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Luxury carmakers make way more than just cars

Whether it's as simple as Ferrari offering model cars or as opulent as Bugatti with an $84,000-belt buckle, practically every automaker does more than just sell cars to keep their brands visible. The profits from these ventures might not be enough to keep the lights on, but in such a competitive industry, any extra cash is welcome. For the automakers that get licensing just right, there is a ton of profit to be made. According to a recent story examining the practice by The New York Times, Ferrari makes around $2.6 billion from merchandising each year, and General Motors tops that at $3.5 billion. Beyond just a profit center, merchandising can also protect an automaker's name. Take Hummer for example. The GM division shut down years ago, but it has continued to produce licensed cologne on sale around the world. "Because we still have the active fragrance, we're protecting the brand if we ever decide to bring it back," Gene Reamer, a GM licensing senior manager, told the Times. The whole piece is a fascinating look into this often ignored, but quite lucrative facet of the auto business. Read it for yourself, here. Related Video: News Source: The New York TimesImage Credit: Luca Bruno / AP Photo Design/Style Earnings/Financials Marketing/Advertising Read This Ferrari GM Hummer branding

Hummer will return as an EV nameplate in 2022

General Motors will bring the Hummer name back to market with an electric vehicle, ending a 10-year hiatus with the introduction of a low-volume 4x4 pickup to go on sale in 2022 as part of the GMC lineup. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that GM is working on an offering similar to Jeep's Gladiator pickup, and at least initially, the paper says, the "Hummer" name revival will not extend beyond that model.   The choice to revive Hummer as GMC gives GM flexibility in selling what it projects to be a low-volume model without having to support an entire brand, which would require dealer and service network support, which could potentially prove to be both costly and even legally challenging, as holders of existing franchises would likely want a piece of the action.  GM's choice to shutter the brand in the wake of bankruptcy and restructuring back in 2010 was met with resistance from franchise holders. At the time, Hummer's image of gas-guzzling excess ran afoul of GM's goals to produce affordable hybrid and electric vehicles for the masses.  GM wanted the Chevrolet Volt to be the public face of its future, rather than a V8-powered SUV. Unconfirmed rumors of Hummer's return have been circulating for quite some time. In June of last year, rumblings of an all-electric revival made headlines when GM president Mark Reuss professed his love for the discontinued brand.  While this report is far from official, we won't have to wait long for hard confirmation, as Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has been lined up to front the nameplate's return in a Super Bowl commercial spot. We expect the re-launch will be teased ahead of the NFL championship game on Feb. 2.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Report: GM temporarily restarts Saturn Outlook, Hummer H3 production

Saturn Outlook - Click above for high-res image gallery
Even though both the Saturn and Hummer brands are being phased out, General Motors has reportedly revived production of both the Outlook crossover and H3 SUV to meet consumer demands.
Last month, GM assembled 1,037 Outlooks at its Lansing, Michigan facility, which is where the crossover's Lamda platform stablemates (Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia) are built. A spokesperson for GM states that production was reinstated to utilize the rest of the Saturn-specific material at the facility, and that the automaker will continue to assemble the Outlook for a few more weeks.