Hummer News

The Cadillac CTS was revealed at the Detroit Show as GM Holden ramped-up plans that will eventually also include the Camaro Coupe and the successor to today's iconic Chevrolet Corvette.The heavyweight Hummer H3 is already set for Australia this year but the Cadillac is the pivotal car for GM Holden, dealers and company president Denny Mooney."It will be here in 2008. That doesn't mean January 1, but 18 months from now is pretty realistic," says Mooney, who has pushed the Cadillac cause almost from the day he arrived at Fishermans Bend."Price? I don't know what it is. It will be similar to today's CTS in the States. That car sells for $40,000 Aussie, but that's not what it will sell for in Australia."We don't have a final date yet, but it will be coming as soon as we can get it. We are still working out the distribution."Mooney says they are looking to have up to 24 dealers nationally and they would use the same premium strategy that GM is developing globally.Mooney says the bottom line on the CTS — which joined the Cadillac line-up in 2002 — will be more costly Down Under once shipping, exchange rates and taxes are included. It will probably be a rival for the Lexus IS and Audi A4 in the $60,000 range.There are a range of Cadillac CTS models in America, all with six-speed gearboxes, three engines and with a choice of rear and all-wheel drive.GM Holden is pushing for a 300kW V6 engine and rear-drive, as well as a full set of standard specifications."Ultimately, the V-Series performance vehicles are the ones we want," Mooney says."We won't get all-wheel-drive. I don't see what it gives you in Australia, except worse fuel economy."The Cadillac CTS was one of GM's hero cars in Detroit, after a huge makeover that included some body tweaking by Australian design ace Mike Simcoe.The car is a five-seater, which qualifies as a compact in the US, has edgy new styling and a lot of new engineering work including a revised front-suspension system and improved noise suppression.Cadillac designer Peter Lawlis, introducing the CTS and the Cadillac team that produces it, says: "Things change. A lot of thinking went into this car."We want our customers to feel rewarded for choosing a Cadillac."The CTS is part of a youth push at the American luxury brand, which has been tortured by Japanese and European rivals in recent years.The package for next year begins with a chassis that is longer and wider, the improved 3.6-litre direct-injection V6, a move to six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes and LED tail lamps.The aim is to make the car quicker and a better drive, and to improve quality and refinement.The CTS goes into production in the US about the middle of this year."I cannot wait to get it to Australia," Mooney says.

Members of the P1 performance club get the pick of some of the world's hottest and most expensive supercars, including brands such as Ferrari, Aston Martin and Lamborghini. P1 Australia director Peter Dempsey says the club has 12 cars and plans to add one new car for every extra five members."With our collection they can take any car out that suits them," he says. The cars are divided into five categories, the top one featuring the most expensive cars, such as a Ferrari F430 Spider and soon a Scaglietti, an Aston Martin DB9 Volante and Vanquish and a Lamborghini Murcielago.Other cars in the mix include a Bentley Continental GT, a Ferrari F430, Aston Martin V8 Vantage and various Porsches. The lower categories might not be quite as impressive, but they'll still turn heads. A BMW M5 and Z4 M Coupe, a Range Rover Sport and a Lotus Exige S2, add to the list.Dempsey says a Hummer H2 will be next to arrive, dressed with a leather package. He is also expecting the arrival of the Audi R8. But getting to drive your dream cars doesn't come cheap."There's a joining fee of $5000 and then there are three different levels of membership, $27,000, $32,000 or $36,500," Dempsey says.Top-end members have a possible 70 driving days a year, with the cheaper membership offering 50 days a year.The company originated in England six years ago, and was co-founded by former Formula One world champion Damon Hill.After two months of operation, the Sydney branch has 50 members. "In Sydney, we cap it at 150 members," Dempsey says. "That's a reflection of the sizeof commercial property that is available to store the cars."The founding British club has 74 cars, including a Ford GT and an Aerial Atom. But Dempsey says they haven't been able to bring these models, as the Atom isn't road legal in Australia and customs won't allow the GT in as it is a left-hand drive. "(But) we're the only ones doing it with the supercars, brand new cars," he says.And it seems that it's not just the usual suspects, the