GM looks for the best, says Lutz
During his four-decade career in the auto industry, Bob Lutz has worked for Chrysler, Ford, BMW and GM Europe.
With General Motors Corp. since 2001, he has been the driving force behind the shift in thinking at the carmaker that has led to some notable recent successes like the new Malibu and the Cadillac CTS.
The 75-year-old Lutz, who is vice-chair of product development for GM, says he spends too much of his time down in the depths of automotive design. The purpose was simple: fit, finish and quality control.
Lutz and his crew dissected the competition, "learning" to improve trim quality on the next-generation GM vehicles like the HHR SS.
He admits the company has struggled the last five years and he vows to "aim beyond the competition" now.
Recapturing the success GM had in the 1950s and 1960s will not be easy, Lutz knows. But an all-out attempt is what is expected of one of the globe's leading car companies, he stresses.
The HHR SS, the Chevy Silverado and the new Malibu are the latest products to benefit.
Lutz will retire one day, just not any time soon, he says, denying some recent rumours to the contrary.
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