Sharpening Focus
By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman
In case you missed it yesterday, GM Chairman Rick Wagoner announced some organizational changes that are going to help GM move even closer to operating as one truly global auto company, instead of four quasi-independent regional ones.
Rick is taking over GM’s North American operations himself; I will focus 100 percent of my time on my role as the head of global product development; and Gary Cowger will focus 100 percent of his time on his role as the head of global manufacturing and labor relations.
I suggested to Rick recently that I relinquish my title of chairman of GM North America so that I could concentrate entirely on the development of our new cars and trucks for all our global markets. I just couldn’t do that job the way it should be done while also having responsibility for GMNA.
And so we have gotten another step closer to doing things the way a successful global automaker should be doing them. We have now globalized engineering, design, procurement, information systems and manufacturing, with global operating and capital budgets.
It’s good for the company, and good for me. I can now direct my full energies to the area where I can make the biggest difference. I expected headlines along the lines of “Lutz and Cowger moved aside as GM slides.” Such spin misses the point, but bothers me not at all.
Thanks for your feedback, and keep watching this space for more on our new vehicles.
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Mr. Lutz,
Finally the right decision has been made regarding yourself in relation to automotive design, not only in North America but in the entire GM world.
This leads me to believe that you will no longer have to put up with bean counters and the like, since you will be the #1 guy of global product development which is something very good for GM supporters.
Thanks for holding off on retirement for at least a few more years.
As a stockholder and former GM engineer, it’s good to see you able to focus on new development. You definitely have a knack for performance vehicles! Hopefully there will be other new concepts in the future product mix (one hope: peppy affordable hybrids).
Fingers crossed that Chairman Wagoner will find time to strengthen the other two parts of GM’s “customer experience”;
Sales, which remains mostly persian bazzar and distinctly unpleasant.
Service, a hodge podge of operations, many of which are badly trained and do abysmal work ( thought: to help techs do the best work, how about some _major_ rewards or incentives ? ).
I hope this means that you will be devoting more time to pushing “gotta-have” cars through GM’s bureaucracy. With the pendulum swinging sharply towards the “one company” philosophy, I would have thought that GM would be in a better position to situate its brands in a way where each has a unique identity and differentiated products that do not cannibalize each other’s sales. However, I am still seeing terrible re-branding jobs that are just puzzling.
The upcoming redesign of the Cadillac CTS is a great opportunity for General Motors to challenge everyone’s perceptions: please don’t mess it up. It is important because the BMW three series is the darling of so many automotive writers (good and bad) out there. It is important because this is the type of car that is driven by many people in the position to influence public opinion about GM’s products. It is important because it is one of the few semi-affordable rear wheel drive sporty cars that GM makes that can be someone’s only car. It is important because the CTS has already begun to create a good name for itself and the new one has to be that much better. Make this car better than the BMW 3 series or new Lexus IS in every way and you will regain the respect of a large chunk of the population.
Please do not imitate the uninspired interior design of the new DTS and the BLS. The Lexus IS 350 offers an interior that is almost as nice as the Cadillac XLR in the entry level car for the brand. Every detail must be superior. Also, I would actually like to see the car a bit smaller and lighter than the current CTS (as long as it maximizes the interior space). This is the car I want to drive.
Mr Wagoner, Mr Lutz, Mr Cowger,
Sharpening the Focus I hope also means using the steal ans sharpening the cleaver. If GM could focus more on fewer models, it will be better off.
As far as production & labor costs, this is where you ae going to have to do your best work and lay the case out to the unions. Make the case to the American people if you need. But remember what you cut at the bottom you should cut at the top. Equal the playing field, your exec team and board should have the same benefits & bonus structure as rank and files. If you do already then bravo, if you don’t then shame. Bring outsourced manufacturing back under new smaller companies. You guys can do this, GM is gonna be smaller but stronger.
Bob,
Wishing you well with the redefined duties. I hope there’s something good in all this for us Saabophiles.
I hope Mr Wagoner can do something with the labor costs. Seems like a big noose around the neck of the company.
Now stop reading this and get back to work!!
A reorganization plan that makes sense…and long overdue.
OK, Bob. Thanks for the update.
This morning, I commented on the changes at GM and wondered if we’d hear Bob Lutz’s take on them. Well, we have. Here’s what I like about this. Forget your feelings about whether or not GM can turn things around
Mr. Lutz,
Good luck on your new job assingment. GM has to go global to compete with the competitors so lets hope for some great success.
I also think that GMNA has way to many models. I realize that all the dealers want the hot selling models but can GM surrive doing business this way? GM needs to combine Buick/Pontiac/Saturn dealerships and eliminate duplicate models. Chevrolet would have the base models and the BPS dealerships would sell upper level models. Cadillac would have the premium cars. And how much money would GM save if it only had to track parts for two minivans (sorry those are not crossover vehicles) instead of four?
Since styling is your game I want to put in my two cents in. GMNA vehicles still need help. We’ve got to get that big hunk of chrome off that runs from lamp to lamp off the front and rear of the Chevrolets. Looks like something from JC Whitney. The Colorado headlamp and grille looks like it is on upside down. And what is with those strange shaped fender extensions on that truck. really looks bad with a white truck and black extensions. The Malibu is just plane homely. The Uplander has what I call a Jimmy Durante nose. No wonder I don’t see those on the road. G6 and GTO have jellybean styling, no distinctive shape at all. Saturns have never caught my eye.
The cars with styling I like are the Corvette (except for that little JC Whitney rear spoiler), CTS, STS, Silverado, Sierra, Vibe (which is what I drive), Lucerne, Impala, Monte Carlo,
XLR and Hummer.
