The Stig" Collins planning Top Gear rival

Remember when any hint of the identity of the vaunted Stig was news? Even after Ben Collins outed himself as the mysterious super driver it took a few days before we truly believed that the biggest secret in British television had been spoiled. Judging by recent comments made by Jeremy Clarkson, we're starting to think there's little chance we'll ever see the Stig again on Top Gear, but that doesn't mean Collins is out of television for good.

The UK's Telegraph reports that the former driver-in-white is fielding several offers to host his own show in the near future. Of course, Collins isn't quite ready to spill details about his future plans, but he reportedly did mention that he wants to have a show with riskier stunts than what we're used to seeing on Top Gear. In fact, Collins even managed to take a completely unveiled shot at Jezza by saying that the main man at TG "doesn't have that kind of respect for people behind the scenes.

Until a show officially materializes, Collins plans to cash in on his book about the show, followed perhaps by a bit of fiction writing. Meanwhile, Top Gear will likely be hard at work finding the next Stig, though we're guessing the show's producers won't bite on Collins' idea to do a "Who wants to be The Stig" reality show, if only because the former Stig thought of it.

Audi no match for Peugeot

Many in the Audi compound tonight are left muttering under their breath and shaking their head in bewilderment. That's because the team was flat-out beat on Wednesday by Peugeot. It was the first day of practice for the 78th running of Le Mans, and the day started with a French celebration and ended with one as well.

This morning the winning Peugeot drivers from the 2009 race were given one last gift to remember their winning ways. The mayor of Le Mans hosted a ceremony in the center of town honoring David Brabham, Marc Gene and Alexander Wurz. They saw their handprints cast in bronze set in the cobble stones of Le Mans.

By the time everyone returned to the circuit it was time to get down to business, and that is exactly what the Peugeot team did. Throughout the late afternoon and into the evening it seemed each Peugeot driver--first Franck Montagny, then Stephane Sarraazine, and finally Sebastien Bourdais took turns setting the fastest lap. Bourdais finally grabbed the top spot with a time of 3:19.711. He has provisional pole; however the forecast for Thursday is for heavy rain and the French seem content to begin their race preparations.

Rick Dole

Sebastien Bourdais is on the pole for Le Mans after the first day of qualifying.

Preparation or lack there of seems to be the lowest common denominator with the Jaguar team. When the green flag dropped at 4 o'clock this afternoon the team didn't even start its engine. Problems continue to plague this effort, and while Ryan Dalziel and Marc Goossens completed a few laps, Paul Gentilozzi finished none. And there seems to be a lot of confusion on whether or not Gentilozzi has violated a rule requiring some sort of minimum lap requirement during the first day of practice. This is probably the least of his worries. As qualifying began at 10 p.m., the Jag crew had the engine apart trying to find another gremlin. Not a very good first impression and plenty of less-than-positive comments by the Radio Le Mans folks who have followed this team since its debut at the ALMS race at Laguna Seca in 2009.

Johnny Kane sits on pole in the Strakka Racing HPD. He is a second quicker that the Highcroft Racing HPD. Kane set his time of 3:36.168 on qualifying tires. David Brabham was the quickest Highcroft driver with a time of 3:37.202 while running on full tanks.

Former Formula One world champion Nigel Mansell is driving his first Le Mans with sons Greg and Leo. He had a moment during his first stint spinning off at the PlayStation chicane. No harm, no foul.

The same can't be said for the No. 12 Rebellion Racing Lola which was crashed while Marco Andretti was at the wheel. The car did not return to the track this evening.

Rick Dole

One of the iconic sights of Le Mans: the Dunlop Bridge.

The Risi and Corvette ALMS teams traded fastest times in GT2, and Gianmaria Bruni setting the best time in class.

While the 'Vette and Ferrari boys have to feel good following today, the Audi camp cannot. It has spent an enormous amount of euros redesigning and rebuilding the R15, and German sources close to the team confirmed the 2010 model has the same major problem as the 2009 version--understeer. With all of the money, all of the testing and all of the development, the Audi is essentially no quicker than last year's car. And the team is nearly four seconds slower than pole-sitting Peugeot. And 2.2 seconds slower than the semi-works Peugeot of Team Oreca.

The fastest Audi starts on row three.