wealthy bankers, lawyers and financiers, who are getting on board.Dempsey says members come from all walks of life and include a greengrocer and a professional golfer. Doctors, dentists, solicitors and barristers are also taking up the chance to get behind the wheel of some amazing cars.The youngest member is a 22-year-old refrigeration engineer from western Sydney.The club takes care of all insurance, maintenance and storage fees and Dempsey says one of the main benefits is that members don't have to worry about huge depreciation on the vehicles."With high taxation, people understand that they're better off putting half a million dollars in an investment and getting to play the field (with) the cars," he says.And while the majority of those taking up the membership are male, Dempsey says women are also driving them as a memberships include two names as drivers."Often guys show the interest and then bring their wives on board as the second name driver," he says.The cars can be taken out for as little as a day, or it can run into months -- depending on members' wants and needs.Dempsey says the weather often forecasts what vehicles will be popular, with the convertibles a hit on the sunny weekends.A second British branch of the club opened in 2004 in Manchester.The Australian section will expand in March, when a Melbourne club is opened, with Formula One driver Mark Weber in attendance again. And Dempsey says that P1 International is also looking towards expanding into Dubai and Hong Kong.

The compact SUVs spruiked at the show all had the same message: it’s still big enough, but it drinks less at the bowser.For the first time in a while, the show itself opened not with a futuristic technological concept car, but with an old-school ex-army urban assault vehicle.As the covers dropped on Holden’s new import, the H3 Hummer, there was absolute silence from the media, the photographers, and Holden employees.It was a heavy decision indeed, to make the ‘smaller’ H3 Hummer the opening star attraction.But it set a precedent for the rest of the show.Big is not necessarily better anymore, and even the leviathan Hummer has been shrunk to a more user-friendly size. So goes it with the SUV market, entering a mid-sized makeover with several smaller, more user-friendly five and seven seat models.A different seven-seater on the Holden stand may prove slightly more popular to both media and the environmentally and socially aware buyer.The Captiva is Holden’s new foray into the SUV market, a big moneymaking niche from which it has been excluded since the demise of Jackeroo and Frontera in the early 2000s.The newly-released five-and seven-seat Captiva, which runs a 3.2-litre six and sips 11.5L/100km, is Holden’s hopeful in the battle against arch-enemy Ford and its long-running local favourite, the Territory. But the Holden will have company.Though the SUV market has taken a dive in recent times, the mid-sized market is in a revival.Three prominent new mid-sized car based SUVs were launched at the 2006 Motor Show: the Land Rover Freelander 2; Subaru Tribeca; and Mazda CX-7.The Freelander 2 stands apart from the bunch as a premium model with more focus on off-road ability.The tired first-gen model with its lacklustre engines and major handling and safety concerns is replaced with two new models running a 171kW 3.2-litre six petrol and beefy 400Nm 2.2-litre TD4 diesel.Both are connected to a six-speed auto and full-time 4X4 system, and both the exterior and interior of the new model has had a major design overhaul. It looks tough, instead of tired.Subaru has finally brought in a model for the five-plus family to gorge on.Fears of losing the brand-loyal but expanding family have brought the Tribeca to the fore, part SUV, part MPV, Tribeca is the first all-new Subaru since the Forester in 1998.While second and third row seating in the seven-seat model looked tight, and its big hamster nose is as polarising as a pair of sunnies, the equipment levels for price of the $55K and up model line, combined with the safety of AWD, six airbags and five-stars in crash testing is a sure inducement.But the buzz surrounding the Mazda CX-7 was loudest in media circles.Looking like a Mazda3 on steroids, the CX-7 is the shapely new SUV entry that will join the recently-facelifted but still ageing Tribute, and the plain old MPV models.Just like the recently-launched MX-5 Coupe, we were the first market in the world to see the right-hand drive version of the CX-7, and also will be the first to get it on the street (in mid-November).CX-7 is definitely a challenge for Ford’s Territory Turbo; it is powered by the turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder DISI engine from the Mazda Performance Series (MPS) in the 6 and 