Tokyo Auto Salon: Where Have All The HUMMERs Gone
Tokyo Auto Salon HUMMER
The Tokyo Auto Salon is not just a preserve of doe-eyed kawaii girls, and a host of hachi-roku. It also proves that you can’t kill the HUMMER.
Beijing HUMMER
Two years ago, at the Beijing Auto Show, I wondered “ Isn’t HUMMER officially dead?” Back then, someone at a not very official-looking official HUMMER booth assured me not to worry and that “We’ll always have a supply. One way or the other.” Three years later, the endless supply of HUMMERS still lasts.
Haneda Hummer
The night before, at Haneda Airport, a white HUMMER zoomed by. The taxi driver said they are quite common around here, and “popular with celebrities.” So much for the lore that Japanese roads are too small for American cars.
At the Tokyo Auto Salon, more displays of Japan’s affection with HUMMER bruteness. One day, I’ll find the warehouse, stacked with factory-fresh HUMMERS.
Haneda Hummer
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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What exactly are these things being built on? Toyotas? Hinds? Isuzus?
Now that you mention it, I never see them anymore either. At least in South Jersey.