HUMMER H2 production suspended

General Motors and AM General have announced that 200 workers at the Mishawaka, Indiana, plant where the HUMMER H2 and military versions of the HMMWV are assembled will be temporarily laid off until at least March. All of the affected workers assemble civilian HUMMERS, though it's rumored that the company may move some of these displaced employees to the military side of the operation.

This round of cuts can be attributed to slow sales of large, fuel-thirsty SUVs in general and the aging H2 in particular. AM General spokesperson Craig Mac Nab was quoted as saying, "Nobody knows what's going to happen with the H2 plant." In fact, nobody at either company is talking about when these employees may be called back or when H2 production will resume, leading some of us to wonder if it will pick back up at all.

GM seeking Chinese suitor for HUMMER?

The continual grousing over fuel prices has earned the HUMMER brand a place on consumers' fecal roster. There's nothing wrong with what HUMMER has on offer, other than the fact that large, off-road capable trucks make terrible commuter cars, and the idiots misusing their H2s for tasks better suited to Cobalts are finally wising up. This re-thinking of emetic consumption has sent HUMMER sales down the sewer, and with no end in sight, GM is seriously considering selling the brand to stanch the cash bleed.

China is a huge emerging market for General Motors – Buick is big there, for example. As such, GM's Fritz Henderson has indicated its willingness to hold discussions with any Chinese company interested in buying the division. It's not like HUMMER is a brand with lots of history, anyway. Only the H1 had any legitimate claim to military lineage, and that vehicle hasn't been available for a while. The survival of the brand in the U.S. market may hinge on competing more directly with the Jeep Wrangler, regardless of ownership. The same way as Jaguar and Land Rover are a handy entre into serious carmaking for Tata, HUMMER could be a way for Chinese automakers to crack the U.S. market.

New Ford unveils Harley-Davidson F-150

Flush from the news that its F-150 pickup performed markedly better than many of its primary competitors in a new series of IIHS side-impact crash tests, Ford has rolled out its latest larger-than-life Harley-Davidson model.

Outside of the appearance items, the HD is essentially a Platinum Edition F-Series in motorcycle leathers, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Available in either Lava (dark maroon) or Tuxedo Black, the Harley looks very aggressive in the metal – and the effect is not just a function of scale. The bold six-bar grille and 22-inch Harley-branded polished/painted alloys clearly set it apart as a distinct model from other F-Series pickups, and Ford has also slathered the pickup in oversized emblems and strange red "swoosh" marks on the rocker panels. While we could do without the latter flourishes, the truck still strikes us as particularly good-looking in Lava.

Ford's 14th Harley-branded product also has a seriously dolled-up interior that is likewise not for introverts. The prevailing theme behind the cabin's styling is that of a Harley biker jacket, and the materials, color choices, and the gigantic badges on the seats and center console (including a serialized plate) are unsubtle but appropriate.

Stop by AmericanTrucks.com and check out their large selection of F150 Accessories.

Ferrari F1 going racing with... Tata Motors?

An historic event will take place at the start of the 2009 Formula 1 season as Italian Ferrari grand prix cars will be emblazoned with the logos of an Indian automaker for the first time ever. Tata Motors, a subsidiary of the Tata Group, has purchased rights to sponsor Ferrari's F1 racing efforts. Details of the duration and the dollar amount have yet to be revealed. This isn't the first time Tata has been involved with F1, however. A few years back, it was a sponsor of both Jordan and Williams' F1 efforts.

The partnership is not as left-field as it might initially seem, as Fiat (which owns the Prancing Horse) has a few joint ventures with the Indian automaker. Ferrari, being a very small manufacturer of roadgoing supercars, requires sponsorships such as this to continue racing in such expensive series as Formula 1. For Tata, placing its corporate logos on Ferrari race cars outwardly associates them with one of the most prestigious marques in the world, a move they doubtlessly see as key in their push to become a global automotive force.

First factory-built Fisker Karma hits the stage

Staying true to its concept form, the factory-built Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid that hit the stage at the Paris Motor Show retains the concept's massive 22-inch wheels (Fisker says it'll be the first production car equipped with standard 22s), sensuous styling, 403-plus horsepower rating and the company's promise of achieving 100-plus miles per gallon in regular use. So, what's exactly different about the factory-built version? Well, the most notable exterior modification is the addition of a (blacked-out) B-pillar, which was apparently required to increase the vehicle's structural rigidity.

Aside from the added pillar, we can't really pick out any differences between the gorgeous concept that we laid eyes on a few years ago and this production-ready version that hit the stage in Paris. Fisker still lists a base price of $88,000 and anticipates that deliveries will begin early next year, or so it says. We hope to get up close and personal with the Karma at the upcoming LA Auto Show

New Ferrari crafts a dozen 599 HGTE specials for China

It wasn't so long ago that the idea of seeing an exotic Italian sportscar in mainland China was as much an anathema as a Chinese car in America. But the times, as one Mr. Dylan sang, they are a-changin.' Today, China is one of Ferrari's most important markets, where the red Prancing Horse shares the streets with the Red Dragon. To mark that relationship, Ferrari has announced a special edition exclusively for the Chinese market.

Based on the 599 GTB Fiorano with the company's new Handling GTE package, the China Limited Edition has been updated with special touches designed by Chinese artist Lu Hao: the starter button glows jade green, the tachometer features ancient Chinese characters instead of the usual numerals, and the luggage is emblazoned with a map of the Silk Road taken by the famous Italian explorer Marco Polo. The Rosso Fuoco paintjob with the gray roof mimics the 599XX, and only a dozen examples will be made – with over a billion people in the market, we're betting they'll be snapped up fast.

Ferrari 458 Italia price emerges at $240,000 in alleged leaked document

Dreaming of getting your hands on Ferrari's upcoming 458 Italia? You'd better know what you're getting yourself into, and this is our first real indication. Stemming from a supposedly leaked price sheet, the new V8 supercar will start in Europe at €162,900, before any taxes are taken into account. At today's exchange rates, that figures to about $240,000 – around halfway between the price of the outgoing F430 and the 430 Scuderia.

Of course, that's not an official figure – Ferrari North America has yet to confirm pricing for the U.S. market – and the long list of options amply demonstrates that the $240k starting price is exactly that: a starting price. On to that you can add leather everything, special paint finishes, upgraded wheels and more – most if not all of which you can already check out in the online configurator we reported on recently.

Click the thumbnails below to view the leaked document in Dutch and the translated one next to it – and note that the British pricing is a rough conversion, not an official figures.