On the eve of the recent Paris Motor Show, 15 miles south of the city center, General Motors was making a little piece of history. Europe’s first Authentic Hummer Center officially opened for business, and other are set to follow in London and Rome, supported by a network of smaller dealerships.
It’s the most ambitious element of GM’s move to sell the big 4x4 on the other side of the Atlantic; 2006 sales are up 200 percent vs. 2005, and sales are expected to run into the low thousands by the end of 2007.
Critics have suggested GM should focus on brands it has already introduced on the Continent, rather than launching new ones. Cadillac’s latest initiative hasn’t exactly been a hit: Total sales, forecast at 4000 units for 2005, came in at about half that number. The figure for 2006 is up, but not by much with just 1694 Caddys sold in the first six months. Insiders say the strategy is now about “natural growth rather than really pushing the cars,” and that initial sales targets were, in hindsight, “too ambitious.” The biggest problem has been the Euro-only BLS sedan, a BMW 3 Series rival. Dealers have ordered around 2500 cars, but the company won’t say how many are actually in the hands of customers.
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