GMC Reveals New Hummer X Concept at Grand Opening of California Design Studio

American automakers may have their roots in the midwest, but their designers frequently pivot to the west coast for inspiration when it comes time to shape the cars and trucks of the future. California is home to many different automotive design studios, and now there’s another: Valley GMC is pleased to inform you that General Motors has officially opened an advanced design studio in Pasadena, California.   

 This isn’t GM’s first foray into designing in the Golden State, or even the metropolitan Los Angeles area. In fact, GM established its first permanent design studio in California back in 1983, opening a small facility in Thousand Oaks. Over the years, these studios played a key role in both producing innovative concept cars and shaping beloved production vehicles like the fourth-gen Camaro and the fifth-gen Corvette.

But GM’s California design connections stretch back even further: Harley Earl, who became the automaker’s first design director in 1927 and helped pioneer the use of clay modeling in automotive design, was born and raised in Hollywood, and initially made a name for himself by customizing cars for movie stars.  

Pasadena, renowned for its beautiful craftsman-style homes set amongst a mountainous backdrop, is now home to a design studio spanning 148,000 square feet across three buildings and is fully equipped for full-scale clay modeling, fabrication, and immersive digital collaboration. It serves as the workplace for approximately 100 team members involved in design, sculpting, fabrication, and artisan disciplines. The primary focus of the studio is on conceptual design studies, aimed at fostering ideation and collaboration throughout the organization, as designers explore beyond existing production programs to envisage future possibilities. It joins GM’s global Advanced Design network, which also includes major studios in Detroit, the UK, and Shanghai, in producing conceptual work intended to help influence future vehicle development. 

“Southern California isn’t just a place where we work, it’s a place of unfiltered inspiration. Film, art, architecture, aerospace, technology and the remarkably diverse topography create an unparalleled canvas of experiences that drives an incredibly unique vehicle culture,” said Bryan Nesbitt, VP of Global Design, GM. “These sources of inspiration influence how our designers see the world to envision what mobility could offer 10 or 20 years into the future, exploring new designs, technology and experiences for GM customers.”  

To demonstrate the work these studios will be handling, GMC leveraged its grand opening to reveal the new Hummer X concepts, which envision a midsize electric off-road SUV and pickup with unrivaled configurability. One can see traces of the Hummer lineage – perhaps notably the former H3 – in its shape and proportion, but that’s where the simularities end. These are EVs, of course, and as GM states, they’re built on four “value pillars:” reconfigurability, capability, community, and sustainability.  They’re also designed to be formidable rock crawlers that could squeeze into places the current Hummer EV models may not fit. 

Reconfigurability relies on FLEX FAB, a flexible manufacturing method that allows quick, small-batch, on-demand production. Similar to 3D printing but for metals, it eliminates the need for specialized stamping tools and supports multiple designs with the same equipment.  The idea is that the owner doesn’t just drive the vehicle but configures it and modifies it to their taste.  

Regarding sustainability, the Hummer X concepts investigates the use of mono-materials—replacing adhesives with snap fits and mechanical fasteners—comprising simple, singular materials intended for complete recyclability. Seatbacks, headrest backs, and instrument panel ends are fabricated from recycled car fascias. Additionally, components are designed for straightforward disassembly, enabling customers to exchange, share, and recirculate them within the community, thereby contributing to a circular economy.  

The Hummer X concepts aren’t designed for production as they currently stand, but there is always a chance they could influence future product planning and development. If nothing else, in today’s SUV-crazy world, the idea of a mid-size Hummer certainly has appeal in and of itself.  

The Pasadena studio will service all GM nameplates. As the concept shows, Hummer has grown far beyond its military roots and is now GM’s platform for new ideas in production, ownership, and product customization. Under the GMC umbrella, Hummer’s current pickup and SUV models are already the boldest EVs on the market. You can see what they can do for you with a visit to Valley GMC.