Ding Dong the Hummer's Dead!

Alright it's not dead, but it's looking refreshingly moribund.

We were absolutely thrilled today to learn that GM is considering ditching the Hummer brand. CEO Rick Wagoner said GM is "undertaking a strategic review of the Hummer brand, to determine its fit with GM's evolving product portfolio" in light of changing market conditions.

Dear Rick: we'd like to suggest you go a step further and acknowledge that the Hummer was an anachronistic tragedy whose time has come to disappear from the face of the Earth. (Or at least it should be removed from the consumer realm; we don't feel qualified to comment on its military utility.)

Should Americans really drive a vehicle that weighs 8,600 pounds and gets less than 16 miles per gallon? We think not, and hope that sagging sales and $4 gas will show you that the Hummer needs to go to the Big Auto Graveyard in the Sky.

To be fair, we are thrilled that General Motors Corp.'s board approved the production of the Chevrolet Volt, and the company plans to release the plug-in electric car by the end of 2010. The Volt will be able to drive about 40 miles without the use of any gas. A small engine would recharge the vehicle, and allow it to reach 150 miles per gallon. GM has said they plan to sell about 100,000 Volts a year by 2012. Learn more about the Volt announcement here.

Welcome to the 21st Century, GM! Doesn't it feel good?