OK there is my two cents worth. Thanks for your time.
stingray427435
Mr. Lutz,
When the news broke that you and Cowger were being moved to a global position, many people on a favorite GM website of mine thought it was a demotion of sorts, i knew differently. I am pleased that you are in a better position to bring the best possible products to market worldwide for GM, many of us are rooting for you guys.
Mr. Lutz:
My understanding is that a company like Toyota or Honda can launch a gotta have vehicle from concept to production in as short as 18-24 months.
How does GM compare with the competition in this regard? And with all its resources and talent, what prevents GM from delivering gotta have vehicles?
Saab news snippets
Congratulations to GM on a wise move – and now I have a question for GM’s new Head of Global Product Development: will Australia ever see a RHD version of the 9-2x?
Mr. Lutz,
I think we need definitely need more product guys at the top of our industry, and fewer finance guys. We need better cars, not more accurate bean counts!
Hi Bob,
Please show us the way GM cars should be designed. A brand is a nice thing, make each car the best it is supposed to be in each segment by looking ahead of current designs and create a revolution, not the current evolution with “brand characteristics” or “brand DNA”. Make the product the BEST in class. Best power trains. Best interiors. Be bold and smart. Right now you have a bunch of decent cars that everyone does not notice on the street. The only brands that stand out are Cadillac, Hummer, and the Chevrolet Corvette. Why don’t we get the S3X? That is a very cool looking product that hits at the heart of the North American market. I know we have the Equinox, VUE, and soon the Torrent… but the S3X is the best looking product out of the 3. It is being built on the same platform, but for Europe? Is this what a redesigned Equinox will look like? I hope so. Oh, and Suzuki gets one as well, and it looks as good as the S3X… why do we get the boring stuff? The Torrent is a badge engineering job with a little starch in its suspension. Do more. Can anyone say 3.6L DOHC?
I think your revised job description is a good move. As a CNC Lathe machinist, I know what it means to be spread too thin by working on multiple projects. Focusing on just one aspect of the business will allow you to keep your eye on the goal without unrelated distractions limiting your potential. I know you are a car guy. Build me something comparable to a Mustang/GTO/G35 coupe and my money is yours. I’ve always thought GM interiors were the most comfortable and ergonomic available. Add some looks, and you can’t be beat.
BTW, I have no desire to own any type of truck….
Bob,
I’ve owned a CTS-V for 6 months and believe it is one of the best cars available for the money. I done a few “mods” to personalize it and can’t be more pleased.
I think this is exactly the right move. The quality of GM’s cars has improved vastly over the past decade but the public’s perception hasn’t caught up to that change. In order to drive that awareness forward, GM has to create and style cars that people have “gotta have.” That will put people in the seats where they’ll experience the quality firsthand. And that is what it will take for GM to reverse its current predicament. I know because my wife and I bought a 2004 Impala to go along with our 1999 Toyota Corolla and we’re extremely pleased with our new car. GM must now go after others like us.
Since everyone is talking about the next generation CTS, how ’bout a sporty coupe variant to compete w/ the G35 coupe, 3-series coupe, and new IS coupe? It would help Cadillac’s appeal to younger buyers like myself. BTW, the new Cadillac coupe supercar featured in Motortrend looks phenomenal! Nice work.
I hope that you can in your design get some methonal fuel cell systems in concept soon. Methanol seems to be the best way to go to a hydrogen economy and not have to rebuild our infrastructure, but no one appears to be persuing it. If we could get to a flexible fuel vehicle that could run 100% methanol and change over to methanol like the change over from leaded gasoline, then it would be simple to inline fuel cell vehicles using methanol fuel with an existing infrastructure. It also fixes all of the downsides to hydrogen (storage, transport etc.). It would also allow us to be oil independent to a larger degree than hybrids since methanol can be produced from many different fuels.
Methanol can also be produced from hydrogen and carbon dioxide in a catalytic reaction which could answer the global warming crowd. This would be a better technical bridge to a zero emission vehicle than hybrids are; That would be a good marketing coup to be in front of.
Mr. Lutz -
I am inspired by the recent moves and filled with a renewed sense of hope for what is, in my opinion, the greatest manufacturing corporation that the world has ever seen.
The evolution of the vehicle industry over the past 100 years has been nothing short of amazing. It is not difficult to see how easy it has been for foreign competetors to sit in the “cat-bird seat” and analyze all the things that GM and other domestic manufacturers have had to discover through trial and error. It is easy to build a “better” mousetrap once one already exists.
The challenge for GM will be to analyze what the foreign competetors are lacking and capitalize on that. I believe the lack of passion for the automobile may be a serious Achille’s Heel for foreign automakers, and who better to rein in automotive passion than Mr. Bob Lutz?
We Americans are filled with desire for the nostalgic, and I have heard too many times, “What ever happened to the Great American Automobile?” This is what we yearn for – let us “See the USA in our Chevrolet” – but please don’t feed us yet another another ugly, overpriced, understyled product and expect us to embrace it. As exhibited by the current state of GM sales, you can see that your consumer has too many other choices and will not settle for mediocrity.
You have a mighty job ahead of you – as does Mr. Cowger in dealing with the spiraling cost of supporting an active and retired workforce – but your reputation of success has not come without merit, so I have faith that you can acheive great things. Please pull out all the stops and do whatever possible – and by whatever means necessary – to restore the brilliance to what is possibly the last great example of American industry. Best of luck to you…
Maybe we should pull all design & engineering back in-house.
