Bob Lutz Answers FastLane Questions

I agree with Bob Lutz's statement that GM puts a lot of concept cars into production.

Especially lately! The solstice, the Sky, the Enclave all great vehicles that were brought to market as stunningly beautiful as the concept cars and the excellent market segment sales show that it can work great.

My only wish is the video started with a bit of an introduction as to what was going to be discussed and ended with a bit more of a conclusion to the discussion.

A longer video of Bob Lutz speaking would be appreciated more.

I find this a great way to get GM's message out...

Where is GM headed and why.

Btw Mr. Lutz was correct in his statement with the sixteen. Stunning vehicle but wrong for our times right now.

Maybe some of the styling cues can be brought to the next STS to differeniate it more from the new 2008 CTS?

Hi Mr. Lutz,

Thank you for your candor in this video. It was very interesting to hear you talk about various concept cars. But as far as Buick... you stated that the Velite got "prioritized" out. So Buick having a hit vehicle was a very low priority, then? And how about the Buick LaCrosse concept, which was very, very different from the LaCrosse we got? You've had those two concepts that would have made two great production Buicks. I hope that GM has learned from the mistake of not offering those two as Buicks, and will take full advantange of globilization with Buick in China for Buick in North America.

Sincerely,

- Christopher Popa

HI BOB, I would just like to say, that now is the perfect time to bring back the slogan

Whats good for general Motors is good for America ! think about it, that slogan is magic !

Good job on the Cadillac Sixteen remarks, very true about timing and public opinion. I was happy to see CNBC report on GM's stock price today. I swear it was the first time they reported on you guys in a positive light. Only more good things coming from the good people at GM. Keep up the good work!

So let me get this straight.

Buick is the #1 brand in the second biggest, fastest growing market in the world and now you scream poverty and say you can't afford to produce for her a coupe when every other car brand on the planet has one.

That is the same kind of non-thinking that got us to #2 in the first place.

The other concepts I did not care much for either but let me say I thought that the power trains between a show car and a production car could be changed, and aren't there V6 and V8 options?

The fact is the Velite is to Buick what the Viper is to Dodge. The only reason it's a no go is the same reason the Park Avenue is a no go.

Park Avenue, Velite and even the Enclave (Thank goodness it was too far advanced to stop) these vehicles don't make sense in a Pontiac-Buick-GMC showroom.

Look, the product makes perfect sense what does not make sense is the dealership setup.

"Oh but the bloggers told us B-P-G was a great idea." -Yeah, the same people that wanted to kill Buick in the first place.

Here is a long record of mismanagement of a once great brand.

1. Once we get rid of Olds we can fix Buick.

2. Once we get rid of the Buick dealership network we can fix the portfolio.

3. Once we make less product we can focus and make better the few products we have left.

4. Listen to me, IT'S A TRAP! And then it's the same vicious cycle repeated over again. Maybe if we just get rid of one more brand, one more model, one more dealership, one more product program and things will be better, one more brand head.

The fact is you need to go back to Sloan and his 5 strata system that made GM #1. It is dead under this system and therefore so is GM's title of #1.

5. "Well GM is not big enough anymore." Look when GM put its 5 strata system in place it was not the biggest automaker. It became that way because of the system.

Result:

Sales down by nearly a million and still falling by double digits in the US. Two-thirds of the product still mediocre. Well that's not fair Toyota has a dealership full of mediocre product, but here is the difference. Watch this...

It has a strong brand to stand behind them, that is why they can sell an FJ and an Avalon.

Don't sweep Buick's problems under the rug of B-P-G, and don't think it will be safe from the storms under the B-P-G umbrella. It's just a bigger and easier target, a Hindenberg in a storm.

In short:

Build a brand.

How?

Whatever you were doing in the last ten years, do the opposite.

Or, stay out of China and let them run the Buick show.

I appreciate Mr. Lutz taking time to answer these questions in a clear and direct manner. He didn't like the Bel Air, the Sixteen is not eco-friendy, and so on. GM has done a lot in improving design and bringing concept cars to life--good and bad. The SSR took a lot of undeserved flack. Some of the resentment was about the heaviness of the truck, but a lot of the crap the truck took was from embittered Camaro fans. The SSR wasn't much in speed, and it did cost a pretty penny, but I thought it was a neat vehicle and a good idea that came out with a few problems worked well against it.

I hate to agree with Bob on Cadillac: GM should move towards building smaller sedans. The CTS is a fine car. Two of my relatives own CTSs. But in an era where the price of gas is consistently high and roadways more congested, small is the way to go. I would love to see Cadillac be reworked back into its prewar grandeur and compete with Bentleys and Maybachs. The Sixteen is the most beautiful concept of this decade, but a $1,000,000 land yacht isn't practical. I hope to see a Junior Sixteen in the rumored V-12 project.

The Enclave is the first GM family-size vehicle I would consider owning (assuming I wasn't a struggling college student). I loved it since it was in its concept stage. It is handsome, roomy, and reviews have been excellent--especially when you compare them to the ones for the Ford Edge. I would like to see Pontiac continue down the road to a performance revival. I'd like to see the Camaro be a step up from the overwhelming influx of Mustangs on the road. Unlikely as it may be, I'd love to see the C7 Corvette become more upscale and exotic. I feel the Vette is still nice, but the design (still a holdover from the C3) is getting stale. The 'Vette needs bold energy behind it. Be it through Duntov's vision for a mid-engine layout, a V-12, or a supercharger, it's about time Chevrolet move the 'Vette back into the light as a dream to reach towards.

Hi Bob,

I fully agree with what you said! As a Buick fan, I'm even happy GM didn't poduce the Buick Velite. I just hope to see some products I like soon in the Buick lineup (a large distinctive RWD sedan) would be fine.

I didn't like the Cadillac sixteen much but there was one feature from this car I'd like to see in the future Buick models: a pillarless hardtop sedan body.

That's my favourite body style, GM was the first manufacturer that produced 4 door hardtops back in 1955 on Buicks and I think it should be the first manufacturer to renitroduce this body style in production Buick models (I think that Nissan was the last to produce them about 15 years ago).