Hundreds of complaints about Ford

Toyota's recent issues have turned the lights on automakers' and governments' responses to consumer complaints. Two of the questions to arise, which still haven't been answered, are what is the threshold for customer complaints to be considered a safety defect, and when should the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration open an investigation? An example? More than 200 owners of 1999 to 2003 Ford Windstar minivans have submitted complaints to the NHTSA about snapping rear axles, but there has been no investigation and Ford says there's no safety issue.

The breaking-axle incidents have happened after 80,000 miles, the majority coming after the six-figure mileage mark. Ford's take is that nearly all drivers have retained control of the vehicles, and the few that haven't have described behavior that doesn't fit with Ford's predicted vehicle behavior in such an incident. Therefore, it isn't a problem with safety.

As for the NHTSA, even though the complaints are spread over various categories (consumers choose their own categories under which to report), it says it has reviewed every single one of them and says it is monitoring the situation. We suppose everyone is relying on good judgment to decide when or if to declare this a safety matter and open an investigation, and we can agree with that – good judgment can make far more sense than trying to slap hard numbers on these kind of occurrences. The question is: Who's the one with the good judgment?

GM temporarily restore Saturn Outlook, the Hummer H3 production

Saturn Outlook - Click above for high resolution images

Although the deadline Saturn and Hummer brands, General Motors has once again affirmed the production of both the Outlook crossover SUV, H3 and the needs of consumers.

Last month, GM mounted on his explorations in 1037 in Lansing, Michigan plant, which is where they built the Lambda crossover platform Stable Mates (Buick Enclave, Chevrolet and GMC Acadia). A spokeswoman for GM said that the production, once the rest of the Saturn-specific material to be used at the facility, and that the automaker remains Outlook session for several weeks.

Hummer, on the other hand, H3 and 849 H3Ts will make a sale of a company of liquor. GM in Shreveport, Louisiana plant production of these vehicles will start April 12, the automaker said that the decision not later than 13 May, and then completed his plant will continue production of Shreveport, the only Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Sierra pickups, while the fate of these vehicles is quite uncertain, as well.

2010 HUMMER H3T Vehicle Overview

As with most Hummer models, the 2009 Hummer H3T offers impressive off-road ability, a decent on-road demeanor and look-at-me styling. But the list of its faults is even longer. Rival midsize crew-cab pickups offer a better blend of performance, fuel mileage and cargo capacity.

Pros

Serious off-road ability, smooth ride on pavement, rugged styling, simple cabin controls, comfortable seats.

Cons

Tepid performance with inline-5, poor outward visibility, only one bed length that's not particularly useful, subpar gas mileage and cabin quality.

What's New for 2009

For 2009, Hummer expands the H3 family with the H3T. This addition to the baby Hummer line forgoes the H3's covered cargo area for an open pickup bed. It rides on a stretched wheelbase, and its overall length is about 2 feet longer. Other H3 changes this year include standard Bluetooth connectivity and hill-start assist, an available front locking differential and a revised rearview camera system.

Introduction

If you had three wishes, would one of them be that Hummer made a pickup truck? Hopefully not; that would be extremely lame. But if it were, in addition to world peace and 10 million bucks, you could now get a big boy's Tonka truck. Yep, for 2009, Hummer is rolling out the H3T. Essentially the H3 SUV with a longer wheelbase and an open pickup bed instead of a wagon-style back, this new addition to the Hummer family should more than satisfy one's need to have the toughest-looking crew cab in the Home Depot parking lot.

Virtually everything good and bad about the regular H3 still stands. This means you'll likely dig the rugged styling cues (which include the industrial grille, the massive wheel flares and the armored-car-style windows), brag about its impressive off-road capabilities (thanks to aggressive approach and departure angles, generous ground clearance and standard skid plates) and lament its outward visibility and fuel mileage (13 city/16 highway with the V8).

Yes, although the 2009 Hummer H3T is essentially part of the baby-Hummer H3 line, it's still a typical Hummer, meaning it weighs about 25 percent more than even car guys like us would guess. We're talking nearly 5,000 pounds here -- about a thousand more than a Caddy DTS and equal to the weight of two Honda Fits. To move all that mass, the H3T has a five-cylinder engine that pumps out a meager 239 horsepower and 241 pound-feet of torque. Of course, if you choose the aptly named Alpha trim level, you'll get a brawny V8 that cranks out 300 hp and 320 lb-ft. Either way, you're looking at not-so-great fuel economy.

