 30mpg.

[KakistocracyHater]

38. can't pass the smog test?

flunked out at the mpg test? Life's tough all over, can't imagine outlawing stuff...

[Devil_Fish]

30. +1...... 30mpg should be the bottom.

I agree. we have had the tech for years to make a vehicle that gets 50-100MPG. Anything that gets less then 30 mpg shouldn't be manufactured. The car I drive gets 20 mpg. I bought it used. it was made in 88. they could have made it get 30 with the addition of a turbo charger, but gas was cheep back then. this is about what we should build now.

[Romulox]

12. Long live the Toyota Land Cruiser and Nissan Armada!

[RaleighNCDUer]

14. Don't need to ban them - just raise the CAFE standards.

If somebody can make a Hummer that gets 50 MPG, more power to em.

[fascisthunter]

18. if they could do that, I'd be all for it

[Regret My New Name]

29. Aren't the newers ones like any other SUV?

There are legitimate reasons for having pickups or SUVs.

[tomm2thumbs]

4. I R O N Y

[Romulox]

13. WTO lawsuit time! That's what China does when it doesn't like our safety regs. nt

[cindyperry]

16. Well good for them

those things are an environmental disaster and the company should not be allowed to sell them.

[meow2u3]

19. China's doing something right for a change

Why not create a hybrid Hummer? It would hold some 10 Shaolin monks and get 25 mpg in the process :silly:

[oldnslo]

22. They'll beat that by putting Harley V-twin engines in them.....

[Vidar]

28. Good for them.

[rocktivity]

34. Saw a Hummer stretch limo the other day.

I wonder how many INCHES it gets to the gallon.

:eyes:
rocktivity

[fascisthunter]

37. ask the oil companies... I'm sure they know