Hi Bob,

I appreciate your candor in reguards to the Cadillac 16. To be honest, that car would have seemed a bit over the top even during the 1990's when gas was $1.05/gallon.

But PLEASE don't alienate those of us who aren't among the greenpeace crowd. I'm not going to get policial, but I really don't care about that much about fuel economy or emissions. A car that gets 20 mpg is fine with me.

I am anxiously awaiting the day I can drive my Camaro Z28 6 speed off the lot. The Volt looks kinda cool, or as my girlfriend says, "cute". I'm sorry if I sound brash, but I don't want a "cute" car that can't get out of the way of it's own shadow. I work too hard and spend too much time away from my family and friends to sacrifice what I still crave in a car that I spend alot of time in - kick a*s performance and mean as he*l looks. I fail to see how my desire to drive a V8 muscle car and keep filling up with premium fuel every week infringes on anyone or anything besides my own wallet.

Now, that's not to say the Volt and more cars like it shouldn't be built. I do understand there are plenty of people who need to conserve as much fuel as they can. I just hope you understand your customer base is made up of people from both sides of the issue, and alienating one side will only cost you customers.

E-Flex and E85, hydrogen, electric, and hybrids are all great ideas and I do support them. But I also do not want to be among the first generation to witness the complete demise of the American 8 cylinder.

P.S...... So, how's the Camaro comming, anyway? Have you finalized content and standard and optional packaging yet?

Can you tell us why GM has yet to bring to production the well received Chevy Nomad concept car?

hi bob,
1. I agree about what you are saying about concept cars and GM absolutely is very good when it comes to putting concepts into production.

2. Yes people are talking about 36 MPG by 2017, but this is still subject to a VETO by the president, and also the new CAFE laws are still somewhat flexible.

3. The buick velite may have not made a bussiness case but if buick wants to be what it wants to be it must have some exciting new product.

3.5 I do NOT consider the LaCrosse Super to be that exciting because it is front wheel drive and the idea of a front wheel drive car with a soft suspension and an engine with over 300hp scares me as it would any other car enthusiast, but i can see why it went into production because it is using existing mechanicals which are pretty cheap for gm to produce. The lucerne Super is a better idea since it is a less radical front driver with only 291 hp and a 4000 LB car to tote around.

4. Both LaCrosse and Lucerne need 6 speed automatics to be competitive in their market segments.

4.5 the LaCrosse needs to be revised because of poor rear leg and head room. also the interior nad exterior styling should be updated.

5. The chevy cobalt ss should come back with the solstice GXP and Sky redline's 2.0L turbo direct injected 4.

When so much money was spent in engineering that engine why is it in the 2 lower production cars???? ----it makes 55 more hp too.

6.On who killed the electric car they mentioned that texaco owns gm's stake of nikel-metal hydride batteries-----? is this true? and why?

6.5 What is wrong with the NIMH (Nikel Metal Hydride batteries) and why doesnt gm use them in the volt and other programs????

7. I think that an efficient rear drive car is still feasible given BMWs legendary efficiency and the cts and sts are also somewhat efficinet.

8. GM is the largest automaker in the world and should have the most diverse product range it should have mini cars, hybrids, flex fuel, fuel cells, also big cars, trucks, suvs, which are powerful and can work hard. but all these cars should have one thing in common: they must be fun to drive and be dinamically adept.

9. In my last post I talked about bringing some disels here which are made in europe with clean diesel technology, (probably bluetec-type but not limited to) Why can't we do this for 08 or during the 08 calander year?

10. why cant we get that opel astra twin-top? and many of the other great cars made in europe by GM?

11. Cadillac needs a RWD flagship badly to compete with the mercedes s class and the BMW 7 series. This can be done without putting that big of a dent into GM's commitment to fuel economy.

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

Brandon

In all honesty, I will agree with Mr. Lutz. If this CAFE bill is made into law, the Cadillac Sixteen will be a flop BIG time. The Bel Air I can't vouch for since I have not seen it; the Buick Velite I am a little disappointed to hear it's not being produced, but all in all Mr. Lutz is thinking of what's best for the company.

In many ways, Bob's comments are fair enough. For a company in a financial pinch, priorities are healthy to have. But, to the possible detriment of long-term stability and retention of a core customer base, this video seems to characterize two distinct gripes as one and the same.

Much of these consumers' frustration comes not from GM's failure to bring every single concept to market; after all, just as Lutz says, to do so would be unfeasible and, in many cases, not prudent.

No, a good deal of the frustration is attributable to GM's seeming inability to make a critical mass of prescient calls in reading the market. Your core customer base recognizes this all to well; the ensuing, sinking feeling associated with so many close tangents (national pride being, for many, the biggest one) is excruciating to bear.

Yes, the decisions to "press go" with the H2 and Sky/Solstice concepts were spot-on, but other decisions have seemed wildly out of step with the customer trends your core supporters perceive overwhelmingly (and at the gut) from the preponderance of anecdotal evidence available only out in the field where real one-to-one marketing might happen.

And nowhere is this more evident than with Buick.

Pandering to the woefully out-of-step dealer network by not bringing the Chinese Park Avenue stateside is almost criminally shortsighted. This is a dealer network that feared that the Chinese Park Avenue would cut into Lacrosse and Lucerne sales.

What?

Lacrosse and Lucerne sales are falling precipitously, and the actual cars are uncompetitive.

There's a lot of irrational bias out there among the automotive press types. The lion's share of it seems to be against GM. You have an ally in this observation. But, people, they are RIGHT when it comes to Buick's car offerings. While I can respect a perhaps painful internal decision not to move forward with the Velite concept, the suicidal decision not to offer the Chinese Park Ave here is just plain shortsighted thinking driven by shortsighted dealer networks trying to retain a "nearsighted," rapidly shrinking customer demographic of senior citizens.

The exodus to foreign brands will not halt until GM stops hogtying its brands. Constraining Buick's car offerings to the senior citizen market is a perfect example.

