[DURAMAX TIM]

Saw this on our in plant GM website:
Hummer Will Add Off-Road Gear In An Effort To Out-Tough Jeep
Automotive News

By Rick Kranz
April 19, 2004



In its can-you-top-this competition with Jeep for bragging rights as the nation's premier off-road brand, Hummer will introduce a heavy-duty equipment package aimed at serious off-road enthusiasts.

Next year Hummer will offer a heavy-duty package that will be marketed under a name yet to be announced.

"You are going to see (Hummer) reach further into aggressive heavy-duty off-roading," says a General Motors source who spoke on condition that he not be identified.

The heavy-duty equipment will debut on the H1 next year and then expand to H2 and H3 models. The H3 will debut in 2005.

The equipment is expected to be different for each Hummer model.

The H1 package will include a Duramax diesel engine, Allison transmission and special off-road equipment, the source says. He did not provide details.

Jeep has adopted a similar marketing strategy with its Rubicon vehicles. For example, the Wrangler Rubicon has axles, tires and a transfer case that are not offered on other Wrangler models.

Chrysler COO Wolfgang Bernhard has vowed to give Jeep customers best-in-class off-road capabilities.

The Jeep vs. Hummer battle is likely to heat up as Hummer adds models and builds a larger market niche.

But Jeep remains far ahead in unit sales. Through March, Jeep sales totalled 112,245 units, up 21 percent. Hummer sales totalled 6,402 units, down 26 percent.