3 lineup.Slightly down on power at 175kW (compared to the sedan and hatch MPS’s 184kW) and in auto only, CX-7 should be on or under $45K for the luxury model, with a bargain basement base sitting well below the leather and BOSE specced flagship.It is five-seat only, but a proposed seven-seat CX-9 (are the numbers confusing you yet?) could be here in another one or two motor shows.Ssangyong also had a tilt at the compact SUV market with their Motor Show release of the Actyon.Dubbed a “coupe SUV”, the Actyon further demonstrated a trend for car makers to trim down the softroader end of their “4WDs”.The Actyon is driven by a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, with 104kW and 310Nm, and also comes with a 2.3-litre four with 110kW.The Actyon will also have electronic stability control and double-wishbone front suspension with a five-link rear end.Be it sporty, off-road capable, or fitting into a small parking space while fitting the basketball team in its innards, the irony still remains. In a world crammed with oversized SUVs, the mid-sized and compact market is also eyeing off a big parking spot. It is harder to argue the negatives of these more socially friendly, eco-friendly and carpark-friendly SUVs.Thank goodness for the likes of the Hummer H3.

Selected dealers have been approached to join an exclusive network that will sell the military-inspired Hummer H3 SUV, and eventually encompass Saab and US luxury marque Cadillac."It's gone beyond the discussion stage. It's been formally talked about to the dealer network," an automotive retail source said. The source said Holden had modelled its strategy for adding two new American brands on Ford's Premier Automotive Group of Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo."What they're envisaging is Holden going to do its version of PAG — Hummer being Land Rover, Saab being Volvo and Cadillac being Jaguar," the source said. "It's a lot of money to spend for dealers, but the pay-off is they'll eventually get three brands. They haven't finalised the Cadillac bit of it, but the Hummer plan is a fait accompli."The longer term intention was to integrate Saab with the Hummer and Cadillac network, the source said.The offer was only being made to selected high-volume Holden dealers or dealer groups."The volumes will be too small to spread across the Holden dealer network, so the plan is to ensure a concentrated market presence," the source said.Large Holden dealers were aware of the plan but reluctant to discuss it."It (Hummer) will be bundled in with other products — just what, we haven't been told yet," one metropolitan dealer principal said.Another city dealer principal said, "Not everybody's going to get Hummer ... I've been told it could come under Saab, HSV or Holden."Holden launched the Hummer H3 at the Australian Motor Show. It said the SUV would go on sale next year after right-hand drive production begins in South Africa, but sales and marketing director Alan Batey declined to give specifics."We're finalising the details of which distribution channel we'll use and we'll make an announcement in two months' time," he said."It's a niche. It's not going to be a mainstream segment but it's going to do well."About 1000 Hummer sales a year was the initial target with prices starting between $50,000 and $60,000, according to another Holden executive.Holden spokesman Jason Laird said the company had yet to finalise its Hummer marketing strategy and had no detailed plans for Cadillac."We're looking at all options available to us," he said. "But nothing's firmly in place when one of the brands is not confirmed for this country."If approved, Cadillac would be unlikely to arrive here before 2008, Mr Laird said. "Discussion about Cadillac would be premature, although we've made no secret of our interest in the company," he said.Cadillac is on an export push with foreign sales up by 42 per cent last year, giving the brand its best result since 1990.Cadillac launches in South Africa — another right-hand-drive market — next February.The three-model line-up consists of the Cadillac BLS, a sedan based on the Saab 9-3 for $44,000, the STS sports sedan at $70,000, and the SRX crossover at $79,000.The vehicles will be marketed together with locally made Hummers and imported Saabs by GM South Africa's newly established Premium Channel division.GM executives in Detroit are bullish about the export prospects of Hummer, which has been one of the few sales successes in the automotive giant's recent history.In Europe, where the H3 went on sale last year, the brand's sales are up more than 200 per cent. Exports could account for up to 25 per cent of the brand's 62,000 annual sales, Hummer general manager Martin Walsh last week told the Detroit News.

