Let's face it: Hummer's seen better days. Emblematic of a lot of things that fewer and fewer people are keen to endorse (conspicuous consumption, fuel-inefficiency, militarism), Hummer has seen its sales decline precipitously in recent months (as of November, sales are down 30.5 percent from a year ago). Even the Schwarzeneggers and music-video directors of the world seem to have ditched their H2s for vehicles with a bit less baggage. So what's to become of GM's niche brand? Is it fated to go the way of Oldsmobile and Geo? Well, not necessarily. The company has taken the unusual step of enlisting the aid of three young designers — David Rojas, Min Young Kang, and Robert Jablonski — all fresh from Detroit's famed College for Creative Studies. The fruit of their labors, which is set to debut at January's North American International Auto Show, is called the HX Concept. And as far as we can tell, it looks awfully good. GM calls the HX "fun, nimble, and innovative" (three things the current Hummer range surely isn't). The truck takes its inspiration not from the battlefield, but instead from the somewhat less deadly sport of motocross (the director of the Hummer design studio, Carl Zipfel, is a former professional motocross racer). With huge knobby tires and a Baja-esque slant-back shape, the HX plays up Hummer's go-anywhere reputation in a kind of Toyota FJ Cruiser-meets-Jeep Wrangler way. It features removable roof panels, doors, and fender flares. It's also E85-capable. Is it compelling enough to haul the Hummer brand back from the brink? Probably not, unless GM reconsiders its notions of success and branding. How about we lose the colossal Hummer-only dealerships and expectations of six-digit annual sales? Let's pare the brand back to one or two really special models (the HX will fit the bill nicely), badged as Hummers and sold and serviced through GMC dealerships? The investment in the Hummer name is made, and despite its current precarious position, the concept of a premium off-roader remains potential-rich (the popularity of the FJ and the Wrangler — not to mention the Land Rover LR3 and the Mercedes-Benz G500 — demonstrate that). If GM can go outside the box on the creative side, maybe it's time to do the same on the business side.
