GM Gives In To Good Taste, Closes Hummer Division

Auto decal makers and window-tinters of the world are in mourning this afternoon, following an announcement from General Motors that — after several months of trying to unload their Hummer brand of gas-guzzlers on the Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Company — they’re stopping production of the controversial phallic stand-ins.

As far back as October, it appeared as if the deal with Sichuan Tengzhong was all but a done deal, but the $150 million deal has fallen through with G.M. only saying that the sale “could not be completed.”

“We have since considered a number of possibilities for Hummer along the way, and we are disappointed that the deal with Tengzhong could not be completed,” John Smith, G.M.’s vice president of corporate planning and alliances, said in a statement. “G.M. will now work closely with Hummer employees, dealers and suppliers to wind down the business in an orderly and responsible manner.”

G.M. plans to still honor warranties on existing Hummer vehicles (don’t know if that includes the ones that have been turned into stretch limousines), as well as offer service and parts (though you’ll probably need to see a separate mechanic about servicing the hot tub in your Hummer).

This is just the latest shuttered brand for G.M., who is phasing out their Saturn and Pontiac divisions.

I propose that, at midnight ET tonight, all Hummer owners across the country pause their Girls Gone Wild DVDs and join me in a moment of silence for the fallen giant.

No deal: GM will not sell Hummer, brand to be shutdown [Consumer Reports]

G.M. to Close Hummer After Sale Collapses [NY Times]

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