GM officially opens new Advanced Design Pasadena Studio, reveals GMC HUMMER X truck and SUV concepts
2026-05-28
PASADENA, Calif. — General Motors officially opened its new advanced design studio in Pasadena, California, and marked the occasion with the reveal of the GMC HUMMER X1 concepts, highly reconfigurable mid-size EVs in both truck and SUV form.
The new campus marks the latest chapter in nearly 40 years of GM Design in Southern California, and significantly expands GM's Los Angeles-area footprint into a modern, fully integrated facility purpose-built for the next generation of concept and mobility work.
IMAGE CAPTION: General Motors Advanced Design Pasadena Studio
A New Home for GM's West Coast Design Vision
The Pasadena studio spans 148,000 square feet across three buildings, and is fully equipped for full-size clay modeling, fabrication, and immersive digital collaboration. It is home to about 100 team members spanning design, sculpting, fabrication, and artisan disciplines. The studio’s focus area is on conceptual design studies, which are intended to drive ideation and collaboration across the company, as designers look beyond current production programs to envision “what could be.”
"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."
GM's roots in Southern California run deep. Harley Earl, GM's first design director, appointed in 1927, was born and raised in Hollywood. He got his start building custom cars for movie stars, and went on to pioneer the use of clay modeling in automotive design, a practice still central to the work done at GM and across the industry today.
GM established its first permanent advanced design presence in Southern California in the 1980s. Over the decades, the LA-based studios contributed to boundary-pushing concept work ranging from experimental Corvettes and Camaros to autonomous studies like the Cadillac Halo portfolio.
The Pasadena campus is the next chapter in that legacy and is a key node in GM's global Advanced Design network, which also includes studios in Detroit, the UK, and Shanghai.
Hussein Al Attar has been named the new director of the Pasadena studio, recognized globally for his creativity, curiosity, and commitment to design with real world impact. He succeeds Brian Smith, who returns to the Chevrolet Corvette design team in Michigan after leading the Pasadena studio for four years.
GMC HUMMER X Concept: The Courage to Get Lost
IMAGE CAPTION: GMC HUMMER X Pickup concept
The studio opening was accompanied by the reveal of the GMC HUMMER X, a pickup and SUV concept that reimagines what a vehicle can mean to the people who drive it.
"Every great concept starts with a belief. Ours was this: the courage to get lost leads us to new discoveries," said Brian Smith, outgoing GM Advanced Design Pasadena studio director. "The team rallied around a working mantra of 'Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints,' and let that philosophy guide every decision. That's not just a tagline – it's the design brief."
Born from a collaboration between GM Advanced Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing and the Advanced Design Pasadena studio, the HUMMER X concept, while not intended for production, is a testbed for new technologies, new aesthetics and new ways to build community around adventure, all centered around sustainability.
The HUMMER X concept is envisioned to be a capable rock crawler designed and engineered as a modular platform, and is built around four pillars: reconfigurability, capability, community, and sustainability.
Reconfigurability
HUMMER X concept is designed to be configurable – completely and continuously, made possible by flexible manufacturing technology. FLEX FAB enables fast, small-batch, on-demand production, similar to 3D printing, but for metal: no specialized stamping tools, multiple designs from the same machines.
FLEX FAB unlocked a new HUMMER aesthetic: a clean, flat-topped silhouette with radiused edges, laser-welded seams, and visible precision bolts. Honest, functional, and unmistakably HUMMER.
The cockpit is equally adaptable, with stackable displays that let drivers tailor their digital experience whether they're rock crawling, trail running, or cruising the highway.
Capability
HUMMER X redefines what a mid-size EV can do off-road. A low center of gravity, extreme on-demand acceleration, 35-to-37-inch Goodyear tires, beadlock wheels, Multimatic shocks, removable fender flares, and serious underbody protection give it the capability to take adventurers to places most vehicles simply cannot go.
