Who wants to buy Hummer? The hot rumor is that India's Mahindra & Mahindra is looking at General Motors' militaristic SUV division. No doubt, GM chairman Rick Wagoner is thinking about private equity or well-heeled and well-oiled investors like Aston Martin's current owners as possible buyers. In announcing that GM is conducting a "strategic review of the Hummer brand," Wagoner says it could include "a complete revamp of the product lineup to a partial or complete sale of the brand."

Three questions facing GM right now are: (1) How can it revamp Hummer into a lineup of fuel-efficient vehicles? (2) If it is sold, do the new owners get the GM-based platforms and U.S. production facilities as well (AM General builds the H2 for Hummer in Indiana)? (3) Can GM get out of Hummer without a dealer revolt?

Wagoner deserves credit for making a decision to do something about this albatross, which GM established about a decade ago under the shortsighted leadership of Ron Zarrella, who more recently has been blamed for running Bausch & Lomb into the ground.

The Flint Family Zero factory will build engines ranging from 1.0 to 1.4 liters, Wagoner has announced. That means Flint will also build engines for GM's new microsegment car based on the Chevy Beat concept, which is not planned for sale in the U.S. and Canada. GM finally seems able to shift production reasonably quickly to reflect new marketing demands, now possible largely thanks to last autumn's United Auto Workers contract.


The good news is, while GM also is closing four truck/SUV factories in North America in the next two years, it's bringing production of its new line of four-cylinder engines, called Family Zero, to Flint, Michigan. Family Zero will include the 1.4-liter turbocharged engine for the 2011 Chevy Cruze (Cobalt replacement), and a naturally aspirated version for the 2011 Volt, and the Aveo replacement, which switches to the new Gamma platform designed to carry new-generation Daewoo and Opel subcompacts.
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Extensive engine updates and subtle restyle for latest A6 line-up crowned by new Saloon version of V10 RS 6

• New headline engine in TDI range – 2.0-litre TDI now featuring ultra-efficient common rail fuel injection with piezo injectors – all TDI engines now common rail-equipped
• New ‘e’ model achieves 53.3mpg and 139g/km CO2 output through technical and aerodynamic refinements
• Enhanced cabin incorporates new third generation Multi Media Interface infotainment system with high capacity hard disk-sourced navigation mapping and 3D display
• New A6 range opens for UK order in August 2008 for first deliveries in late October 2008 – Saloon prices from £24,800 OTR, Avant from £26,370 OTR
• RS 6 Saloon also introduced to complement existing Avant version – available from August for November delivery priced at £76,160 OTR (RS 6 Avant £77,730 OTR)
• Benefits from styling revisions inside and out, a major update of the engine line-up bringing fuel efficiency gains averaging 12 per cent and reconfigured suspension for improved comfort
• Latest generation quattro system with 40/60 torque split
• New petrol engine range highlight - supercharged 3.0-litre TFSI unit with 290PS and 420Nm from 2,500rpm to 4,850rpm

Smarter both aesthetically and technically, the new Audi A6 range makes its international debut this week, underpinning enhancements to visual appeal, refinement, convenience electronics and equipment with improvements in fuel economy and emissions control averaging 12 per cent courtesy of new or updated engines. Priced from £24,800 OTR for the new economy-targeting 2.0 TDIe model, delivering in excess of 53mpg with 139g/km of CO2, the range is available to order now and will reach its first UK customers in October 2008

Two all-new engines in particular will be among the headline-makers in the latest range – a 3.0-litre TFSI petrol unit which makes its debut here to effectively replace both the 3.2 FSI V6 and the 4.2 V8, and the advanced 2.0-litre TDI with common rail piezo fuel injection, whose impressive frugality makes the new Audi A6 TDIe model possible. This 136PS diesel unit replaces the 2.0-litre pump jet injection engine with 140PS, and later in 2008 will also become available in the A6 in 170PS form.

At the same time, the eagerly awaited Saloon version of the potent ten-cylinder RS 6, which like the A6 allroad quattro and S6 line-ups incorporates many of the new enhancements, moves to the head of the range priced at £76,160 OTR. Its Avant counterpart, like all Avant versions, carries a premium of £1,570.


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