Bob, As long as Rick doesn’t pull the life support on current projects that we are still holding our breath for life can be good. I’m talking right now about the G6 retractable (with GTP version), the Grand Prix GXP, and the continuation of the Kappa platform from Solstice to Sky and beyond. The last thing in the world he should do is immediately raise the pricing of the Sol after introduction. Yes, it’s a sub 20k roadster if you get it plain, but still approaches 25k when optioned out. If it creeps up too high any initial sales momentum will vanish. Of course it could be under the right circumstances a global product, so maybe you still have a hand.
Global direction should be towards more shared platforms and technology and thereby should result in for example the ability to build a rolling chassis in one country and ship it to its end market where it gets its individual body and character. Good luck as you turn General Motors into Global Motors.
Dear Mr. Lutz,
I think your re-org is a good idea. I wish you much luck. You’re going in the right direction.
Please remember STYLING is key!! You could have the best quality and the best dealers/service in the world, but if you don’t have a product that people want to be seen in, it won’t matter.
Don’t go totally retro, but do not forget the rich heritage that only GM has.
And please don’t skimp on content. People love toys! heated seats, navigation systems, power pedals, Rainsense wipers…etc. Make these things standard an all but the base model.
I would love to see a Monte Carlo with a V8, RWD, and some styling cues from the early ’70s.
Don’t abandon FWD either. It just makes sense for small platforms.
Oh, and make Cadillac complete. Please bring back the Fleetwood. Make it a flagship LUXURY car, not a racer.
BTW, I love this blog!!!
Bob,
Hope your explanation isn’t just spin. It sounded in the press more like Rick was following the 5-minute rule (”5 minutes before they fire me I’m going to fire you”). You have GOT to make these people understand it’s all about the product.
I grew up in an all-GM family. My first and still sentimental favorite car was a ‘73 Monte Carlo. My last GM car was a ‘78 Grand Prix with the lightweight THM transmission that GM wouldn’t fix. I’ve driven German cars of various descriptions ever since. None have been perfect, but all have been rewarding.
My only GM experiences lately have been at National Car Rental. The LaCrosse isn’t a bad drive but it is SO boring. The Bonneville doesn’t feel like the accelerator pedal is connected to anything. The loaded Impala LS I had last week had so many disjointed interior parts, of so many colors, and such a cheap feel, that I won’t even rent one again. I actually want to come back to GM but until you fix the cars I just can’t!
Yeah,some nice words You are saying Bob. “GM-a global company”
First of all, I would like to see Cadillacs being sold in my country (Czech Republic). Then I will believe GM is a global company. People everywhere in the world should know the names as Cadillac, Buick or Pontiac. If that happens, You may call GM global.
I am an owner of a 2001 Chevy Camaro. Before the launch of Korean fake Chevrolets I was an owner of a very prestigeous car. Now You made my nightmares true. Chevrolet has become a brand of poor people. I propose bringing some real Chevrolets to Europe. To let people know that GM is #1. And offer proffessional service for those who own beautiful U.S-cars.
Pavel
How will the Chevy Cobalt compete with the redesigned Civic, Corolla, and Sentra, all expected within the next 18 months?
I’m asking this question because Consumer Reports seems to have already put its stamp of disapproval on the Cobalt.
Is Cadillac going to be the only “fun” brand left. I have a Tahoe approaching 200k miles and recently purchased a GMC pickup for towing duties, but I need a 4-door car for commuting and family that is fun to drive (lots power and rear wheel drive). Right now Cadillac is the only GM brand with such a thing.
I went to the Buick dealer soon after i saw the first Lacrosse commercial, but was disappointed when I found out it drove with the wrong wheels. Anybody who enjoys driving can tell by feel if a car is FWD or not, and they are just not as fun to drive. Even the imports are beginning to move away from FWD, when will GM. European car makers have stayed the course and built cars that are fun to drive.
I have been a Chevy guy all of my life, but there is just nothing for me there now. Are there some plans to move Cadillac platfoms to other brands, or is the current Impala the best I can hope for? If so, my days as a chevy guy are numbered. The GTO is nice, but I took my car seat to the dealer and tried to put it in the backseat. It was not a pleasant experience, and it hurt my wife’s back trying to get the baby in the the back seat. Please do not force me to go Euro.
I’m a GMI graduate who still works as an engineer for one of your major mfg suppliers. I’ve kept at least one GM car in the family for the last 40 years. But my last two personal cars have been an Audi A4 Quattro and now a BMW 325i, and I keep asking myself “could GM ever build a car like this?” and unfortunately coming up with the answer “not likely.”
The GM car that appealed to me the most when we were looking for a new car in 2000 was the Olds Intrigue, and ironically that brand was cancelled a month after we took delivery. Now even my wife has given up and says that she wants to look at an upscale import brand for her next car.
We’re getting killed in the media. This makes good cars look marginal to the customer.
My 2004 Saturn Vue has had only one warranty problem: with the Honda transmission. Went to internet forums and found out that Honda has widespread automatic trans problems. Certainly didn’t see that in Consumer Repts.
GM desperately needs to hire some media savvy advisors.
Hang in there Mr. Lutz.
I believe I’ve finally found a new GM vehicle I can probably afford and enjoy for its capabilities but when I inquire about it (the HHR) at my local dealership, they know nothing.
I’ve watched my GM dollars dwindle to almost nothing while waiting for a a new vehicle to use them on and now this. From my ‘49 Chevy Stepside to my ‘94 Chevy Suburban, all 7 of our vehicles are GM products.
I would buy another “new” ‘89 2WD S-Blazer because it has served me well and never lets me down in spite of its 265,000 miles of use. I believe the HHR would be a very suitable replacement because of its versatility. I’ll even put money down on one if I could find a dealer with any information.
If you need someone to real-world pre-test this little “Suburbanite”, please don’t hesitate to call. Please have one of your staff members e-mail me for the phone #.