All said, the 2009 Hummer H3T doesn't make a whole lot of sense. (Maybe you'll want one of your three wishes back.) Instead, we'd suggest checking out other more space- and fuel-efficient alternatives such as the Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Frontier Crew Cab and Toyota Tacoma Double Cab.

For Pricing information, see our Pricing page.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2009 Hummer H3T is a midsize crew-cab pickup truck that's available in two trim levels: base and the more powerful Alpha. The base H3T features 16-inch steel wheels, full skid plates, air-conditioning, cruise control, OnStar telematics, Bluetooth connectivity, keyless entry, full power accessories and a six-speaker CD stereo with satellite radio. The Alpha adds the V8 engine, alloy wheels and embroidered headrests.

Two packages are available for the base H3T. The Adventure Package adds an off-road suspension, a shorter-geared transfer case for better hill-climbing and descending, front and rear locking differentials, 33-inch off-road tires and a Monsoon audio system with a six-CD changer. The Luxury Package comes with the Monsoon system, leather upholstery, power and heated front seats and oversized floor mats. The H3T Alpha's oddly named Alpha Leather Package has the features of the Luxury Package along with chrome wheels and exterior trim. Major options for both include a power sunroof, an in-dash six-CD changer, a navigation system and a rearview camera.

For more Style information, see our Compare Styles page.

Powertrains and Performance

All 2009 Hummer H3T models come with full-time four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case. All except the Alpha are powered by a 3.7-liter inline five-cylinder engine that makes 239 hp and 241 lb-ft of torque. The standard transmission is a five-speed manual, and a four-speed automatic is optional. Although the five makes decent power, it's simply outmatched by the H3T's near-5,000-pound mass, so acceleration is leisurely at best. Towing capacity is rated at 4,400 pounds when properly equipped, and EPA fuel economy estimates stand at 14 mpg city/18 mpg highway and 15 mpg combined with either transmission.

The Alpha features a 5.3-liter V8 (with 300 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque) mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Towing capacity goes up to 5,900 pounds, and we'd expect its performance to be about the same as the H3 Alpha, which sprinted from zero to 60 mph in a relatively quick 8 seconds flat. With this engine, fuel economy drops slightly to a 13/16/14 mpg rating.

For more Performance Data, see our Specifications page.

Safety

Antilock disc brakes, traction control, stability control, the OnStar communications system and full-length side curtain airbags are all standard.

For more Safety information, see our Safety page.

Interior Design and Special Features

Although the overall design is fairly handsome, the H3T's rather plain interior doesn't quite match its macho exterior. Build quality is solid, but the H3T's competitors utilize nicer materials. Also, stereo and climate interfaces aren't as user-friendly as those found in other GM vehicles. Still, the versions with the leather seating have an attractive two-tone color scheme along with contrasting piping on the seats, which spruces things up.

The seats are comfortable, though many drivers may take issue with the high beltline and low-profile window design, as they lead to lousy outward visibility. Rear-seat passengers enjoy ample legroom and decent support, but taller folks may find themselves uncomfortably close to the roof. The cargo box is about 5 feet long; though this is about the same as the offerings from the H3T's chief rivals, they typically offer 6-foot boxes as well.

For more Interior Features information, see our Specifications page.

Driving Impressions

At low speeds with the inline-5, there is sufficient punch to handle the cut and thrust of city driving. But when faced with freeway merging and inclines, the 2009 Hummer H3T grows winded, a result of its insufficient power for the vehicle's 4,900 pounds and bricklike aerodynamic efficiency. The H3T Alpha fares better. Throttle response is crisper with the V8 and it pulls harder through the midrange, but again, due to the considerable mass at hand, it's not the massive transformation one might expect.

Even though the H3T's longer wheelbase makes it less maneuverable on trails than the regular H3, it's still basically unstoppable when equipped with the Adventure Package. With 9.5 inches of ground clearance, loads of wheel travel, aggressive approach and departure angles, oversized all-terrain tires and standard skid plates, the H3T can pretty much go anywhere without taking damage. Given this off-road capability, the H3T performs admirably on pavement, with decent stability at speed. The ride is surprisingly smooth and belies the H3's tough-truck nature. But we would still advise you to steer clear of the H3T if you never intend to take it off the beaten path.