Community
HUMMER X was designed for what the team calls the "builder maker" – someone who doesn't just drive a vehicle; they build it, modify it, and share it with a community that gets it. To serve that envisioned customer, the Advanced Design Pasadena team conceptualized the HUMMER HUB – a suite of connected apps designed to connect drivers and their vehicles before, during, and after every trip. With the HUMMER HUB, a scout drone can fly ahead on the trail, feed real-time terrain data back to the vehicle, and land and dock itself when not in use.
Sustainability
Every material choice in HUMMER X was made with intention. The concept explores mono-materials – replacing adhesives with snap fits and mechanical fasteners – just simple, single materials that are envisioned to be fully recycled. Seatbacks, headrest backs and instrument panel ends are made from recycled car fascias, and parts are designed for easy disassembly so customers can swap, share, and recirculate them as part of the community experience, helping to create a circular economy. Hidden throughout the concept are a few Easter eggs: the team's mantra is imprinted in Morse code on the floor, and the tire treads spell out "the courage to get lost leads to new discoveries."
1 Not available for sale.
GMC HUMMER X SUV SPECS:
Overall Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 2945.5mm (116”)
Length: 4782.5mm (188.3”)
Height: 1852.6mm (72.9”)
Width: 2032mm (80”)
Approach Angle: 44 Deg.
Departure Angle: 46 Deg.
Breakover Angle: 30.9 Deg.
Ground Clearance: 334.3mm (13.2”)
Flex Fab Percentage: 57%
Tires by Goodyear:
Wheels:
GMC HUMMER X TRUCK SPECS:
Overall Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 3318.6mm (130.7”)
Length: 5264.5mm (207.3”)
Height: 1854.4mm (73.0”)
Width: 2032mm (80”)
Approach Angle: 41.5 Deg.
Departure Angle: 29.7 Deg.
Breakover Angle: 24.9 Deg.
Ground Clearance: 316.7mm (12.5”)
Flex Fab Percentage: 57%
Tires by Goodyear:
Wheels:
PASADENA, Calif. — General Motors officially opened its new advanced design studio in Pasadena, California, and marked the occasion with the reveal of the GMC HUMMER X1 concepts, highly reconfigurable mid-size EVs in both truck and SUV form.
The new campus marks the latest chapter in nearly 40 years of GM Design in Southern California, and significantly expands GM's Los Angeles-area footprint into a modern, fully integrated facility purpose-built for the next generation of concept and mobility work.
General Motors Advanced Design Pasadena Studio
A New Home for GM's West Coast Design Vision
The Pasadena studio spans 148,000 square feet across three buildings, and is fully equipped for full-size clay modeling, fabrication, and immersive digital collaboration. It is home to about 100 team members spanning design, sculpting, fabrication, and artisan disciplines. The studio’s focus area is on conceptual design studies, which are intended to drive ideation and collaboration across the company, as designers look beyond current production programs to envision “what could be.”
"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."
GM's roots in Southern California run deep. Harley Earl, GM's first design director, appointed in 1927, was born and raised in Hollywood. He got his start building custom cars for movie stars, and went on to pioneer the use of clay modeling in automotive design, a practice still central to the work done at GM and across the industry today.
GM established its first permanent advanced design presence in Southern California in the 1980s. Over the decades, the LA-based studios contributed to boundary-pushing concept work ranging from experimental Corvettes and Camaros to autonomous studies like the Cadillac Halo portfolio.
The Pasadena campus is the next chapter in that legacy and is a key node in GM's global Advanced Design network, which also includes studios in Detroit, the UK, and Shanghai.
Hussein Al Attar has been named the new director of the Pasadena studio, recognized globally for his creativity, curiosity, and commitment to design with real world impact. He succeeds Brian Smith, who returns to the Chevrolet Corvette design team in Michigan after leading the Pasadena studio for four years.
GMC HUMMER X Concept: The Courage to Get Lost
GMC HUMMER X Pickup concept
The studio opening was accompanied by the reveal of the GMC HUMMER X, a pickup and SUV concept that reimagines what a vehicle can mean to the people who drive it.
