General Motors is serious about satellite radio, and the amount of nameplates that offer standard XM is growing all the time. Previously, GM made XM standard on all Cadillacs, and now the subscription radio service will also be available for all new Buick, HUMMER, and Saab models as well. The move enlarges XM’s customer base while also giving new-car drivers a chance to test the technology for three months free of charge. Of course, after the gratis period runs out, those drivers are free to become former XM customers, but by then, the hope would be that they’re so in love with the service that they simply renew and keep it going. There are now 50 GM products with standard XM, and six million XM-equipped vehicles have been built by the General since 2001.

[Source: GM]

Germany’s GeigerCars has an affinity for American metal, and is unafraid to go to wacky extremes in its efforts to create its customized whips. Often, HUMMER provides the canvas for these tuners with dubs on their brains, and the arrival of the V8-powered H3 Alpha has inspired them to whip up a new ground pounder. The result is the HUMMER H3 GT you see here. An engine tune, new intake, and sport exhaust (note the dual outlets in back) boost the Alpha’s numbers to 335 horsepower and 323 lb-ft of torque. The rig is also dropped, given uprated brakes and a set of 23″ rims. The windows get the blackout treatment, as do the taillamps and markers in front. Finally, the bodywork is given a monochrome finish accented with a racing stripe in whatever color the owner chooses. On the green tip, GeigerCars can also rig the H3 to run on natural gas, reducing emissions up to 20%. It’s all laid out in the press release after the jump. You see? The Germans know how to roll with mad flavor, too.

[Source: AutoBlog]