Hummer H3 humming soon

Soaring fuel prices won't stop a Hummer assault on Australia. GM Holden is pushing on with a plan to launch the American four-wheel-drive brand here next year.

Company insiders have told CARSguide that Hummer's smallest model, the H3, will be the first sold, with a starting price of about $60,000. Holden won't comment publicly on its Hummer plans.

The H3 trucks are likely to go on sale midway through next year, though a final date is yet to be set.

Holden insiders are confident the company will be able to sell the H3 here despite concerns about fuel consumption, saying there is still demand for 4WDs.

The H3 hit United States showrooms late last year and accounts for about 75 per cent of Hummer sales.

General Motors will start cranking up production of right-hand-drive export versions in its South African plant late this year.

The H3 is roughly the same size as a Ford Territory, though 114mm shorter.

It is not light, weighing 2131kg, which is slightly more than the Territory, but much less than the hulking 3680kg H1.

Some of the H3's components are shared with the US Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pick-up trucks sold in the US. This is also the case with the engine, with the H3 running an in-line five-cylinder petrol unit.

The 20-valve 3.5-litre engine generates 164kW at 5600 revs and 305Nm at 2800 revs.

Customers can choose from a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission, linked to an electronically controlled 4WD system.

In the US, electronic stability control is an optional extra, as are side curtain airbags.

GM launched the H3 as sales of its military-style H1 and slightly smaller H2 start to fall.

Those two models had been copping flak from environmentalists lobbying GM to stop promoting such extreme gas-guzzling trucks.

GM has just wound up production of the road-going H1, which was boosted by its role in the 1991 Desert Storm campaign.

It still produces the H2 model, but it is unclear whether it will be brought to Australia.

The H3 is much less controversial and less thirsty that its big brothers.

There are no fuel consumption figures available for the H3 that can be compared with Australian figures as the US tests are different.

US test results show the H3 using about 15 litres over 100km in the city and 12 litres/100km on the highway.

The H3 has been described as the most road-friendly Hummer yet, though that is not much of a compliment.

US writers who have driven it say it is quite capable off-road.

It might be less extreme than previous Hummers, but GM designers have made sure it looks like a Hummer.

It has the same square style, thin rectangular grille, flared wheel arches and a full-size spare wheel bolted to the tailgate.