"Every great concept starts with a belief. Ours was this: the courage to get lost leads us to new discoveries," said Brian Smith, outgoing GM Advanced Design Pasadena studio director. "The team rallied around a working mantra of 'Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints,' and let that philosophy guide every decision. That's not just a tagline – it's the design brief."
Born from a collaboration between GM Advanced Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing and the Advanced Design Pasadena studio, the HUMMER X concept, while not intended for production, is a testbed for new technologies, new aesthetics and new ways to build community around adventure, all centered around sustainability.
The HUMMER X concept is envisioned to be a capable rock crawler designed and engineered as a modular platform, and is built around four pillars: reconfigurability, capability, community, and sustainability.
Reconfigurability
HUMMER X concept is designed to be configurable – completely and continuously, made possible by flexible manufacturing technology. FLEX FAB enables fast, small-batch, on-demand production, similar to 3D printing, but for metal: no specialized stamping tools, multiple designs from the same machines.
FLEX FAB unlocked a new HUMMER aesthetic: a clean, flat-topped silhouette with radiused edges, laser-welded seams, and visible precision bolts. Honest, functional, and unmistakably HUMMER.
The cockpit is equally adaptable, with stackable displays that let drivers tailor their digital experience whether they're rock crawling, trail running, or cruising the highway.
HUMMER X redefines what a mid-size EV can do off-road. A low center of gravity, extreme on-demand acceleration, 35-to-37-inch Goodyear tires, beadlock wheels, Multimatic shocks, removable fender flares, and serious underbody protection give it the capability to take adventurers to places most vehicles simply cannot go.
Community
HUMMER X was designed for what the team calls the "builder maker" – someone who doesn't just drive a vehicle; they build it, modify it, and share it with a community that gets it. To serve that envisioned customer, the Advanced Design Pasadena team conceptualized the HUMMER HUB – a suite of connected apps designed to connect drivers and their vehicles before, during, and after every trip. With the HUMMER HUB, a scout drone can fly ahead on the trail, feed real-time terrain data back to the vehicle, and land and dock itself when not in use.
Sustainability
Every material choice in HUMMER X was made with intention. The concept explores mono-materials – replacing adhesives with snap fits and mechanical fasteners – just simple, single materials that are envisioned to be fully recycled. Seatbacks, headrest backs and instrument panel ends are made from recycled car fascias, and parts are designed for easy disassembly so customers can swap, share, and recirculate them as part of the community experience, helping to create a circular economy. Hidden throughout the concept are a few Easter eggs: the team's mantra is imprinted in Morse code on the floor, and the tire treads spell out "the courage to get lost leads to new discoveries."
1Not available for sale.
GMC HUMMER X SUV SPECS:
- Overall Dimensions:
- Wheelbase: 2945.5mm (116”)
- Length: 4782.5mm (188.3”)
- Height: 1852.6mm (72.9”)
- Width: 2032mm (80”)
- Approach Angle: 44 Deg.
- Departure Angle: 46 Deg.
- Breakover Angle: 30.9 Deg.
- Ground Clearance: 334.3mm (13.2”)
- Flex Fab Percentage: 57%
- Tires by Goodyear:
- Rock: 315/75R18 x 9, OD 37”
- Wheels:
- 18" Aluminum with accent inserts
GMC HUMMER X TRUCK SPECS:
- Overall Dimensions:
- Wheelbase: 3318.6mm (130.7”)
- Length: 5264.5mm (207.3”)
- Height: 1854.4mm (73.0”)
- Width: 2032mm (80”)
- Approach Angle: 41.5 Deg.
- Departure Angle: 29.7 Deg.
- Breakover Angle: 24.9 Deg.
- Ground Clearance: 316.7mm (12.5”)
- Flex Fab Percentage: 57%
- Tires by Goodyear:
- Street: 305/55R22 x 9.5, OD 35”
- Wheels:
- 22" Aluminum with accent inserts