Thanks for being so Candid. I don't know of any other Car company VP that would do this.

I'd like to know if the Torana TT36 concept is going to go into production any time in the future?

I want to buy that car! Little difficult though without it being "in production".

I saw the video presentation on Cheers and Gears.
I'm just hoping that GM doesn't humble or compromise planning and development; I want to see Zeta's and even Alpha's come to life. I want to see high-performance V8's offered in the top end, and even maybe not the Sixteen, at least some form of stretched Zeta offering as a Cadillac flagship, whether next-generation Northstar powered or V12, and a Zeta Buick flagship sedan.
Maximum Bob, you are a man of your word and one not to fall back, and it's backed up with quotes such as: Forcing consumers into smaller vehicles is like giving them smaller clothes and saying, here, go on a diet, and saying that if you want to cut CO2 emissions, exhale less times a minute; both quotes not verbatim, but in so many words, and words of wisdom well spoken!

I agree this is not the time for the Cadillac 16, but I disagree that GM has a great record on bringing concept cars into production. Chrysler has a much better record in this regard. Like them or not, the Viper, Prowler, PT Cruiser, Charger, and 300 all had short concept to production time periods. Their Challenger is actually scheduled to come out before the Camaro, and looking at recent sales numbers for the Mustang, the time for both the Camaro and Challenger may have come and gone. The SSR took so long to come out that there was little interest in it when it finally did go into production, and the wait for the Solstice was way too long. GM creates some amazing concept cars, but the time to production just takes too long. We'll see what happens with the Volt.

Mr. Lutz, the usage of GMblogs, Youtube, and internet as your tool for communicating with consumers/fans...goes beyond the call of what is required of you. My respect and admiration for your work has always been there, though I don't know the exact truth, messages like this and your personal PR, the media at large, give me hints into your persona.

I do, however, have to take issue with some of your reasoning for GM's failure to release certain concepts. As you are surely accustomed to, there are "buts" and opinions all over, and I am certain the fruit of your labor is when people get behind what you say.

I fully get behind your remarkable transformation of the corporation. Certainly, what you must have found was in dire straits and a pit for prosperity.

Here is my not too far-fetched opinion with regards to Velite. First of all, it is one of the most awesome concepts your company or any company has ever produced, in terms of raw production value. I think Zeta could and should have happened long ago. I think your team and possibly your ideas weren't given enough credit and support by the powers that be, the board. This is why the global consolidation didn't happen until after GTO had originally been released here, and until long after your tenure with GM had begun. I think the company was a distinct mess, and the approval process must have been like spider webs crossed all over the place.

For you to say Velite has been reprioritized because of CAFE rules sure could be plausible in the last six months or so, but Velite has been around as a concept since before 2004 when it debuted. The idea was there with the original Zeta plans which were planned for debut soon after the VE, or more like this year than the two more years we are having to wait for these cars; so I just don't buy that it has been a victim of CAFE rulings.

What I am saying is that a lot of the product we have been waiting for and continue to wait for, and some that we will now seemingly never get, has been caused by the hesitation of the board of directors to give you the full power you needed to excersize the right products into development, using the right resources and engineer teams.

Let me reiterate that what you have done for design alone at this company will instill a credibility that will far-reaching implications and may finally turn the company into a well-respected well-rounded company. But it's losing product like the Velite that has me concerned if the reaction from your company is coming soon enough. It's the delays we are facing that has me worried if some of these brands will ever truly make it out of the shadows, meanwhile the competition is really now starting to draw firm lines in the sand of where they stand. Look at Acura and there progress, BMW, G37 coupe, 3-series coupe/cabrio, MB CL class, Honda Civic....where do I see cars of this caliber from GM? Oh right, they're just around the corner, just as they've always been for the last few decades. I understand class competitive product in the form of Aura, Lambdas, Silverado have just been released, but my first instinct is to really look deep into the desirability of those products, which brings up plenty of questions. Why is Aura interior material quality still supbar? on every other front it can stand toe to toe with competitors, but why leave one of the most important aspects as a drawback, as a potential disillusionment for prospective customers? Why are the Lambdas the same basic vehicles except for slight variations in style, which I might add the level of differentiation is stellar compared to what was at GM before. But why are we left with three basic vehicles that are basically the same two box, traditional SUV design? Couldn't something more daring like the contemporary elegant Centieme be released for Buick, reestablishing it as a luxo marque with high style intentions? OR what about the Graphyte concept for GMC, the techno butch truck that came out of nowhere, and was a complete departure for GM. Many will argue Lambda is already a huge success, but what about being bold and innovative rather than always the same traditional outlook. Perhaps then you would appeal to customers on the coasts that don't traditionally shop GM, with different cars, that have a different approach to the market. Finally, Silverado is likeable, but the design depth could have also been extrapolated.

Which gets to the bottom line for my point. We are faced with waiting so long for product and promise that your team has worked on for so long, yet there is constant talk of delay and uncertainty, and no product in sight. when it finally reaches us it's often met with a collective snore because the market has moved on. Crossovers are the big thing, and you've finally reacted with Lambda, but now the crossover market is moving towards more cutting edge shapes like Murano and FX, and many of your own concepts.

So back to my original point about the concepts. You talked about GM being the most successful at translating concepts to production. I also have to disagree with this point, simply because GM has arguably been the most successful company at reaching audiences with concept designs in this decade, possibly ever. You have had more good concept introductions than I can count or remember, and I'm not talking about mediocre design like the Bel Air, but incredible designs like Cien, Sixteen, Solstice, Velite, Centieme, Lightning, Riviera, Graphyte,....the list goes on and on and on. What I am saying is while you have had many great concept- to-production releases, you've also had many many more concepts that have been great, that we are still waiting for. So as a ratio of concept-to-production, I might check with your research team before making so bold a claim as to say GM is the most successful at it.