For more Driving Impressions, Recent Articles and Car Awards from our Editors, see our Road Tests page.

Second Look: 2010 Hummer H3T

Leftlane recently had the opportunity to sample the new Hummer H3T and compare it to what General Motors says will be two of its chief rivals: The Toyota Tacoma and the Ford F-150. The H3T represents a new direction for the smallest of the two Hummers currently offered: A useful pickup variant aimed more at the outdoorsy set than the suburban buyer of the standard H3.

Keen-eyed readers will remember that Mark Elias drove the H3T about a month ago. Now that GM has officially announced its intention to sell the flailing marque, we’re forced to evaluate the H3T in a different light. Is it a lame-duck model from a brand that won’t fall under the GM umbrella much longer? Or is it just what Hummer needs to perk up sales despite $3.50 a gallon gasoline?

GM invited us to test out the H3T on a moderately challenging off road course against two of its biggest rivals equipped with their off-road packages – the Tacoma TRD package and the F-150 FX4 package. We’ve decided to provide you with another full evaluation of the H3T as well as capsule comparisons to its chief non-GM rivals to see how the newest Hummer stacks up.

What is it?
At its core, the H3T is essentially a crew cab Chevrolet Colorado pickup with a lift kit, a heavy-duty four-wheel drive transfer case, available locking differentials and a Hummer-ish look inside and especially out. That said, it would take considerably more effort to make a Colorado anywhere near this capable off road.

The H3T comes in two flavors with a few different toppings: A base 3.7-liter inline-five cylinder and a 5.3-liter V8 called “Alpha” in Hummer-speak. Both come standard with a surprising array of convenience and capability features, including Bluetooth, XM radio, an auto-dimming mirror and, of course, 32 inch tires, full-time four-wheel-drive and a full complement of skid plates and recovery hooks.

What’s it up against?
If you haven’t been paying attention so far, you might want to just give up now. Tacoma TRD. F-150 FX4. And GM no doubt realizes that the Silverado/Sierra pickups with the Z71 package and the Colorado/Canyon with the light-duty off-road suspension will probably be on shoppers’ lists. In the interest of full disclosure, GM also considers the severely dated Dodge Dakota as a competitor, too.

The H3T is a bit bigger than the Tacoma and a bit smaller than the F-Series.

Any breakthroughs?
On the surface, no. It’s a crew cab pickup with a lift kit. But, it has an especially stout transfer case and an especially low crawl ratio of 68.9:1 with the optional extra-low range transfer case and the standard manual transmission (I5 only). It also offers a compelling value with the aforementioned standard features and a hefty 4-year, 50,000-mile warranty.

How does it look?
Like a Hummer H3 with a bed – because that’s what it is. Hummer has stretched the H3T’s wheelbase to accommodate a roomy cab and a five foot bed. From the side, the proportions are a bit awkward like most other crew cab pickups and from every other angle it looks like an H3, for better or worse. The bed is awfully high off the ground thanks to the 10 inches or so of ground clearance and the 32 or 33-inch tires, limiting its usefulness for heavy loads.

Ford hasn’t released the facelifted 2009 F-150 yet, so we had to evaluate the 2008. It features standard pickup proportions and the familiar big front end face we’ve gotten used to. The FX4 package doesn’t include much additional style aside from stickers and 18” all-terrain rubber.

The Tacoma received a mild nip and tuck treatment for 2009 with new clear-ish tail lamps and an ever-so-slightly more butch front fascia. Its TRD package jacks up the suspension a bit and adds a locking rear differential.

And inside?
Again, standard Hummer H3. You sit low and don’t have that much headroom thanks to the squashed greenhouse. It’s also a fairly narrow cabin, especially in the front passenger’s footwell area. The back seat is low to the ground and not especially well padded or contoured. The windshield is fairly far away and quite upright, though visibility overall is reasonable. And GM’s brilliant rearview camera built into the rearview mirror (optional) is present.