From baby beep-beep hatches through to luxury supercars, the millions of dollars worth of metal on display is guaranteed to thrill and delight. But there are always some that stand above the crowd. Our 10 show stars were:H3 HummerOnly a distant relative of the behemoth that raced through the Gulf in Desert Storm, but it still has the aura. The Hummer is known for its size - particularly its wide girth. However, in reality it's not much bigger than your average family SUV but - for better or worse - is designed to make you think in supersize.Ferrari 599 GTBAs slick and stylish as the Hummer is clunky. A beautiful piece of Italian design wrapped around F1 engineering. You may never own one but don't miss the chance to see it up close and personal.Audi R8With this race-bred beauty Audi steps up to the supercar plate and hits a home run. Refined over a year on the motor show circuit, the production model is one to desire.Mitsubishi TRM 380 ConceptPoints for bravery on this one. Some exterior flash, some shiny new rims and performance rubber, racing shocks and a Sprintex supercharger bolted to the 380. The result is a special that is definitely worth a look.Volvo C30What will be the baby of Volvo's fleet when it arrives in 2007 should once and for all put paid to any suggestion the Swedes can't style a car. The little coupe should be a must-have for cashed-up youngsters - and safe to boot.Saab Aero X conceptWith a nod to its aeronautical beginnings, the Saab design team has come up with an absolute cracker. The ethanol-powered performance car was named best concept at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. Bentley Continental GTCAnother from the dream end of the market. The drop-top Bentley is proof that large cars - very large cars - can still look stylish ... and there is no substitute for that special attention to detail for which Bentley is known.Suzuki SX4 WRC ConceptWith its war paint on, the car that is going to take a resurgent Suzuki back to world rallying is an absolutely awesome sight. Even better: try to imagine this corker in civvies and you will have a pretty good idea of just what a grand Swift GTi this would make.Honda Sports 4 ConceptA glimpse into Honda's future with regard to their sports lines - particularly the Accord. The four-seat coupe is both sleek and menacing.Aurion Sports ConceptClose to the TRD Aurion scheduled to be revealed as a production car in early 2007, the Aurion Sports Concept is still a front-driver. The sports concept promises a substantial lift of the base car's 200kW thanks to a force-fed engine lifting torque above 400Nm.And a couple of extras that deserve a special mention with our top 10 favourites:Mazda Kabura ConceptThose crazy Japanese. Named for the sound of a howling arrow, the Kabura is a three-seater with a token effort at a fourth behind the driver. Styling and packaging is guaranteed to turn heads but don't be too quick to dismiss it out of hand. Mazda don't do things by accident.Hyundai Arnejs ConceptKorean design has been taking giant steps and the Arnejs Concept is one of the most stylish studies to come out of the Hyundai studios. Unveiled in Paris last month, the Arnejs points clearly towards the Euro-hatch derivative of the company's new Elantra.