I also have a problem with your comments on Sixteen simply because the outcry has not been for the sixteen cylinder engine but for the design itself. You know better than anyone Sixteen would be a fabulous S-class competitor, one that Cadillac sorely needs and is getting an image beating for not having one. Sixteen has the level of panache and regality to compete with the current S-class, CLS, A8. The problem is the car should be out now! GM's problem is they are always always behind the curve. They step to the side, then step back, then step to the side again, meanwhile the competition copied what made the design so successful in the first place, and beat GM to the punch by three years.

I know this is long, and I have more to say. I wish nothing but the best for the company as I'm sure most do here. You are the leader and have to decide what we get along with put up with criticism when we judge you fall short, which is not ever easy to deal with. Trust me when I say no one with a right mind and familiarity with the situation at GM would be rightfully able to judge you as falling short.

I agree with Bob here-most companies dont get concept cars into production.
I will repeat my request that you explain why the Cobalt has been left to languish without much needed improvements, and why you think its OK for GM to not have a world class small car in this day and age?
Yes, the Saturn Astra is coming over but its a 4 yr old platform and only 40,000 can be sold. Quite limiting, wouldnt you say?
Money should have been poured into the Cobalt to keep it competitive-I dont care that its only 3 years old-it wasnt the best when it came out, now its not even close. Drive a Mazda 3 and a Honda Civic then drive a Cobalt. Let me know what you think then.

Now I know why my last 12 vehicles were GM. Bob Lutz has got a solid view of what the auto buying public wants.I believe that what is good for GM, is good for the USA. I currently own an Aveo, a very good car,and I look forward to buying a Volt. the concept of getting off gasoline with an electric hybrid is very attractive. The Volt styling will assure sales and interest that cars with current mediocre styling lack.

Mr. Lutz: I was disappointed to hear that the Velite has been delayed (canceled?) but I can see the business reasons behind it. I also agree with you on the BelAir, I like the idea but GM will need more exciting styling than was on the concept.

Good to see GM is fully comitted to the Volt and possible variants and is still considering the "Triplets".

Think many of GM's image problems can be solved by offering some of GM's great small cars in the U.S. and I am looking forward to more information on the Saturn Astra.

Let me thank you Mr. Lutz on a golden weekend in my new red 2007 Hummer H3. Went to the barbecue/picnic and it stole the show. In fact, I have gotten a complement from just about everyone that had a chance to tell me, even had one young lady scream out the window

"I like your Hummer!"

After the compliments the number one question was how much gas does it use?

It might be worthwhile for me to know but I just tell them about the same as a Trailblazer or any small SUV in that size range. Then I always turn to what a great value it was to lease, better rate than my 2000 Cavalier.

One interesting note, a Jeep owner was telling me about her late model Jeep parked near us and she brought up tires. We looked at the tires and she said, "Those were the largest tires I was able to put on my Jeep." They were small, and mine were big as you know.

The important thing here is details. Under Lutz's leadership something like the size of a tire and how large is something that is never overlooked, and details like these make all the difference.

Despite GM's lack of effort on Buick North America, I am very happy with everything else. The stock is hitting new highs not seen in years. GM is unloading non-essential assets like Allison, it's moving like lightning on the Volt and making progress with Delphi. Sales of Chevrolet around the world are spectacular with sales goals in Europe alone talking about reaching 1 million in the future. That is incredible considering Chevrolet did not exist in Europe just a few short years ago.

In short:

If I were to rate Mr Lutz and Mr. Wagoner's tenure as of now you got everything right except for the Buick question.

Hay one wrong out of say 10 questions (10 brands) is not bad that is a 90%. Add 3 points for saving GM 3 times 93%, that is an A in my book.

Fastlane short:

I'm still going to talk about your weak point so get out of the Fastlane if you want to drive slow.

Oh and let me add one caveat with that 93%. You want to pass Toyota you are going to need a 100%.

Once again, you are only allowed in the fast lane if you want to get ahead. Get out of the fastlane unless you wanna pass!

Thanks for the video Bob. You're correct in saying that GM does a good job of bringing concepts to market, and often there is a darn good reason behind those that don't come to market. People need to understand that a concept is just that, a concept of something GM is just thinking about.

To continue with the Buick discussion, I think it is clear that big RWD performance luxury cars are not in its immediate future. However, I can clearly see Buick becoming America's Lexus. Make them luxurious, well built, and fuel efficient, with lots of hybrids and the like, maybe some RWD. The can have good performance, but not be true performance cars. On the other hand, Cadillac can continue as the performance luxury brand going up against BMW, Mercedes, and Audi. A small, efficient Cadillac would make sense in today's market. The Audi A3 is going strong, and the BMW 1 series looks fantastic. Cadillac could also bring an upmarket version of the Sky/Solstice to compete against the Z4, TT, and SLK.

I would agree with Ted that Chrysler seems to bring more of their concepts to market than any other manufacturer.

GM has had excellent concept cars, but should commit to building more of them. A few examples: Fiero convertible(shown 3+ years before the start of Miata production), Cadillac Cien (could of course still replace the XLR), Buick Cielo, Buick Bengal, Chevy Tandem and Chevy Nomad.

If you want to surprise people at the Detroit auto show early next year, how about building concept cars of a new Buick Grand National and a kappa based Pontiac Fiero GT?

Bob~
Welcome back! Its been a long time since we last heard from you. I enjoyed your video and hope to see more, and longer, versions in the future, covering much more subject matter. I find it interesting that you mentioned the reprioritization of the Velite but nothing on the GTO that you previously had said was being reprogramed to better focus it. So is it focused yet? With the much discussed lead time being what it is with GM, if the concept GTO is released in the next round of auto shows, we wont see the production model until 2012! So have we shot ourselves in the foot again, or is this going to be the Pontiac version of the VOLT? Those of us true to the Goat would like to have something to hope for. Maybe our grandchildren will be able to buy the replacement with a fuel cell!

Bob - keep the great product coming!

John Hennessey

Cadillac 16? Is the 16 for the amount it will need to be rebated? The Cadillac XLR has over $12k in rebates now.