Mr. Lutz:
I realize that I am probably preaching to the choir in your individual case – though it needs to be said to GM the corporation – you need to reverse the orientation of your design and manufacture. For each class of vehicle – and in every category (safety, performance, materials, interior and exterior design) – the #1 marching order should be design it to be best in class, for different consumer focus on different things (style, safety, etc.) so appeal to all of them.
Only then bring in the beancounters to determine how much it will cost to build, and SUGGEST ways costs may be reduced without impacting the integrity of the design.
Don’t focus so much on per-unit cost, because that will be mitigated with higher volumes, which will only come from making class-leading products. GM has been doing just the opposite for many years, and look where it’s gotten the corporation.
I applaud you folks for the reorganization effort, and hopefully Wagoner can do better than he did in the late ’90s…
One thing I noticed that got me thinking was the fact that out of our F-Body car club, 90% of the F-body owners has a european daily driver…
Hopefully you guys can ignite the fire in the company and bring back your customers or at least attempt to keep those of us you still have.
Hello All,
Boy I’ve never seen so many people telling someone else how to do their job. And I thought fit and finish was everything now everyone is saying styling is everything. You just can’t win, Bob. But I guess it’s my turn.
Hey I’m a 25 yr old male that makes decent money, just bought a house (sorry can’t live in a car) and wants something fun to drive on weekends. Company supplies me an 05 Impala so I’m looking second car that’s fun to drive. We need a mustang killer, because I can’t imagine owning a ford. I will give the GTO a look but I’m not sold on the look.
Also what’s up with the bulbous noses on chevy uplander, ssr, and forthcoming HHR? That needs changing and I think if you adopted the chop-top HHR from the SEMA show it could be a winner. Thanks for the blog and chance to tell you how to do your job.
Dear Mr. Lutz,
After visiting the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and seeing the Saturn Sky and Aura I can only say….please build them just like the concepts! These vehicles were beautiful inside and out and I still find myself looking at the brochures I took home from the auto show in January. I have not owned a GM vehicle since the late 70’s when I took delivery of a ‘78 Grand Prix with a ton of quality problems. I could easily see myself (a 46 year-old male)in either of these new Saturns. Please build them like the concepts…and please don’t cheapen the interiors to save a few $$. Thanks for reading my comments.
Bob,
Good for you. I hope you can pull it all together. As far as the “global strategy” goes, how about applying that same philosophy to motorsports and racing?
I think GM’s Cobalts in the ST Class of Grand Am should be able to benefit from what the Vauxhall Astra teams learn in the BTCC (British Touring Car Championship).
Once you get the disparate groups around the world working together, lets see some of that Opel FWD and Holden RWD racing know-how and tech make it to the USA! (NASCAR is so unrelated to “stock” its not even funny) And I’d love to see real Cadillacs racing in Europe with success.
I’d also like to see you treat Pontiac to more of the same – the Holden Monaro’s styling was a little bland, but you had the right idea! Pontiac should be the US repository for hot world cars. Next up, the Astra VXR coupe, please?
P.S. – I’d love to see what Mark Kent has to say about this.
Its good that Rick is getting more involved, but the paradigm around the product development process has to be completely changed – not tweaked. Is it bad enough to abandon the current method, or will you just ask the lemmings to run faster?
What part of the market is Saturn and Buick trying to serve? I understand Saturn is known for having positive dealer/customer relationships. Shouldn’t all car brands strive for this? I’d get rid of Saturn and Buick and absorb those customers into Chevy and Caddy.
On the new G6, I own a Grand AM GT and am very satisfied…plant to drive it to 150,000 miles plus. I’m driving a V6 G6 as a rental right now, the car in many ways is nicer than the Grand AM except for one significant defect, it looks like a Neon from the back. I can’t buy this car because of the styling.
I’d like to see GM put a moratorium on expensive halo cars, retro cars, and new gas guzzling SUVs.
Instead, let’s see some world class, stylish, fuel efficient cars that can do battle with the Japanese. Maybe GM can ask for help from partner Subaru for this project.
I guess all that advice I gave you in earlier blogs (to cut factories, close dealers, and consolidate the line) no longer applies–because that’s Wagoner’s job now! Well, it’s a good thing. Let the finance people worry about the overhead problems with the sales side of GM. Now you can focus on bringing the products up to modern standards.
Also, other bloggers are mentioning cars like the Infiniti G35 coupe as desirable. Wow, now that is a tough standard to follow. If you all start benchmarking cars like that as the standard (instead of the old GM stuff which was easy to improve upon), you will really have your work cut out for you!
PS
I am trying so hard to like the GTO. I really want to. However, like another blogger here, I learned that you can’t easily put a freakin baby seat in it! And ironically the GTO has one of the biggest back seats of a performance car today. What were you thinking????
Mr. Lutz,
Best wishes to you in your new endeavors with GM. Hopefully it gets the company in the right track.
One question. Have you ever thought of phasing out certain divisions, or consilade if you will, your divisions and just call them “General Motors?” In other words, these non profitable brands, Saturn, Saab, Buick and Pontiac. Leave Chevy with the performance cars, Hummer/GMC Trucks with the trucks and SUVs, Cadillac with luxo, phase out the other names (Buick, Pontiac, Saturn and consider Saab) and consolidate the phased out divisions into GM. General Motors brand vehicles. Like the GM Sequel, so far, although a concept, you haven’t given it a badge, it’s simply GM. You should make GM a division and close down the others, except as noted above.
Consolidate, just like Toyota is Toyota, except for Lexus and Scion, GM would be GM, except Cadi, Chevy and Hummer/GMC.