The General Motors-made vehicle is considered one of the largest and least fuel efficient SUVs in the world and comes at a time when vehicle sales in that segment have dropped 23.1 per cent in the year to date. But that's irrelevant to the appeal of a Hummer, which Holden says needs no explanation. "There's nothing like it anywhere in the world," a spokesman said after the announcement at the Australian International Motor Show. "What it represents needs no explanation." The Hummer was originally a military and government vehicle called a Hum-Vee - an acronym for High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. GM changed the branding to Hummer once it took over marketing and distribution from the military division of American Motors. The Hum-Vee saw significant action in the Gulf War and was catapulted to pop culture glory after featuring in movies such as Three Kings. Holden plans to sell the H3 Hummer, which is the smallest model on the market. "The H3 perfectly matches Australian conditions because of its size, and it has what Australians expect to see in terms of capabilities," a Holden spokesman said. The H3 Hummer is considered to have serious off-road capabilities and will compete against the Toyota Prado, Nissan Patrol, and Jeep Grand Cherokee. Pricing would be announced closer to its mid-2007 availability. Holden claimed the Hummer had a shorter turning circle than the Ford Territory and also a shorter wheel base. Few Australians have seen a Hummer in the metal, with boutique importers bringing in low volumes of H2 Hummers and converting them to right hand drive. The H3 will continue to be made at GMs Port Elizabeth factory in South Africa, and will be the first factory-made right-hand drive Hummer available. Initially, the H3 would be available in Australia with a 3.7-litre inline five-cylinder petrol engine, producing peak power of 180kW at 5600rpm and peak torque of 328Nm at 4600rpm. A diesel version could also be offered at a later date. Private sales of SUV diesels grew 1.6 per cent in 2006 compared with a 12.1 per cent drop in petrol sales. FAST FACTS Engine: 3.7-litre Vortec 3700 five-cylinder engine with dual overhead cams and variable valve timing. H3 will offer an MA5 five-speed manual transmission or 4L60-E electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission, depending on specification. Fuel economy under the US EPA city/highway measurement of 6-8 km per litre for the manual and 4-5 km per litre for the automatic. Electronically controlled four-wheel-drive system features traction control, underbody shielding and StabiliTrak control system. Safety features include roof rail-mounted side curtain air bags and rollover protection system. H3 can traverse 407mm of water at 32km/h or 610mm streams at an 8 km/h pace, 407mm vertical steps, rocks and sand. 11.3 m turning circle 216mm ground clearance and maximum break-over angle of 23.5 degrees make it possible to clear large obstacles in off-road driving. maximum approach angle of 37.5 degrees and maximum departure angle of 34.6 degrees.

From rap songs to movies, the Hummer’s presence is always felt. With the announcement at the Australian International Motor Show that Holden would begin selling the Hummer H3 here, CARSguide thought we should look at some of the Hummer’s starring roles.Click on the picture gallery to see the best Hummer celluloid action and then tell us about your favourite on-screen Hummer moment in the Feedback blog.For us here at CARSguide, the carnage factor combined with the sheer cool of Sean Connery means our number one Hummer moment goes to Captain John Mason in The Rock.If you can top a line such as "Im only borrowin ya Hum-Vee" while ploughing through everything in site and being chased by a Ferrari, then we want to hear it.

It is, in its way, the best show for ages, with a quotient of concept vehicles and exotica balanced by real world stuff you'd actually consider buying.Highlights?It's hard to walk past Audi's R8, a fully-fledged supercar likely to come in with a "bargain" tag of substantially less than $300,000. Next to it is the second generation Audi TT, mightily improved and not screamingly unaffordable from $68,500 the entry model and about $20K more for its 3.2 V6 quattro sibling. We drove both of these through the Austrian Alps in June 2006, and will hazard the guess that Audi will struggle to meet demand for this superbly executed coupe.And, just for show, is a model of the R10 – the amazing V12 diesel that took first and third at this year's Le Mans.The great thing about concept cars is that they needn't conform to such tiresome criteria as Australian Design Rules - hence the lack of an A pillar on Saab's Aero Concept