Bob, what about this: "GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said it currently was unlikely that GM will build any of the triplet concepts for sale in the United States" - Detroit News 4/4/2007

And this: "Small-car mileage only counts toward CAFE if you build them here, and you can't build small cars here at a profit." - Chicago Tribune - 4/10/2007

Unlike Joe D., I am part of the "Greenpeace crowd." I'm not looking at anything under 40mpg and right now that limits me to a Honda, a Toyota, or a smart car. Will GM ever make a car for me that's available in the US? Based on these statements and the concepts I've seen probably not. (A sixteen cylinder, 1000 horsepower engine?!? Are you putting it in a cruise ship or something?!?)

There is a GM car I'd like to own. An Opel/Vauxhall Corsa Club a/c with the 1.3L CDTi. It gets over 55 mpg and it's even won an award! GM can make good small cars. They just don't seem to want to sell them in the US because of this crazy notion that Americans don't want small cars. Meanwhile, about 20,000 people have paid $99 to reserve their smart car.

Thanks for all the reactions, everyone. A couple of points:

On the wish for a cleaner introduction: yeah, I wish for it too. And there was supposed to be one. What happened was, we shot all the questions at once, 15 minutes, one take. Rather than try to make people watch a 15 minute video, I decided to edit it into a few three minute clips, cutting where the natural breaks were when Bob switched topics.

(In some cases, there weren't natural breaks; we had intended at first for this to be a single, longer discussion, and so we weren't pausing or anything between subjects. So I had the clips edited -- just cut, not changed or deleted! -- where I thought it was the smoothest place to cut them.) So in the end, any problem with where the cuts are is my responsibility.

Anyway, the first subject Bob addressed was Buick -- and he prefaced that discussion by explaining what we were doing with the video. Unfortunately, as my team and I were converting the tape (we shot on a beta tape - yes I know, we need to go digital!), we ran into a stubborn audio/video synchronization issue that wasn't going away. So Buick was supposed to be first... but I decided that in the interest of getting something new up from Bob and trying to be more timely, it was more important to get a new video on the blog than to go in order. So I decided to post the concept cars clip first.

Bottom line: this was the first time we did something like this with Bob, and we're learning as we go (for instance, next time I will go into the taping knowing that we'll likely edit the session into several clips instead of one, and ask Bob to pause between subjects so the breaks feel more natural; I'll also be shooting direct on digital next time so we don't have the chance for conversion issues.)

To all the Buick comments, we do have video of Bob addressing some of the previous Buick questions that will be up shortly. But I can see that this may be a subject we come back to and address again in future videos.

Again, thank you for your comments, observations, questions, and even your constructive criticisms. We're trying to make FastLane a more interactive place - and we'll be answering more questions in the future - and if we don't get to your specific question, I apologize in advance. Thanks, everyone.

In many ways, it is nice to see a few concepts here are there, especially those that make it into production. But for me at least, sometimes there is more value in placing a higher degree of attention on the details on current models.

What I'm getting at is that just in the last model year, I'm finally seeing some GM products that have more polish in certain areas like the tail lights, trunk and side trim, door handles, interior layout, and overall styling. This isn't to say that they are 100% there yet, but I would feel fairly content with some of the newer Saturn product.

What I'm getting at is that most domestic automakers seem incapable of producing cars that lack some degree of generic styling treatment. The trunk and side body panels on many American sedans seem to have vast swaths of sheetmetal that create too much open space. This isn't as pleasing to the eye. People like to see a car's lines, and small touches like careful trim placement, sophisticated head and tail lights, and door handles can make all the difference.

I know that you worked for BMW at some point, thus you fully understand how an understated styling treatment can help retain a car's visual appeal. Perhaps take some of the understated finesse' of BMW and apply it to some of your current brands.

Mr. Lutz

I must agree with you about the Chevy Bel Air. It wasn't as nice looking as the press said it was. As much as I'd like to have a retro sedan such as that to sell, that wasn't the looker we need.

I am not going to buy a Buick in my lifetime, but I would buy a Volt tomorrow.

GM & Bob Lutz,

Thank you very much for responding with your video! I really appreciate the fact you spent time to do that.

I actually haven't seen the Buick Velite and I would have to say that I was impressed that it didn't make it to production. Seemed like a pretty slick vehicle for Buick's line up.

I agree with Andre who mentioned in this forum that the Buick Enclave would be the first vehicle that seems to spark interest in purchasing GM. I'm currently in the market for a car but thinking I may wait a little longer. As I scan the lineups from most manufacturers, nothing really really excites me. The Enclave seems to have a good attention to detail and the styling as well as fuel enconomy and space that seems to be the perfect combination.

I've always wondered, as a teenager, why anyone would purchase a 4 door car, but I'd like to see a 4 door version of the Saturn Sky, IF it was possible.

Finally, I've always like the Chevy SS Concept from a few years back. Seems like a slick sedan for a family. I will say, I'm VERY happy with GM's decision to bring in vehicles from over seas. I think the Pontiac G8 will be a huge success here in the states.

Eric

I just had to underscore this comment from edvard:

"People like to see a car's lines, and small touches like careful trim placement, sophisticated head and tail lights, and door handles can make all the difference."

I agree 100%. One of the things I've always admired of the earlier years... such as the Pontiac Firebird's of the late 60's was the attention to the markings, emblems, and especially the side marker lamps in the shape of the firebird and pontiac symbol. The little things can make a big difference.

Bob,

I really appreciate your candor on the topics you touched on. Thank you for embracing blogging and web videos. You are a true testament to what it means to be a leader. You have an opinion which you stand behind, and you are not afraid express it. Thank you for reaffirming the fact that you can still be an executive with a personality in today's corporate culture. To all the other executives out there, stop repeating your generic talking points and follow Bob’s lead.

Take care,
Chris

I know it takes alot of energy and cycles, but please dont ever stop blogging .

Bob,

thanks for your comments. It's terrific to get direct feedback from you on specific issues.

