Tengzhong to complete Hummer deal by October, keep U.S. production

Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery, the surprise bidder for General Motors Corp’s Hummer brand, said on Sunday the deal should be complete by October.

According to Tengzhong general manager Yang Yi, the company has no plans to take Hummer technology or equipment from the U.S. to China, meaning that the truck brand's offerings should remain North American produced for the foreseeable future.

It’s concerned that Tengzhong will have difficulty in meeting the country’s tough new fuel economy measures. But Yang Yi said　"We want to make a green Hummer," he said. "We think the Hummer has huge potential in emerging markets."

To comply with the 2016 fleet-wide 35.5mpg standard, Taylor confirmed that there will be some product changes. "You'll see a broader lineup. That means more models and alternative powertrains that meet the federal regulations," he explained. One of these new models could be an entry-level H4, which has been speculated on since 2007.

Taylor also revealed that Tengzhong will retain Hummer’s 150 U.S. dealerships. The deal is expected to secure more than 3,000 U.S. jobs in manufacturing, engineering and at Hummer dealerships around the country.

Tengzhong plans to keep the current Hummer management team on board to make sure the products live up to the Hummer standard for quality and design. But it’s unclear if the company will base its headquarters in the U.S. or China. No matter what, "There will not be a China Hummer and a U.S. Hummer," said Yang. "There is only one Hummer."