Bob Lutz May Retire Soon
Filed Under: Corporate/Financial Green General Motors Chevrolet Pontiac
Robert A. Lutz, one of the longest standing automotive industry executives, is planning on retiring from General Motors once the company begins production of a publicly available plug-in electric car. This could happen as early as 2010, Lutz said yesterday.
According to the Associated Press, the 75-year-old vice chairman for GM's global product development is currently overseeing the progress of the Chevrolet Volt. GM hopes the Volt will become the first mainstream electric sedan recharged by a common electrical outlet.
A driveable version of the Volt is expected out of prototype by June 2008. "I'd like to see the Volt launched because I think that is an absolutely critical product," Lutz told the AP.
GM hired Lutz in September, 2001, and he has receive the lion's share of the credit for stemming the tide of financial losses taken on by the General. GM lost $12 billion over two years, and had looked to be in the beginning phase of a recovery before 2007 began. Now, the company's sales are down 6.1% for the first 11 months of the year.
Lutz previously presided over Chrysler, where he ushered in the Dodge Viper and the Plymouth Prowler. He also oversaw early development of the Ford Explorer when he was a vice president there, and he was involved in the creation of the BMW 3-Series.
No retirement date has actually been set, and insiders figured the Swiss-born Lutz would continue working as long as he was healthy.
Lutz has been a positive influence at every car maker he worked for...He was a godsend for GM and should be credited with being the driving force behind their turnaround and recovery...for the first time in decades GM has cars we want to drive from both a design & engineering standpoint.
GM hired Lutz in September, 2001, and he has receive the lion's share of the credit for stemming the tide of financial losses taken on by the General. GM lost $12 billion over two years, and had looked to be in the beginning phase of a recovery before 2007 began. Now, the company's sales are down 6.1% for the first 11 months of the year.
Lutz previously presided over Chrysler, where he ushered in the Dodge Viper and the Plymouth Prowler.
Doesn't seem like what you say is accurate, he seems to have worked for all the companies that have suffered great losses under his management. And, personally i don't see a single car in the GM line up i would drive.
You are funny...not. Evidently you don't even remember that in the late 90s Chrysler was the most profitable automaker in the world and Bob Lutz was Chrysler's President. Lutz initiated or participated in the development and launch of the Ford Explorer, BMW's iconic 3 series, the Dodge Viper, The Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky and even the pedestrian LH platform cars for Chrysler. I am not arguing with you as your comments show merely your personal bias and are not related to facts or substance and your comments concerning Lutz are simply wrong. I am beginning to doubt that you have a driver's license at all as you must be blind if you do not want to drive the new Cadillac CTS, the Corvette or the Solstice/Sky roadsters. My problem is with your first comment which slams Lutz and is simply inaccurate. I own a german car and one of the major reasons in german engineering but that does not mean they are the only capable choices for executives at an automaker. No doubt considering your twisted and myopic view of the auto industry you would rather have Jurgen Schremp or Ferdinand Piech...2 recent examples of german automaker executives with competency and degrees...that like you also did not see things correctly and always believed they were right... DaimlerChrysler shares rose 10 percent when Schremp left...and for Dr. Piech, how can we forget the VW Phaeton, the $ 100,000+ people cars... lol ...and the disaster when Piech announced he had bought the Rolls Royce & Bentley brands only to have Rolls Royce slip through his hands into the BMW ownership. I have to go now as I think I have had as much fun as possible with you and still remain in good taste. There is an old american saying: Don't bring a knife to a gun-fight. Radmeister you not only brought a knife to this fight...it was a rusty knife at that... lol
I would drive the Sky and vette, would i buy them probably not. There is nothing special about them, personal taste. I much rather spend 90,000$ on a 1997 911 Turbo than a 2007 Z06. As for the CTS i prefer the Infinity G35. Each to his own, i don't see how you arrived at the conclusion that i do not have a driver's license because i do not have the same taste in cars as you.
Good maybe they will hire someone with some competentcy. Preferably german and with an engineering degree.