The concept question has had me thinking over the last several days that despite what GM builds, there is a puzzling lack of acceptance and sales to go along with what appears to be nice product. Where are all of teh G6 coupes and convertibles; the Auras, etc?! I understand that many will say it is the result of years of lousy product, service and reliabilty; I wonder how much of it is just simply a lack of good marketing? I may have said this in past comments, but I'll repeat it because nothing has changed - FIRE all of your marketing and advertising folks and start over.

Nothing like executive level defensiveness to inspire confidence in a company.

It's not hard people, fast-track the Volt, get 2-3 cars that get 40+ mpg hwy, and make sure the new Camaro is both affordable and well built.

Or just maintain the status quo, I'm sure Toyota and Honda will be most grateful.

I agree with turbo200 and mostly Edward Hayes. Although I think Pontiac also needs help. It needs more differentiation from Chevy. The Solstice is just a start. The G8 needs to get here and be class-leading but not for gobs of money (until the brand's image improves). The G6 needs to go RWD quickly, too. And Chevy needs to not copy everything cool Pontiac gets. Chevy getting a Camaro while Pontiac gets a GTO is kind of the right idea. But what's this about the Impala also going RWD? It better be much larger than the G8 then. And all the brands small cars are broken! They all need 40MPG highway small cars. Only Pontiac should get a 35MPG one (because the perf kicks butt).

I have to say that I love this video--the mere fact that its hosted on YouTube rather than a corporate site says a lot to me. Hearing from someone as passionate as Mr. Lutz seems to be means more to me that web page after web page of marketing spun drivel. This is honest, direct and shows more understanding of what's going on both in the market, and in turn, at GM than anything I've seen or read in years from Honda, Toyota or any other manufacture. Thank you for treating me with respect as a customer Mr. Lutz; it uncommon and very welcoming. Please--please--keep this up.

Mr Lutz:

In interviews regarding the Sixteen over the past couple of years, you had mentioned that a V16 was not a viable engine but a V12 was certainly not out of the realm of possibility.

Furthermore, you and your direct reports has stated that while many people at GM "wanted to build the Sixteen" (or at least a full sized premium luxury car similar to the Sixteen concept, you and your direct reports were unable to create a viable business case for this full-sized luxury sedan.

Why, all of a sudden is you focus BACK on the V16 engine? You've already stated the V16 was not a possibility. And why have you turned the fact that Sixteen hasn't materialized in 4 years since its debut into an environmental issue?

The PR spin is very transparent Mr. Lutz and quite disappointing. I've always viewed you as a "straight shooter," but this video is ridiculous.

Mr. Lutz, the fact remains, Cadillac still needs a full sized luxury sedan to compete with the Mercedes S-Class. Without it, Cadillac can't even be considered a "Has Been." Cadillac is a "Never Was."

oh here we go again with the "eco-unfriendly image" again. When was the last time the bunny huggers were a large part of your consumer base? You will never please these people so long as you make cars that burn gas.

Start making cars for the people who made you #1 in the first place...make your cars go fast one quarter mile at a time!

How about a lineup for Buick with teh Chinese Park Avenue, the Chinese Riviera concept, the Enclave and the Velite. With these cars Gm could really say they had a lineup better than Lexus. All of these cars are great looking and would make Buick the premium brand that it once was without infringing on Cadillac.

I know several Buick dealers and when they heard the reason the Chinese Park Avenue wouldn't come here was because some dealers felt it would infringe on Lucerne sales thought that was just an excuse and ludicrous.

Hey Bob and GM,

As a potential buyer, I have some feedback on your product lines.

I can't help but think man there are to many vehicles. Its like going to a new restaurant and seeing weird named foods and having a 10 page menu. You get so overwhelmed with all the different dishes you can't decide on one, so you end up looking for someting you know rather then trying new things.

I think GM has this problem with their car and truck lineup.

I have been tossing aroudn the right way to handle this problem and its not an easy one. But if I might add my opinion here, Might I suggest going with only three brand names Saturn, Buick and (maybe) Cadillac (though I think something with a bit more Aire and ring to it is needed).

Why these three? Well the big thing I notice with GM is that they try to market each brand against their other brands which is great, but is taxing on the company. Many of the brands offer overlapping cars (pontiac and Chevy mainly), so I think a more divided approach might work well. Entry level, Luxuary and Performance should cover the whole gammut of products.

Any consumer going to look for a new car (GM or other) is overwhelmed with choices. And unless they use some Likert scale of ratings (which I doubt many do) they tend to make decisions much the way you would on a menu.... look at price then at the content/features of the meal (or car in this case) or maybe they'll just stick to what they know (Philly cheese steak for instance is hard to mess up). Again this creates consumers stuck in a rutt. As for the rest of the consumers.. well they look and if they don't see anything they like they go elsewhere.

So back to the Saturn, Buick and ??Caddy?? lines, Saturn to me has always been a compact/budget car maker, lately they have been creating some nice cars but they are treading on territory that other GM lines consider their main ground (I'm thinking about the Aura and some of the new saturn sedans).

Buick is doing a great job with the revitilaztion, they have nice styling and a good name and emblem (though an emblem rework would be cool). Chevy on the other hand to me is kind of bland and common place and doesn't have that ring (maybe bragging rights) that many younger buyer and even older upscale buyers are after.

And Pontiac isn't doing bad but they are really overlapping a lot with Chevy.

GMC also doesn't make sense, why produce only a semi luxuary truck, which is hard for the average consumer to tell apart from a Chevy. Produce one base model in various trims under one name, and one extremel luxuray model in a few trims.

Here would be my new plan. Move the low end cars (read G5, Chevy Trucks) into the Saturn brand name (which btw needs an emblem rework), and any economy and low end affordable car into the saturn brand name irrellivant of size. Then Move the G6/Aura into the Buick name, the G5 COULD possibly be a low end Buick too.. move the High end Chevy trucks (diesel included) into the Buick name, the Corvette should go in the new performance catagory (though I really think it and Caddy need a rename despite the legacy name, though I guess you could keep the Chevy Corvette name alive by itself), The Camaro, G8, and CTSV and any other high performance vehicles should go into the Performance brand name (think of something that really has some character in the name that can be built into a world class performance brand, something that will have some real prestige agains the likes of BMW, Mercedes, Lexus and Infiniti.... I dont' think Caddy can cut it in its current form).