Mo
Mr. Lutz,
I can remember a time when GM’s automobiles were considered attractive and desirable. A few examples of GREAT GM everyday cars were the 1961-65 Impala’s; 1968 Camaro; or even the 1981 Olds Cutlass. GM lost people like me during the 1980s when you built crappy cars and wouldn’t stand behind them. You lost me to Honda/Acura and other members of my extended family to Honda, Lexus and Volvo.
Unfortunately, I do find a Honda’s driving experience to be superior to the competition. I simply cannot describe the pleasure I get from my 2002 Acura TL with its quiet ride and the crisp acceleration from its V-6 when I am hitting 75 on the expressway. Also, the pleasure I get from my standard Bose sound system also gives me a great level of enjoyment.
You already know this story, but here’s where I see an opportunity for GM. I have owned about 5 Honda products since the mid-1980s and quite frankly, I am BORED TO DEATH by the thought of buying another Honda product. I would simply love to buy something that gives you the same pleasurable driving experience as my Honda or Acura, but put together in a manner that is uniquely AMERICAN.
The Chrysler 300 and Cadillac are good examples of what I’m talking about, but where is the “hot” affordable “must-have” car in GM’s everyday line-up? Where is today’s version of the Chevy Impala convertible? I was looking at a Ford Crown Vic parked at a meter today. I thought to myself what a shame it was that both Ford and GM basically are producing front-wheel drive copycat sedans (that aren’t bad cars, but still aren’t up there with the best). What a shame that you haven’t invested in more of these types of vehicles that would DIFFERENTIATE GM and provide something the competition doesn’t have.
The Mercury Marauder was a nice try, but it was too expensive and still based on a 25 year old design. Where are the nice, affordable, HOT new vehicles that feel as solid to drive as a Honda?
New vehicles? Why don’t you start with dumping some of your old ones before adding another boring car to an already glutted inventory.
Dump: Buick, all models
Dump: Saturn, all models
Dump: Holden, all models
Dump: Pontiac, all models. Start with that Australian manufactured “GTO”
Dump: Hummer. Too big. People are making fun of them now.
Dump: Monte Carlo, Mini Vans.
Leave alone: Corvette
Leave alone: Saab
Let actual car people tinker with these, not corporate bean counters.
Reignite: Camaro.
Good for Lutz and I hope going global means more products that GM makes abroad will enter the US. Why do we have to wait 3 years for Buick to turn around when they alread make tons of vehicles abroad.
Let Opel do California, high fuel economy and they carry no baggage.
Bring those fuel efficient Astras here and the mini cars.
Make a list of all the cars you make around the globe or will make that you do not sell in the world’s biggest market. Consider if it were a seperate company that was ready to lauch its products in the US. It would be the biggest force to be reconed with.
Right now market share is everything, it is the gold standard. It’s more than money, $20 billion sitting in the bank will not stop your bonds from going junk because your market share keeps falling.
Stop the slide. Stop the maddness.
OK – front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, struts at the front and a multilink rear suspension. All 4door cars across all lines -
Then everybody gets the peformance that they want – and saves money on a common platform – then add in some really big buick and cadillac models based on 30s and 40’s designs- (the 42 fwood limo in the movie aviator -copy it) the buick 39 grille is a landmark to me – use it across all buicks- and the portholes – big, round, chrome ones- the big buicks and cadillacs should have a lot of chrome – and i mean a ton -
buick could and should all look like chopped and channeled mercs of old -
caddies – that coupe showcar that everybody loved and the 16 as the new fleetwood – also look in lowrider mag- some wheel co, drew what they thought should be the new flwood brougham (another fave of mine) especially 1982 models-
i also like that bertone based on the srx for buick – finally – 2 words- a big woody wagon for bui, chev and cadillac – let the dlrships offer free varnishing for all.
Pontiac – should be all brutal muscle cars with a 3series sedan competitor- throw in a couple of tiny cars to meet cafe and you are done!
Here’s the issue – Having 3 guys at the top of GM change their titles, then say they’re really going to focus on making good stuff (and now we mean it) is kinda scary.
The lack of personality in GM’s cars is evident. The boring sedans (G6 & Lesabre) are counterbalanced by the silly “extreme” styled vehicles (Chevy SSR & the infamous Aztec) that don’t resonate with the public.
Bob you’re an industry icon, but are you the only guy in the house who has taste and knows what the public wants?
Maybe you guys should clinic and analyze less…get rid of your committees and criteria sheets and just make something that’s really cool.
Mr. Lutz,
I hope this is congratulations. Now, let us know what you’re going to have available in ‘07 & ‘08. Thanks.
Mr. Lutz, I’m glad to see that you will now be able to focus on design and styling. I originally had thought that is what you came to do at GM in the first place as there are plenty of other leaders capable of running its operations.
What we need and have needed for years is a strong focus on products, especially products that can sell themselves like we used to make. I remember back in the 1960s-’70s GM had proudly displayed its products in tent cities at its plants throughout the country, and millions excitedly came to see the new products, buy them or tour the plants.
It’s all about product as we cannot continue running the same lookalike products year in and year out and expect greater results. I strongly disagree with those who believe that unions are the root causes of our problems. When I started at GM there were more than 730 thousand employed, today there is less than half. I think there should be investigations into the drug industry with their ties to Washington and collusion with the FDA. This may help explain why drug prices are so expensive. I still think that many of wall street analysts are still conflicted and believe there probably should be formal SEC investigations into analysts activities.
Many companies today have shut some analysts completely out of their regular conference calls due to the manipulative behavior of some analysts. Perhaps regulation of the analyst profession is needed. In short, I wish the best for the new GM team and have high hopes that you will have a successful mission in your new roles, sincerely…
Sam M.
