​​GMC Hummer X Concept Celebrates New GM California Design Center​ 

What does it take to create a concept vehicle? Usually, it takes an idea, a vision, lots of imagination and talent, and occasionally, a unique creative environment. On that last point, there are a handful of places in the world where that sort of creative automotive energy flows, and for General Motors, one of those places just opened in Pasadena, CA.  

GM’s new Advanced Design Studio in Pasadena is an extension of a legacy that began at the original design studios in Warren, MI. That Southern California extension has been around for 40 years. However, the new studio is located near one of the most influential automotive design schools in the world. As influential as Hollywood-born GM design icon Harley Earl.  

When it comes to automotive design, Southern California is an inspirational place. The local car culture alone is where ideas come from. These designers take their cues from what they observed across Southern California and create something that reflects that influence in a vehicular form.  

The Pasadena design facility consists of 148,000 square feet of workspace, stretching across three buildings. Inside, roughly 100 designers and engineers work with various media towards creating new products – from clay modeling to immersive digital collaboration. Their focus is on conceptual design studies that look beyond what is current. Some might say, “future forward.” 

The first concept from these studios to be publicly revealed is the new GMC inside the new GMC Hummer X. This is an imagined look at a rock crawling SUV developed on a modular electric platform. GM had four “pillars” in mind when they created this concept: reconfigurability, capacity, community, and sustainability.  

The concept can be configured in various ways through flexible manufacturing technology – or FLEX FAB. This technique enables quick vehicle reconfiguration towards producing on a smaller scale on an on-demand basis. This will require no specialized stamping tools to create multiple designs from the same machines.  

The result is a clean, flat-topped silhouette with radiused edges, laser welded seams and visible precision bolts. No gimmicks, complicated parts, just simply functional. The exterior concept is mirrored with the interior. It opens up to customization of the digital experience by the driver.  

The concept also opens up the possibilities of a personalized ownership experience. The “builder maker” can dictate how they want their Hummer X to look like and how it will function. Part of this is called Hummer Hub, where a series of apps can be utilized to enhance and extend their in-vehicle experiences. 

There is also an emphasis on sustainable materials inside and out the Hummer X, including using recycled mono-materials that replace adhesives with simple, single recyclable items.  

The GMC Hummer X is a look at a future that may be far-fetched, but it could be easily done. However, the ideas we’ve seen in years past can also be seen in today’s Hummer EV lineup. At Sharp GMC the future is today. Contact us to see the possibilities of right now.