End of the road for Hummer

Hummer is being wound down after a deal with a Chinese company fell apart in February, after it failed to achieve regulatory approvals in China.

H3 production had been idled during the company’s bankruptcy, but GM resumed production in April to fulfill a fleet order for 849 trucks.

The Louisiana factory will close no later than 2012, GM has said. The site is still building Chevrolet Colorados and GMC Canyons. An estimated 200 workers will lose their jobs in July as a result of the end of Hummer production.

Hummers became popular for their all-terrain ability and a unique design, however, petrol prices put an end to that, and consumers began shifting to smaller crossovers.

The brand has also suffered from a lack of new products in recent years, relying on the H2 and H3 after killing off its defining H1 in 2006.

Hummer has sold 1336 vehicles this year, down from 2009’s tally of 4019.