MR LUTZ
if you wanna sell cars make a mid size made in america no bells and whistle stuff everything made in america at a decent price so everyone can afford a new car paying 20 thousand dollars just for a car is so out of line now since the big three has put america out of work keep our jobs here and sell good american cars
don miller
Mr. Lutz,
Please bring Pontiac the Solstice coupe that we originally saw a few years back.
It reminds me of the 240-280Z, and I think that it would fill the void needed in that category by not only Nostalgic people, but people replacing the god-awful Sunfire, people who long for a Firebird that will never come again, and the kids of today who buy Hondas in that segment and make “tuner cars” out of them.
JIM
Pennsylvania
Mr. Lutz,
I would like to share my opinion as to why some exterior car designs create such a strong emotional sense of desire.
One of the things that successful cars have in common is a flowing sense of continuity. All aspects of the design have that elusive quality of belonging together. An obvious example of this would be the angular theme of current Cadillacs. The theme is attractive, but more importantly, it is continuous from bumper to bumper.
I believe that the reason so many newer designs fall flat emotionally is because they seem to be designed by teams. One team for the headlights, another for the grill, a third for the doors, yet another for the rear, etc….
The team approach immediately makes achieving continuity almost impossible. While the results of each team may appear to fit together in a logical sense, the odds of all teams being on the same creative/emotional frequency are remote.
Have you ever heard a new piece of music from a solo musician, and without being told, you knew who the musician was? Have you ever seen a painting for the first time, and without looking at the signature, you knew who the artist was? That’s because the art was created by a single mind, not a team. All aspects of the artistic creation blend together in a way that cannot be described, but is obvious. In most cases, a team cannot achieve that same sense of continuity because everyone will see a different solution to an artistic question.
A car like the Corvette or Mustang are exceptions to the rule because they have been around for so long. The theme is so ingrained in everyone’s mind that any lack of continuity would stand out like a sore thumb.
The point I’m trying to make is that when developing a new design, a single artist should be used for the entire exterior. All aspects of the design will have a much better chance of blending together in a way that creates that emotional sense of desire.
And people buy things they desire.
Hm, I get the feeling that ‘global’ is really a euphenism for ‘We (Detroit) decide what’s best for the rest of the world’.
Whilst in the real world, and especially in the more lucrative upmarket segments, Europe is the leading, most sophisticated, most competitive market. If a brand/model/technology succeeds here, if JC of BBC’s Top Gear thinks it’s a bit of alright – it’ll be considered desirable in the US, and people will fall over themselves to buy it (case in point: MINI).
GM beancounters from the US ruined Opel quality in the early ’90s (remember that Lopez dude? ;o)) and since it’s been an uphill struggle for the brand to regain any credibility. Saab sells over 60% of their cars here, but still Detroit decided it should be ‘globalized’ which in this case meant dismantling of GMs *only* engineering/design unit halfway competitive in the European premium market, and presumably the ‘creation’ of new models out of Chevy/Daewoo/Opel castoff technology.
Please let the Europeans decide what’s best for their market. It may even well land you with more desirable premium product for the US…
Best of luck with the new assignments gentlemen.
I am hopeful that the restructuring into Global Motors will focus on bringing to market the very best product in each class, whether they are developed here in the States, or overseas. I’d personally love to see more Opels here; I can’t help but be amazed to see european magazines and websites routinely compare (favorably) these vehicles with BMW, Mercedes, etc., and wonder why they are not sold here, even if they’re rebadged. When you do, don’t sell them as Chevy’s or Saturns.
Is it safe to assume that the reason GM isn’t joining the hybrid bandwagon is because you’re focusing all of those resources to being first and best in market with hydrogen technology?
Unfortunately, I am not comforted by the recent announcement. Will this bring more “gotta have” GM products? I doubt it. The latest GM vehciles are from it, with the exception of low volume solstice/sky, corvette.
Wagoner is merely posturing to save his job. He knows that if North America volume and profits continue to disappear, so does his future at GM. Quit screwing around and make some smart moves. Toyota will pass you by 2008. Face the reality, cut your losses and reduce capacity so you can get lean and survive.
I won’t believe GM is serious in their efforts until they REALLY eliminate models instead of replacing many of the OLDS models with Buicks. All of the extra models cost a lot of money and only steal from other GM models. Bad investments, and bad decisions from the top.
Over breakfast his morning in the WSJ was the full page ad for the LaCrosse. I show it to my 43 year old wife and ask her “So what do you think of my former employer’s latest offering”. She says, “It looks like a LeSabre”.
About an hour later, I am backing my 2005 Honda Civic EX SE into a parking spot in the back row of a former GM facility. A vehicle with Illinois MFR plates pulls into a spot two rows foward, giving me a 7/8 rear profile view. My mind immediately asked the question “Why is a Dodge Intrepred wearing Manfacturer plates”. It wasn’t until I got up close enough to read the nameplate that I discovered that the vehicle was a Buick LaCrosse in the GM PEP (Product Evaluation Program) pool.
Now curiousity got the better of me. I went to talk to the person driving the LaCrosse to see what he thought of it. He loves it (56 year old white male). He was so impressed with it that he bought one in January, out the door, $25K, with 0% for three years. He picked it over a CTS, which would have set him back $10K more. His wife didn’t like the interior on the CTS, but she loved the Buick. Their ownership experience has been wonderful, and they are very impressed with the build quality. They had an 70ish aged couple stop them a couple of weeks ago to ask them what car they were driving, because they thought it was a fantastic looking vehicle (chrome, woodgrain and all).
Given your new role as head of global product development, and based on my simple stories about the LaCrosse, I am more convinced than ever that GM is headed for further trouble.