Materials-wise, it’s a mixed bag. The dash is made of quality plastics and seems well screwed together, but the standard cloth upholstery is flimsy for such a rugged vehicle. The optional leather is nicer, especially with contrasting piping.

Overall, the interior design is pleasant and appealing, though not as rugged-looking as it ought to be in a vehicle like this.

The F-150 we evaluated featured the 2008 interior, which is noticeably less rich in design and material quality than the 2009 and the H3T. Assembly quality was also a significant notch below the Hummer – flimsy panels rattled on the almost brand-new test vehicle. Obviously, it’s quite a bit bigger inside and the upright seating position is more big rig than the H3T.

The Tacoma was similarly sized inside and the design was brighter thanks to light colored materials throughout and an especially airy greenhouse. Overall material quality struck us as a step down from the H3T, though the design was less gimmicky. The Tacoma’s interior is much more carlike than trucklike.

But does it go?
The H3T Alpha – with its 5.3 liter V8 – moves quickly and emits a throaty V8 growl. Yet with an estimated 13/16 mpg city/highway, it’s hardly efficient – even for a 300 horsepower engine motivating a brick-shaped pickup. Like the I5, it comes with an antiquated four-speed automatic. GM has a great six-speed automatic. It should be in this vehicle.

The standard H3T moves along well enough for most any taste with the automatic. We didn’t get the opportunity to sample the manual transmission variant. With 239 horsepower on tap, the base H3T averages a more reasonable 14/18 mpg.

Off-road, the H3T is absolutely the most capable pickup on the market. That should come as no surprise – but what did downright shock us was how refined it was at all times both on pavement and off. It’s positively quiet at highway speeds, it delivers a pleasantly plush ride (though admittedly cornering isn’t its forte) and the H3T was absolutely the most rock-solid body-on-frame vehicle we’ve encountered. Our battered preproduction test H3Ts had nary an interior rattle or a shake of the bed even on the worst washboard surfaces we could throw at it. Naturally, it scampered up 40 degree inclines with nary a complaint – its hill-start assist working as advertised – and it hopped over 16 inch “curbs” with no more than a bounce.

Comparatively speaking, the F-150 is yesterday’s news. We’re told the 2009 will be a bit stiffer, but we imagine it would take quite a bit of engineering to quell the shaking bed and interior rattles, not to mention the wind noise and ride harshness. Where the H3T coddled over bad pavement and rocky terrain, the F-150 sent heads shaking from one side to another. There really was no comparison between the two.

The Tacoma was closer to the H3T in all regards, though we noticed a bit more steering kickback over the rough stuff and a bit more road noise at speed. The interior seemed similarly well screwed together, however.

Why you would buy it:
You want cargo-hauling capability in an off-road ready package and you’re willing to put up with lousy fuel economy. Or, sadly, you’re going to put 22 inch wheels on it and shine it up every weekend to look good in your local shopping mall parking lot.

Why you wouldn’t:

You have no need to leave the pavement or you want a smaller pickup.

It’s a shame that it took GM so long to bring to market a practical Hummer pickup – the H2 SUT is simply too cumbersome and, at nearly $60,000, too expensive, to be truly useful. The H3T is so much more useful than the cramped standard H3 that it is the first Hummer-badged vehicle we’ve driven that genuinely makes sense for a number of pickup buyers. It’s better off road than its competitors and at least their equal on road.

“Too little, too late” is a standard maxim we often pull out for vehicles like this – but with the Hummer brand soon on the selling block, that overused phrase has never seemed so appropriate.

2009 Hummer H3T base price: $31,495 including destination. H3T Alpha, $36,760 including destination. Optional equipment pricing to be released soon.

2010 Hummer H3T

The Hummer brand is changing – size is out and utility is in. Look at the lineup: the civilian H1 has been dropped and the hulking H2, while not dead, is on life support here in North America. Only the mid-size H3 is moving, adding a model for 2009 called the H3T. This four-door pickup is rugged and tough – everything that lovers of this brand expect – but it’s small and it looks like that’s the way Hummer will stay.

This new H3T is a standard five-passenger H3 (which itself is based on the mid-size GMC Canyon pickup) to right behind the four-door cabin – where it then morphs into a proper pickup truck with a wheelbase that is stretched by 57 cm (22.3 in.).

