You may’ve already heard about General Motors decision to send Hummer on a fast ship to Japan. Yes, Japan.
Japan is not the country where the Ford F-series outsells everything and the ever-growing Camry is the best-selling car. No, folks, Japan is the country where the Honda Fit is attempting to wrest the best-selling crown from the Toyota Corolla. Japan is not the country where legislators are trying to… er, legislate 35mpg standards while others moan and complain and try to negotiate with OPEC. No, Japan is the country where citizens receive tax breaks for driving very small cars with very small engines. You know the kind – 0.8L engines. 800cc’s.
That sounds like the perfect market for Hummer. Sure, it’ll be the H3, the brand’s smallest member. Cadillac/Saab dealers will host their brutish affiliate.
And I have a feeling. I think I see the method to their madness. Japan’s population is in decline. Attempts at incentivizing multi-child families haven’t taken hold quite yet. So…. Hummer’s plan? As the humans disappear and the land opens up, the remaining few will want bigger vehicles. They’ll want to climb Mt. Fuji and safely deal with the snows of Hokkaido – where the depopulation is greatest – and a Honda Fit or Mitsubishi i won’t cut the mustard.
Smart folks; those GM product planners. Smart folks.