A vehicle that the automotive press states you played a large part in developing has wonderful build quality, an affordable price (with rebates), but has the looks of an obsolete Chrysler design from the rear, and a 1990s Buick from the front. The car is loved by the over 50 crowd (expecially the blue-hairs), but is an absolute snoozer to those less than 50 years old.
If you want to succeed in the mid-level car market, you better start hiring stylists from Nissan, Audi, Volvo (yea, I know if’s a Ford, but their latest offerings sure do look good) and Volkswagen. Your customer base for Buicks is dying off. Either spice up the styling, or plan on killing off Buick in five to ten years.
Congratulations Bob!
I know how excited you get when you have the chance to focus on the product end of the business.
By the way… You may not have control over the “marketing” guys who dreamt-up the latest minivan renditions, but if you do; I’d recommend immediate retirement, without the golden parachutes.
Was the focus to corner the “Mommies-in-Denial” market?
Instead of addressing the product’s shortcoming (seating configuration/removal), the funds were spent on a higher load-floor and a new schnoz.
Where’s the vision?
I refuse to believe that The General has conceded this segment.
There’s no doubt that the early production glitches on the Cobalt will be exorcised and that it will be a good boost to the bottom line.
Congratulations and Godspeed
Rhino
Mr. Lutz,
Congratulations on the re-org. I have a couple of interesting questions for you. I attending the AMI autoshow in Leipzig, Germany last week and learned a few interesting things I’d like for you to comment on if you could. 1) I hear from your sales people that GM is pushing East (Specifically Eastern Europe). Are there production/marketing plans that will drive GM be more agressive in that aspect? 2) I also heard (through a forum on Natural Gas hybrids that of all people Opel was leading the way from their modern facilities in Ruesselsheim. Is GM promoting that R&D, and where does GM see a place for Opel? I figured you’d be the right person to ask now that you head global product development. Thanks and best of luck!!
Though it might seem like ’shooting the messenger,’ I respect the decision made by GM against L.A Times today. I wish Ford & Chrysler does that as well. Journalism, particularly L.A Times, has more often resorted to ‘tabloid journalism’ recently, particularly against the American OEMs. It’s crazy how they SUCK-UP to the rising brands and trash the struggling ones. Not long ago, reacting to Bill Ford’s letter to California Governer on a law that seem to favor Japanese vehicles, one of their Pulitzer Prize winning (funny how they never forget to mention this before a name) journalist commented extremely disparaginly against Ford’s Senior Management as well. Less than 3-months from passing the law, California Governer was actively lobbying Toyota for a PRIUS assembly plant. Funny how these “Pulitzer Prize winning” journalists miss those while seeming to enjoy their ‘ kick’em when they are down ‘ snippets and articles. I wish GM will come-out of these short-term difficulties and get on the road of prosperity soon…..America needs companies like Ford / GM / Chrysler.
Bob,
My, my how the world turns. There seems to be a lot of suggestions for doing your job. Here’s some suggestions, GM needs to start advertising the technologies people don’t know about, but would be impressed with. The Hybrid truck that can provide power to a job site, as well as the timing and scoring tower at Indy. The hydroformed frame rails used by both the GMT800 and C6. The only thing really advertised is Onstar. It’s losing its longevity. There is so little in advertising on TV about the two ideas above. GM needs to get its proverbial head out of its you know what and start matching some of the advertising of your competitors, like Ford and Dodge. You have some decent product, some great, but a lot of bland.
Brand DNA is highly overrated (You don’t see much of it in Toyota or Lexus, for example). Just get the individual products right. (Nissan gets the “wow” in its cars, and despite the quality problems, they still sold a record 1 million last year)
Bob,
As you are now head of Global Product Development, please do something about the SAAB 9-7X.
Volvo SUV although shared platform is 100% Volvo from the front, side and back.
Not an Explorer with a Volvo grill and interior.
No more comment.
General Motors miffed at LA Times review, pulls all advertising
Breezing through today’s news service, I was surprised and disturbed to see an article at the Beeb entitled GM Stops Advertising in LA Times. According to the report, Dan Neil, Los Angeles Times automotive writer, had an article published in which he c…
Hello Bob,
I hope this message reaches you. It’s the start of a thread I posted at Autoweek, about an affordable performance car many of us want. I’d love to hear your comments!
This is for Bob Lutz. It’s the gist of a thread I started on Autoweek.com.
I’m throwing this challenge out to any or all automakers. We want somebody to build us a:
GREAT SIMPLE DRIVER’S CAR:
The prerequisites are:
1) Powerful 4-cyl engine (160 hp or greater)
2) Rear wheel drive
3) 4-seater
4) 3-box design (conventional trunk)
In fact, we already have 4 cars with suitable platforms with the necessary hardware in place to make this happen:
Saturn Sky
Pontiac Solstice
Honda S-2000
Mazda Miata
Remember the late great Sentra SE-R? Although it was front-wheel drive. when it came out it was heralded as a spiritual successor to the BMW 2002. Well, one of these 4 automakers could do the same thing. Take any one of these very capable platforms and slip it under a practical 2-door sedan body. They all would be easy for us home-grown mechanics to work on – how tough would it be to change the spark plugs, oil, air filter, etc., on a front-engine RWD sedan?
It would have plenty of room for us to get us through our everyday chores, offer reasonable gas mileage, and because of their design, probably give us a fuel tank with more than adequate capacity. It would be comfortable to live with everyday, with a decent ride. The room would also be there for us to use the car as a weekend getaway vehicle, or to take on a long trip. This would be an excellent and less costly alternative to the Evo or WRX; I don’t need to drive a 4-wheeled hand grenade every day.