2009 Hummer H3T. Click image to enlarge

What’s been added is a longer ladder frame and a five-foot (1.5 m) cargo box centered over the solid, leaf sprung axle. With the tailgate down the H3T offers just over 2.0 m (6.5 ft.) of bed space. For width, 1.2 m (4.0 ft.) is maintained just over the sunken wheel humps for carrying sheets of building materials.

Coming to dealers in October, the 2009 H3T with a standard 239-hp 3.7-litre inline five-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission has a base price of $33,245; the H3T Alpha model equipped with a new 300-hp 5.3-litre V8 coupled to a four-speed automatic transmission has an MSRP of $39,027. The V8-powered H3T Alpha will tow up to 2,676 kg (5,900 lb) – up from 2041 kg (4500 lb) with the I-5 motor. A tow-haul package is available.

I drove both versions of the new truck up into the high Sierra Mountains of central California. On a “Jeep” trail running up the mountain to over 8,000 feet in elevation, the truck routinely scaled boulders that left one or two wheels hanging in the air – a situation where locking differentials are a must – and (as it turned out) the single clearest example of where the Hummer brand is going.

Hummer has always been a specialty vehicle – one that got caught up with a toxic dose of useless Hollywood glam – but now that is so over, and it looks like the brand can get back to the business of being just a serious off-roader doing duty around the world where, frankly, its greatest potential lies.

2009 Hummer H3T. Click image to enlarge

Being built as left- and right-hand drive models in a South African auto plant, the new H3 (and the coming “T”) is showing sales promise competing with off-road masters like Toyota, Land Rover and Jeep. In fact, this off-shore H3 will be getting a diesel engine next year, like its rivals, though we won’t get it here.

But for ‘09, we do get a new capability: a new front differential locker joins the existing rear diff-lock. Now with full-time 4WD and 32-inch tires, it can scale a sheer 41 cm (16 in.) wall and easily ford up to 61 cm (24 in.) of water. With these two electronically actuated diff-locks, it’s possible to evenly power all four wheels (in low-range only) – and that, frankly, is the true definition of four-wheel-drive.

This was the message I got on that boulder-strewn mountain trail. See, in a “normal” 4WD system, when the centre locking two-speed transfer case is sending power to both front and rear axles (what most people call 4WD), momentum can still be squandered by open differentials (front and rear) that push that power to the wheels in the air (torque follows the path of least resistance)! But getting the power to the two wheels that have traction is what diff-locks do. So with the push of a button, I forced power to my two planted wheels and the truck crawled up the 30-degree slope.

Now, because these are electronic, it’s possible to turn them on and off – one or both – as needed. Add to this four separate armored skid plates protecting the underside of the H3T, and you have a world-class off-roader that we soon might be seeing on the evening news carrying armaments rather than kayaks.

To my knowledge, this makes the H3T the only mid-size pickup with these features currently available anywhere in the world (and, the Dodge Power Wagon is not mid-size – so please don’t e-mail me).

2009 Hummer H3T. Click image to enlarge

While I appreciate this baby Hummer for its utility and off-road prowess, GM has no intention of losing customers to more nattily-dressed trucks. So, this year it is offering five trim levels (including leather) in the H3T as well as 75 accessories specially designed for the H3, including many that fit the fixed equipment rails in the sidewalls of the H3T bed. These can be cherry picked for a customized look or bought as a package, like the H3X, which includes bright roof crossbars, a chrome fuel door, a body-colour grille, spare tire cover, special tires, wheels, centre caps, and a brush guard. Also standard this year is Bluetooth connectivity and satellite radio setup.

Standard safety features on all H3s include head curtain and side-impact air bags, StabiliTrak (electronic stability control), anti-lock brakes with traction control, dual-stage front air bags, tire pressure monitoring and rear child seat anchors.

While the driving – on-road and off – went well, it has to be noted the bulk of the day’s conversation with Hummer staff centered on more social matters – like whether the publics’ typically schizophrenic reaction to Hummers would affect sales. Currently it will, and negatively, I think.

But what is even stranger at the moment is doing this introduction while wild rumours of the imminent sale of Hummer make the news almost daily. And while all this speculation has left me a bit dizzy, through this haze of emotion I still see a future for Hummer – whether GM owns it or not.