X. The lack of any pillars for that matter. Slightly more tangible is the 9-5 bio ethanol-powered wagon - a car to gladden the hearts of sugar cane growers.Lotus has revived an iconic brand name with the Europa S, a car that should affirm two-seater motoring can still be an unadulterated and largely unconstrained experience. When the product of mainstream manufacturers seems to keep getting fatter, like a choc-addicted neurotic, the mere existence of Lotus serves to remind us of (hard) core driving verities.Mazda's Kabura sports compact - with its cute 3+1 seating arrangement - is a concept from which the theme and shape of Mazdas to come can be divined. Ditto Honda's Sports 4 Concept for that marque. Or so we hope. While Honda's SH-AWD system is damn clever, it'd be neat to see it attached to something a little more athletic than the globulous Legend.A few metres away from the Kabura is the CX-7 - the crossover SUV with much of the Mazda 6 MPS's drivetrain - which you'll be seeing on our streets soon. It's one of two vehicles that perfectly defines what marketing types like to call the "zeitgeist" of the Australian buyer at the moment.The other, you may or may not choose to believe, is a Volvo. The S80 all-wheel-drive V8 luxury sedan might be the Swedish marque's new hero model, but their decidedly groovy 2+2, the C30, could be the car that finally puts paid to those ancient "bloody Volvo driver" cliches.It also points firmly in the direction that Australian private buyers are going ie: those of us not enamoured of soft road SUVs are downsizing but up-speccing.And speaking of good things in small packages, those who have queued long for the Volkswagen Golf GTI will be delighted to see that not only is demand being addressed, but the new to Australia three door-model starts $1500 under the five door at $38,490. VeeWee's highly desirable Eos CC, the big drawer at last year's Frankfurt motor show, finally made its Australian debut ahead of its release early in 2007.And yes, that's a turbo diesel variant you see parked near the turbo petrol. If diesel seems anomalous in a (part-time) open top car, it works.Given the mudslide of Holden hype this year, it comes almost as relief not to see some lurid concept jobbie from them for once, although unveiling the Hummer H3 did at least provide comic relief.With the pomp and circumstance we've come to expect from Holden on the opening day of the show, the covers were hauled off to anything but the reception they've come to expect.Far from the rapturous and somewhat sycophantic applause that greeted their Torana and Efijy creations, there was … well, the sound of no hands clapping. In fact, the silence that greeted this spectacularly pointless and ugly apparition could best be described as stoney.Nissan's Foria is a concept car we’d very much like to see come into fruition. Apart form the corporate grille, this is an elegant Lancia-like coupe intended as an MX-5-like alternative. 

Nothing stands out more than a Hummer — except a Hummer that has been stretched to measure 11m from nose to tail.The four-wheel-drive mud-plugger has been transformed into a luxurious party truck that is more bold than beautiful at twice the length of a standard Hummer.Operated by Melbourne-based Krystal Limousines, it will ferry the rich, the famous and anyone else chasing a slice of Hollywood glitz.So CARSguide convinced its owners to take the chrome-encrusted cruiser to Bungaree, a small town 10km east of Ballarat to test its wow factor.We have tested a lot of cars through the years, but nothing causes as much of a fuss as the Krystal Hummer.Drivers slam on brakes, passengers hang out of car windows with camera phones and pedestrians stare with wide eyes and open mouths.It's safe to say Bungaree has seen nothing like it.First stop is Bungaree Primary School.We want to ask the kids what they think of the super Hummer and see if we can fit an entire class in the back.There is enough space to fit half the school in the limo at once, comfortably.Sure, the school population is on the small side at 32, but that's still a good effort.On the road, the super-sized Hummer can legally carry 14 adults and one driver, all with seatbelts, on soft leather seats.It could carry more, but considerable space is taken up by the two bars, complete with ice buckets full of drinks, including champagne magnums.There are 14 cupholders, because, for some reason, limo passengers seem quite concerned about staying hydrated.The interior has all the subtlety of a Las Vegas casino. Strobe lights flicker below the seat cushions. Neon strips on the bar and the roof pulse in different colours.More than 2000 tiny fibre-optic lights in the roof flash in different colours