The powertrain would provide us with an entertaining ride on the twisties; imagine the crisp gearshift throws and the responsive engine! This car would also make an excellent SCCA weekend racer. And since it wouldn’t be seen as a pure sports car by the insurance companies, insurance would probably be reasonable.
Because it’s a simple car, it’ll be simple to modify. So if we want to install our own stereos, Recaro seats, whatever, all we need is a socket set.
I’d even be happy with a manual sliding steel sunroof instead of a power moonroof, to save complexity and weight. You could even throw front vent windows on it, we all loved those! And with that genuine transmission residing below the gearshift lever, and not just a collection of rods and cables, you can keep an automatic transmission off of the options list!
How enjoyable would this car be?
There is no reason this cannot be done; it could be brought to market for less than $20K, base price. I would personally be thrilled to see this come out with an American nameplate (Pontiac Tempest? Saturn Calypso or Hyperion?)
Bob, please make this happen!
One thought on adding “GM” to your car logos;
Consider integrating it within the logo itself, rather than as a separate badge next to the vehicle logo.
Or, leave the vehicle logo distinctive and, as you used to do with “Body by Fisher”, put the GM logo on the lower doorsill trim.
This helps preserves the individuality of the vehicle, which customers want very badly.
Mr. Lutz,
I believe your 100% focus on product development is the BEST move GM can make at this crucial point in time. I’ve seen proof of your automotive creativity regarding many GM products of the past few years, and I truly enjoy your sense of style. I’m a member of a Chrysler family and I must admit I’m a bit jealous. I look forward to seeing your stamp on many future GM products.
If you’re ever in need of an APPRENTICE I’m your man. I’m qualified, I beleive in product, and I come cheap.
If interested e-mail me at dermidoff2@yahoo.com
Thank you and good luck with your future product endeavors,
E.T. Dermidoff
Recently GM announced plans to add the GM logo to all of it’s makes. Very bad idea.
Perhaps it would be okay on the Buick, Pontiac and GMC lines only, but I would not encourage it on anything really. At least until the corporate identity could make a rebound.
Back away from GM corporate advertising. A poor strategy that too closely links all makes. Bad experience with one make will defer the purchase of another make. Independent marketing for each division provides more autonomy and establishment for each brand name. Fewer ties in the public eye of all the divisions corporate ownership will help break away from the negative publicity that GM continues to receive in the media, for example: this thread.
I would further go so far as to create separate spaces at auto shows and such for each make or at least the removal of the GM logo. Removal of the GM logo from everywhere. Dealerships, under the hood, window sticker paper work, everywhere.
Bob,
Read your comments somewhere. You had said “For some reason it is easier to convince the american buyer to buy an american truck compared to cars”. I think it is just a matter of time. The Japaneese are doing extremely well with their full size trucks. Once they start offering heavy duty versions and diesel engines in their full size trucks, the US manufacturers will start losing marketshare. GM needs to refocus on their full size trucks. The interiors need to improve ten fold. If the US manufacturers do not step up, it will be just as hard to convince them to buy american trucks(just like cars). And who knows when the Koreans will start selling pickup trucks?
The solstice is a blast.
Bob, just a small thing but it needs looking at. I have owned over 25 GM vehicles and loved every one.I bought an 04 GMC diesel and found they had changed the window buttons so you have to pull them up. A change from the rockers but it was O.K. after a few days. Later bought an Envoy XUV V8 and found the same old style rockers. It’s driving me crazy trying to transition between these two vehicles. It would be great to see Items like this standardized. Many of us own several GM products at the same time. Thanks for a great product.
I applaud GM’s initiative in developing hydrogen fuel.
Remember, it will be difficult, not impossible.
Perhaps you can convince one of the multi-national petroleum giants to join forces with you. Perhaps you could point out to them that crude oil is a finite resource and they should be planning for the future.
Hi Mr. Lutz,
I am a GM owner (Avalanche) and very happy with my purchase and the reliability so far. I have just read the GM Blogs for the first time today. Product development is near to me as we have a consulting company that focuses totally on new product development process productivity improvement. We have worked with several GM groups in Korea, Brazil and Detroit, typically as subs to larger consutling firms. We think your task of improving GM’s Global Product Development Capabilities will be very challenging. So big (organization …hard to change) and so controled by IT …versus Car and Truck Engineers.
We would be happy to share global best practices with you.
Wish you the best,
David
Hi,Mr. Lutz,
I own a 2005 Pontiac G6, the v-6 sedan. I really enjoy driving the vehicle, but it should have at least 250 horsepower. But I hope you will never phase out Pontiac. I hope you can bring GM back to world leader in the automotive industry.
Why won’t GM make their European producers’ diesel cars available in North America?
To Pavel:
Buicks, Chevrolets and Pontiacs in Europe? You have got to be kidding. There’s many MUCH BETTER cars in Europe than those, why would Europeans want them? That you drive an American GM product makes you very unusual, the vast majority have no need for GM’s ugly American gas guzzling cars.
i’ve seen that GM products tend to be copycats, i’ve also known that your pontiac products are by far the best products on the road, my bonneville has went almost 200,000 miles w/o needing anything changed except spark plugs and i drive that thing hard. however, your gmc products are terrible, they fall apart all the time, sure they are comfortable, but it’s way too expensive to replace the parts all the time.
i also believe that if gm got rid of all the labeling and just came under 1 label, no more hummer, pontiac, cadillac, buick, no more of that; i think gm would have some kind of brand loyalty and greater teamwork and produce cars faster and better than the japanese competition. right now i think it’s too much of a bureaucratic mess of rebadging cars that you’re not concerned enough with the product itself. most people don’t even know that all those products are under GM, they think that the lil GM logo on the seatbelt is just a part company like ac delco or something. you need brand loyalty in a market like today’s.