General Motors has announced that it will launch its Hummer brand in Japan next spring. Hummer sells about 14% of its vehicles outside of the United States — in Europe, Australia, Asia and South Africa — a number GM hopes it can increase to 20% with the Japanese market.
“It’s a small market, but it’s big enough to sustain demand,” Hummer General Manager Martin Walsh told The Detroit News.
Walsh says the Hummer brand continues to be profitable but is struggling as consumers shy away from bigger, less efficient vehicles. To combat the consumer shift, Walsh indicated that Hummer would introduce smaller vehicles, as well as biofuel capable vehicles — either ethanol or biodiesel — by 2010.
Hummer will show a smaller HX Concept at the Detroit Auto Show in January which could represent the new direction of the company.
Hummer’s U.S. sales are down 22% this year.
