PREMiERdrum Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 General Motors is reportedly looking to re-hire none other than Bob Lutz as a consultant to vehicle development. Lutz, 79, left GM in May of 2010 after leading the company's product development efforts for many years. The push to rehire Lutz reportedly comes from GM CEO Dan Akerson's initiative to rush development and reduce cost of its new crop of vehicles. The United States government, which currently owns one-third of GM, has apparently opposed Lutz's re-appointment, with The Daily Beast saying that the U.S. Treasury is reluctant to re-hire Lutz on the grounds that paying him so close to his retirement could look like a "sweetheart payout." GM recently promoted Mary Barra, 49, to senior vice president in charge of global product development, even though she has very little experience in the field. By bringing Lutz back, GM hopes to regain an intelligent eye into strategies for quick product development, as well as marketing and design. LINK - AutoBlog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted February 15, 2011 Author Share Posted February 15, 2011 And from JALOPNIK Former General Motors product czar "Maximum" Bob Lutz left the company last year, but new GM CEO Dan Akerson's been trying to get him back. The only thing standing in his way according to The Daily Beast is the U.S. Treasury Department, which fears the move could be perceived as a golden parachute. The U.S. Treasury has opposed Lutz's appointment on the grounds that, since he left the company last May, paying him so close to his retirement could look like a sweetheart payout. The government could soften its opposition in three months, once a year has passed since Lutz's retirement. If an agreement is reached with Lutz, GM would gain access to his considerable experience developing vehicles. In any event, the U.S., which owns a third of GM, aims to sell its shares as soon as possible, which would remove GM from the government's purview. Since May various GM executives, including Akerson, have been calling Lutz to pick his brain. Should he return, perhaps devoting a day a week to the automaker, he could be helpful in product development, as well as design and marketing. Lutz is currently advising Lotus, but as the man behind almost all of the GM products enthusiasts love, it seems like a nice fit. Maybe someone should remind the bureaucrats at the Treasury it's a good thing when GM builds cars people want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomServo92 Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Hey, GM Is getting the band back together for the "Bailout Renunion Tour". It's going to be a helluva show! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 What could Lutz do, as a consultant, to speed product development? Send emails? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Hey, GM Is getting the band back together for the "Bailout Renunion Tour". It's going to be a helluva show! GROUPIE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
156n3rd Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 How can anyone take this company seriously? Groundhog Day anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomServo92 Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 (edited) What could Lutz do, as a consultant, to speed product development? Send emails? Yeah but he'd send the HELL out of them! Edited February 16, 2011 by TomServo92 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomcat68 Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 "Hey guys, I'm back. I'll just pick up where I left off. Make a Holden Impala for Chevy, Opels for Buicks... Uh no Holden Chevy... Wait... Yes. I'll smoke a cigar um... no Holden Chevy except for police cars, stuff a pushrod V-8 in the Sonic and come out with a Holden Chevy..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I'm not so sure they need him - his plan is still being used it seems..... Y'all know - this one: Step 1 - Import Opels Step 2 - ???? Step 3 - Profit $$$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aneekr Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Law #8 in Mr. Lutz' book: When You Inherit a Really Big Rat’s Nest, Don’t Try to Lure Them Out with Food. Use a Flamethrower! 'Nuff said... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Lutz is the anti-Deming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydro Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Hey, GM Is getting the band back together for the "Bailout Renunion Tour". It's going to be a helluva show! :banana piano: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grbeck Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Maybe Chrysler can now bring back Lee Iacocca. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark B. Morrow Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 (edited) D.J. #1: Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget to bring Lutz back 'cause we don't have any product direction out there today. D.J. #2: We didn't have any product direction the last Lutz time was here. What is this, Ford? D.J. #1: Not hardly. And you know, you can expect, on again - off again product announcements combined with paralyzing indecision with that, you know, that, uh, that vision thing. D.J. #2: [mockingly] That vision - thing. That vision- thing. Oh, well, here's the report! Rebadge every Opel and take failed Pontiacs from Australia and slap Chevy Bowties on them for a "big vision thing!" D.J. #1: Yessss, they are. But you know, there's another reason why today is especially exciting. D.J. #2: Especially bold! D.J. #1: Especially bold, okay, but the big question on everybody's lips... D.J. #2: - On their butt kissing lips... D.J. #1: - On their butt kissing lips, right: Do ya think Lutz is gonna come out and see his shadow? D.J. #2: Maximum Bob Lutz! D.J. #1: That's right, GMers - it's... D.J. #1, D.J. #2: [in unison] GROUNDHOG DAY! Edited February 16, 2011 by Mark B. Morrow 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 The responses to this news on a couple of the GM sites I visited today was somewhat disturbing. You would think Lutz was ol J.C. Himself the way some of them are praising him. I just don't get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 The responses to this news on a couple of the GM sites I visited today was somewhat disturbing. You would think Lutz was ol J.C. Himself the way some of them are praising him. I just don't get it. I've been quietly watching this happen, too. There's a few guys over at GMI who think this shows that GM management is simply out of ideas, but the vast majority are foaming "fire Akerson!" " Bring back the Commodore!" "Nomad RWD Wagon!" "Pontiac will live again!" It's sad. Ford brings in somebody who rebuilds the corporate culture from top to bottom, and completely changes the way the organization's product planning model. GM shuffles through a few old friends and board members in the top spot, and then tries to bring back the man who was behind some of their biggest money losers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 (edited) What's different is that Ford's culture was primed to change. There was a sense at Ford that change was necessary. What Ford needed was a CEO that could clearly lead that initiative. Be it the poor response to the Firestone mess, the squandering of profits, or the catastrophic decline in quality, it wasn't hard to see that Ford had problems as early as 2000/2001. Unlike GM, Ford--from the start--looked for issues that it could address internally to correct these problems. This started some years before Mulally was brought on board. While Ford struggled through several restructurings in an effort to solve structural and cultural issues, GM soldiered on--deflecting all cultural and structural questions by making reference to 'currency manipulation', 'disparity in labor costs', 'viagra for retirees', and so on and so forth. Even as it went bankrupt, there was surprisingly little introspection that I could see among GM execs. Yes, they ran a mawkish 'mea culpa' campaign for a few months, but the evidence on the dealers' lots belied their claim to have changed. Edited February 16, 2011 by RichardJensen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 So any bets it takes till GM goes into receivership again? This is downright pathetic....hopefully next time around they'll let GM die or get broken up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 (edited) FUCK YEAH!!!!! He is back....just in time!! Edited February 17, 2011 by twintornados Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grbeck Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 D.J. #1: Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget to bring Lutz back 'cause we don't have any product direction out there today. D.J. #2: We didn't have any product direction the last Lutz time was here. What is this, Ford? D.J. #1: Not hardly. And you know, you can expect, on again - off again product announcements combined with paralyzing indecision with that, you know, that, uh, that vision thing. D.J. #2: [mockingly] That vision - thing. That vision- thing. Oh, well, here's the report! Rebadge every Opel and take failed Pontiacs from Australia and slap Chevy Bowties on them for a "big vision thing!" D.J. #1: Yessss, they are. But you know, there's another reason why today is especially exciting. D.J. #2: Especially bold! D.J. #1: Especially bold, okay, but the big question on everybody's lips... D.J. #2: - On their butt kissing lips... D.J. #1: - On their butt kissing lips, right: Do ya think Lutz is gonna come out and see his shadow? D.J. #2: Maximum Bob Lutz! D.J. #1: That's right, GMers - it's... D.J. #1, D.J. #2: [in unison] GROUNDHOG DAY! Excellent! The scary part, however, is that it may not be that far from the truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vista Blur Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 (edited) How can anyone take this company seriously? Groundhog Day anyone? My thoughts exactly, why bring people back who helped contribute to the near death of a company. What GM needs is a fresh perspective from new blood who loves their products and understands their history and legacy. imo this guy is a dinosaur, his way of thinking and doing business are outdated. I'm not so sure they need him - his plan is still being used it seems..... Y'all know - this one: Step 1 - Import Opels Step 2 - ???? Step 3 - Profit $$$ Step 2 is where the magic happens Hey, GM Is getting the band back together for the "Bailout Renunion Tour". It's going to be a helluva show! Comedic gold, well done. :lol: Edited February 23, 2011 by Vista Blur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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