The base model CTS should go in the Buick as should the STS since they are the only RWD cars,

If the whole GM US brand is consolodated this way it'll be very easy for consumers to shop, pick the segment they want and the trim level they want (for Instance a Buick G6, Buick G6X, and a Buick G6XP would be the same car except for engine and interior trim, the base model would be fairly luxurious while the X would be extra luxurious and maybe offer a slightly better engine, while the XP would be extra luxurious and have extra power to compete with the japanese and euro cars out there. This gets rid of the problem I see now with the Aura/G6/Malibu of "I want this exterior, this interior and this engine/tranny". There is no sport luxuary car. What I'd be interestedin is an Aura with a 6 speed and a Nav system for example.

Another thing I see as critical is the product warranty, I read the warranty web sites and see a ton of exclusions. Dealers tend to try to get out of performing repairs and use the exclusion clauses to justify it. Do you really want to send the message to your customers of "We warranty our products but will try to get out of fixing them anytime we can". Offer better products that don't break so much and then all inclusive warranties. I can think back a few years to a diesel vehicle our family used to own, it was a 6.5 turbo diesel. It had a fuel pump problem, the dealer told us it wasn't covered because it was water related. Yet the fuel system was supposed to have a system to deal with water (fuel/water seperator), so what I don't get is why the dealer tried to get out of it. Clearly a part designed to prevent water from entering a fuel pump failed to do its job, but yet it was the customers fault?

Thats the kind of thing that gets around and gives GM bad press. They need to have better warranties on all vehicles end of story. Not just powertrain warranties, I have little doubt that GM makes great engines and transmissions, but in my experience its the rest of the car that keeps having problems. If you are going to put a 100K Powertrain warranty on it put a 60 or 70K full vehicle warranty on it (that includes everything but tires). I'd gladly pay it if it was on the right vehicle when I buy a new vehicle.

And while you are at it give each car a diesel engine option for economy (or hybrid of some type) and offer all gasoline cars with the E-85 option.

Now for my thoughts on the Video and its commentary:

BTW Bob, the Caddy Sixteen's appeal is the quality and styling that went into it not the engine in it. We want that kind of luxuary, an extreme premium car that is so increadible that it just showcases what GM can do and is available for resale to anyone who has the means even if they only sell a few a year. Compare this with now where you show us these awesome cars and we dont' see the technology quickly dissemeinate. Its ok to showcase technology but stop dangling it in front of us like a steak in front of a dog. You want to show technology, how about a small turbocharged V8 that gets good gas millage(

As an example of technology, on the high end BMWs, paddle shift manual transmissions, multi mode traction control and stability management, user programmable engine mapping and shift mapping... these are small features that steer away a small percentage of people. But having these acts as a flagship to showcase and debut new technology. GM SEEMS to be a few steps behind many of the other companies technology wise. Heck even subaru has variable bias AWD which lets you tune the front to rear power bias. Options are what people like, but not brand and rebrand options, real features in the whole line of cars.

To comment on the Vette, the Vette is great but the problem is overcoming the name and the price. Its hard to sell a Vette to someone buying a Porsche or other similar car, mainly because the Aire behind Porsche ownership to ME feels much higher. Sell an exclusive Vette model, with a fairly radicical departure from the stock body, a crazy engine and a really really nice interior. The Corvette to many people I know has become a Honda Civic among Supercars, sure its fast and looks good, but it doesn't bring with it that Exclusivity that other cars do. If you can capture that in a high end model while still offering the base model it will add to the Exclusivity of Corvette owners, especially among Euro car buyers who look for that. Otherwise keep on going as you are, and accept the Vette will never be the most exclusive car but will sell fairly well because of its power/price ratio.

As another comment relative to marketing and discussing vehicles, stop using the best in class class phrase, its become cliche AND it doesn't add much impact to statements.. Many cars are the only ones in their class whether by default or brand differentiation. Best in class means nothing to me because everyone seems to define the class of their vehicle in their own convenient way.

As for concept cars the problem isn't putting them into production, the problem is that it takes so long to happen that most people who see them and like them go out and buy something else in the mean time. OR by the time the concepts make production they loose their cool and wor factors, or have been so axed by production requirements that they aren't appearling anymore. The big complaints arent' from the lack of quantity of production cars but as one reader said the inability to read the market and get there first. GM seems to be a step behind in the cutting edge on their high end and on par with their low end. Fuel economy and power being one of the issues, style and quality being another and warranty another.

Again the concepts of the Solstice and Sky were great, but they took almost 4-5 years to complete and bring to market. In the mean time other competitors came out with newer equally impressive cars and styles, so when they hit market they were ordinary and common place (at least to me).

Keeping extra brands around won't work, the market has more players now then ever before and the quality of their offerings are rapidly getting better. In order to be competitive you have to accept less quantity sales and strive for product quality on fewer vehicles. THEN once the customers come back to the GM brands you can add more models and brands.

I think if GM plays its cards right focuses on things that are important, they can suite most people's needs in the market. After reading the responses above there were several people who resonate the same response I do in many ways, and a few who don't. I think if you keep listening to your customers you'll be in a spot to take over #1 again, provided you can get product to market fast enough. I suggest cutting the fat and taking only the top products and axing the rest whether it is cars, engines or other. GM should only be releasing their cutting edge products, for instance will we see a V8 version of the V6 thats going in the new CTS? Probably not. Will more of the models have 6 speed autos and 6 speed manuals, maybe would be my guess but probably not. How about small diesels in the Cobalt and other econo cars, surely you could compete directly with VW in that market and still get 40+ MPG with a car that isn't slow as a mule. How about some more turbo cars, I think the Solstice and the Duramax are the only turbos I'v heard of from GM since the 1990 Turbo Grand Prix. A nice small turbo engine (6 cylinder or even 8) for the larger cars that makes the power when needed and has the economy to match. How about a CTS or G8 that has 300 HP and gets 32 MPG is that to far out of line, I can't see any reasons it can't be done, afterall Buick fuel economy has always seemed decent. How about a duramax in the Colorado and even one in the G8/Park Avenue for those of us that want some fun and decent millage and dont' mind driving a diesel. I'm going to guess that few of these will ever see the light of day for some reason or another. I wish GM were more interested in this type of development. People will buy them if you offer them.

