Range Rover

HUMMER owners who feel morally justified in their choice of the brand due to its
American symbolism need not freak out completely: if the sale to Sichuan
Tengzhong goes through, the Chinese company plans to put the global brand
headquarters near Detroit, thanks in part to a $20.6 million state tax credit
from Michigan.

Back in June we brought you the lowdown on HUMMER's talks with Chinese firm
Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., and since then the updates on
the deal's progress have been steady. Now a report from a source briefed on the
deal says Sichuan Tengzhong and GM could sign a deal as early as tomorrow.

If you're asking yourself why China wouldn't want one of its native companies
buying the HUMMER brand, it's a fair question with a curious answer. Turns out,
Communists don't like gas guzzlers. Apparently they don't hate them enough,
however.

Chicken counting should not yet commence, however, as the deal will
still have to be approved by Chinese and U.S. regulatory agencies before it's
officially done.

 

On the other hand, nothing official has been announced by either party and with
the sudden and complete breakdown of the Saturn sale to Penske last week, it's
clear that nothing is certain these days. A rumor earlier this year that the
Chinese government had forbidden the purchase by Sichuan Tengzhong caused some
mild panic on the web, but has since blown over.

More Photos