in tune to music that rocks the interior with the firepower of 12 speakers and three thundering subwoofers.The windows are extra thick and dark so you can party in private, but occupants can see everything happening outside.If they tire of watching accidents being caused by goggle-eyed motorists, they can watch one of three video screens in the huge cabin.Passengers in the back of the truck can even use a wall-mounted phone to talk to the driver — the Hummer is that big.The Krystal Hummer, which weighs about 4500kg, draws a crowd as it sits outside the Bungaree school."You couldn't do circle work in that, could you?" jokes one onlooker.The kids, who are further dwarfed by the imposing machine, are impressed."I reckon that if I had a chance to buy that or a house, I'd buy that," 11-year-old Tyler says.Ten-year-old Zac justifies the purchase of such a car by suggesting an owner could save on holiday costs."You wouldn't have to go to a five-star hotel. It has a mini-bar and the stereo is so loud."The kids aren't allowed any champagne, but its very presence impresses one of the pupils."I liked the mini-bar and the alcohol," says an eight-year-old girl.The most popular description of the Krystal Hummer is "awesome" and the "the coolest car in the world".Asked which celebrities would ride in a stretched Hummer, the kids suggest Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue and Madonna, before a young boy pipes up:"I reckon Tom Cruise would have one because he's crazy."Well, the slightly eccentric are known for their love of stretched Hummers — the Osbourne family get about in one.Krystal Limousines expects some celebrity bookings, but also offers the Hummer for debutante balls, graduations, weddings, parties — pretty much anything.Pricing depends on how long you need it and where you go, but a full load of passengers could pay about $50 each for an hour with a reduced hourly rate after that.It's not cheap, but the company has already had several wedding bookings for couples keen on a bit of Las Vegas glamour.The special Hummer is an expensive machine and a fair chunk of the $300,000 it owes its owners was spent on shipping.The Melbourne-based partner of Krystal Limousines, Steve Nogas, bought a standard Hummer H2 SUT in the United States and shipped it back to Australia.He had it converted from left-hand drive to right-hand drive then shipped it back to California so it could be stretched by Krystal Enterprises, a big operator that customises several Hummer limos every week.The car was then brought back to Australia.The process was so convoluted because red tape meant the car had to be imported as a road-legal machine.The Hummer is relatively easy to stretch because it has a separate ladder frame.The drive-shaft is made up of five sections and the Krystal Hummer retains its fully functioning 4WD system, even if it isn't so good for off-road work any more.It has a heavy-duty suspension and brakes, but runs a standard 6.0-litre V8 and five-speed automatic.The owners are yet to measure the custom Hummer's fuel economy, perhaps out of sheer terror.We cruise up to the Bungaree general store, where the Hummer's arrival interrupts Tilly the Pug's blissful slumber.The dog poses for a photo in front of the Hummer that dwarfs her owner's shop.It seems everyone wants to be photographed in front of the gleaming limo — though we expect Tilly was doing it only because of the food we promised.Nogas is amazed by the number of photos that have already been taken of his 11m baby."The reaction is incredible. The cameras started clicking the first time we took it out," he says.Krystal Limousines partner Perry Webb agrees, noting "a lot of people do a double take when the huge Hummer rolls past"."People see it and rub their eyes and look again. You can see them thinking, 'Is that what I think it is?'LONG HISTORY OF CONVERSIONSPEOPLE have been stretching cars for a long time.Almost as soon as cars were created, they were turned into long limos.Stretched open-top machines appeared in Australia as early as 1918, when this machine was snapped on King William St in Adelaide.Luxury sedans such as the Ford LTD, Lincoln Town Car and Chrysler 300C are popular models for modern conversions, but keep your eyes peeled for rarer lengthened cars.Stretched versions of two-stroke Trabants can be spotted in the Czech Republic, lengthened Ladas have been seen in Russia and an Australian has even stretched a 1970s Beetle to 9m — we don't know why.Stretch limos are everywhere in the United States and some have rear-mounted spa baths.One American, with far too much cash, has even stretched a Lamborghini Diablo — oh, the humanity.

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.