The Bob Lutz Exit Interview

Bob Lutz, one of the auto industry's most charismatic executives, has officially retired from the car business, marking the end of a career that included stints at BMW, Chrysler and, finally, General Motors. Popular Mechanics caught up with Lutz at his home in Ann Arbor, Mich., for this exclusive interview.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Bob Lutz
• General Motors
• GM
• Chrysler
• BMW

[KatiePuckrik]

What a hypocritical sack of shite Lutz is! "Free market republican"? Unless it involves bailing out one of the companies he helped screw up, then free market economics can take a back seat.

Overrated and and only stayed in the auto business because of his ill-informed opinions and not because of his business acumen.

[SPQRImperator]

@KatiePuckrik (con't II): If DeLorean or Lutz were CEO, shit would have had a better chance of changing...but as it was, Lutz was only one man. An amazingly compotent executive who did NOT play politics, so he was not given the helm at GM which he rightfully deserved. Leaders LEAD, and people like Whitacare and Wagoner sure were not worth a damn!

Mulally is also a true leader. What he's done for Ford is incalculable. He's turned that company around in short order! Wish I bought it at $2!

[rickerbycourt]

Yes a very astute car guy. The man who killed the Cortina in the UK and decided Ford of Europe should stop focusing on Britain and concentrate on Germany instead. Today FoMoCo build no cars in the UK and have seen their market share more than halved. At the same times the cars are still considered an absolute joke in Germany. Good job Bob.

[TheCarguy974]

Where is BMW 3 series, Dodge Ram, Cadillac CTS, and Chevy Camaro?

[SPQRImperator]

@KatiePuckrik Lutz was responsible for the "cloud cars" at Chrysler in the 90s, which netted the company billions in profits, before Mercedes stole it...He also green-lighter the Viper, which raised the image of the brand. Lutz brought the GTO to market, as well as the Sky/Solstice, and G8...He wasn't CEO, so his decisions were often vetoed, but he did the best he could. If he were CEO and GM went under, I would agree with you, but he was just a chairman.

[KatiePuckrik]

@SPQRImperator I personally don't like Ford or any of their products. But I do concede that Alan Mulally has done wonders for them. THAT's how you turn a car company around. Just like Carlos Ghosn with Nissan, too. Bob Lutz? A big fat failure who was only famous for his poorly thought out concepts.

[KatiePuckrik]

@wspeed657 (cont) I never pinned the blame on him solely I said "he HELPED screw up the company". But he deserves a big chunk of the blame because he was vice-chairman of global product development! GM's products.

[KatiePuckrik]

@wspeed657 "Why does Lutz have to be a free market extremist?" Because the moment you interfere, it's NOT a free market! Otherwise, all businesses will be putting in their request for a bailout on the grounds they'll bring down the country's economy, Telecoms, mining, etc. Also, if failure was already happening, why employ Lutz? I bet if he'd succeeded, he'd be taking the credit. If it fails, it's not my fault, if it succeeds? it's my credit. Story of Lutz's career. It's someone else's fault...

[alexkvaskov]

I'll disagree with him about Nissan - a bland and uninspiring lineup.. much like Toyota.

[wspeed657]

@KatiePuckrik

Why does Lutz have to be a free market extremist? Why is there no grey area? It seems there is no use using facts or common sense with you. You already have your mind made up, and you want to hate and vilify.

I can see you have little understanding of the automotive development world. FAILURE WAS ALREADY HAPPENING before Lutz came. Why are you placing the majority of the blame on him? He helped change the mentality at the businesses he was at. He is product focused not financial.

[SPQRImperator]

@KatiePuckrik (con't II): Oh, and another leader is Lee Iacocca. Man turned shit around in short order as well. Mulally is Iacocca, Part II.