Its my beleif that these ideas have the potential to put GM back on the map of #1 auto makers. Not to mention it will make upselling cars easier. Its hard to show a customer their options when they have none except the competition.

This fan isn't asking you to make crazy new cars, but rather offer us more options and less brand naming. Better engine choices, nicer interiors and quicker time to markets.

The first step though is admitting GM has a problem, I think the stocks show this, not to mention the number of "foreign" cars that are built here in America, but hey I'm not to worried about that if you make us good cars. Build them (quicker) and they will come. As it is, it takes too long for concept cars to go from show to showroom, don't show us them until they are almost finished, and if you are worried about people not liking them and need the auto shows to validate... chances are you should have built it last year, because tommorrow is to late.

Hey Bob,

Just got back from the Transformers movie. If GM can offer the Camaro with a gold paintjob and a set of black Z/28 stripes, I'm sold. Bumblebee FTW.

Alright Buick you win. I did not want to but you forced me, I will buy somewhere else. No Velite--No Sale!!!

Bob,

In your next installment of your video blog, could you PLEASE discuss the 09' Camaro and GM's plan for it in the current market. How will GM keep the Camaro relevant and profitable for another 30+ year run?

I have heard on message boards (probably hearsay) that the 09' Camaro has already started to generate pre-sale orders. Also, the dealers are marking up the retail price by upwards of 50%.

Probably just a rumor but can this be true?

Bob,

I enjoy these segments where you "straight talk". People might not like what you are saying, but better for us to know the Velite is coming than to hear it ad nauseum year after year. If you only knew how many times we've seen "Velite!" posted as the cure to all of Buick's woes...

What Buick really needs, IMO, is a value-packed entry level sedan with modern styling that picks up on Enclave and Park Avenue cues. A pricey and low-volume RWD convertible would likely be just another SSR disaster in sales. And a cheapened version would be little better than a Sebring and probably sell only a bit more than the G6 convertible.

No, Buick needs a youth injection. And that can't happen with big convertibles targeted at Boomers, or expensive crossover SUVs.

I look to GMDAT, Holden, and Shanghai GM to help pull Buick out of the pit of irrelevence and get away from the Mercury-like, reskinned Chevy lineup.

Noel,

Never say never to Buick; I could have sworn ten years ago that I'd never buy a Cadillac but I just ordered my second - a new 08 CTS.

I like the work Saab is doing in the near luxury small car segment. The main line GM should follow the model and bring in similarly exciting but slightly lower price cars for the mainstream customers.

How about building a hydrogen powered Sixteen? At a high price point, this car could be offered with a home refueling station. Not too much money would be lost since it will be low volume. This could really be the standard of the world(luxury, high-tech, exuberance).

Ok, the segment I believe GM could capitalize on is something no one else is doing: A compact rwd. Sure, truck space, etc would be compramised, but it would take on the civics and wrxs etc in that vast segment. The cobalt was good only the first-to second year it was out, now it's just ho-hum(like the focus, neon,old sentra etc was). This segment changes so fast, it comes down to who ever's model is new becomes the best. So if Gm was to make, if u will a mini chysler 300/or cammero, maybe say on a stretched soltice/sky platform, I truely believe you could sell at least 100,000 units a year. Sell each variation coupe and sedan in different divisions, with high output 4's and you get the same effect as putting out a 8v rwd on an affordable scale. Not only will it instantly take the crown in the compact market for performance in automotive journalist circles, but the platform itself would be the only one of it's kind. Which means that the platform could go four years with out having to up date, or the down gradeing of it's image once another new front driver comes out, in the fiercy competative compact market.

Bob,

Please read this quote:

"We don't need to match dollar for dollar, but we're not going to concede ground in a category we feel we're best in class in. The game's on."

That's from Paul Ballew, your executive director of global market and industry analysis. It was in reference to the fact that GM truck sales are down and Toyota Tundra sales are up.

You are not best in class. You do not offer a 5 or 6 speed transmission in the GMT-900s. You do not have standard side and full curtain airbags in every model. Your steering columns lack a telescopic adjustment. Safety, performance, and details, Bob - GM is behind Toyota in all of them.

Now, what Paul said translates to "we don't have an answer to the Tundra so we're going to slash prices on the GMT-900s".

I know you don't want to hear this, but I'm going to tell you anyway...... those 6 speed transmissions need to be standard in every GMT-900 IMMEDIATELY!

Full curtain and seat mounted torso side airbags need to be made standard in every GMT-900 IMMEDIATELY!

I'll just be blunt:

START MAKING BETTER TRUCKS!

Gteetings Mr. Lutz,

Smaller than a CTS? Electric & Hybrid??? ...you have a simple solution with proven technology already in your stable.

The Hybrid technology seems like a trendy flash in the pan kind of thing to do. There is a monster battery and complicated drive train that will in time fade and fail. This will force the consumer to fix the charging engine as well a replace a battery the size of a healthy TV set. How much will that replacement battery cost???? The price for my Makita drill battery is insane, I can't imagine the tab for a thousand of them. Not to mention the Green technology will generate a huge battery disposal problem in the long run. Obviously your not going to stop the development based on my babble, but it seems like some weak fad... Ford escapes hybrids are available on the lots aplenty... why??? Because consumers are gun shy and the REAL MPG numbers they pull in everyday commuting isn't so great. They are on I-75 south going 80 like everybody else, but they are struggling to keep that pace and at that speed the mystical efficiency is nonexistent.

DIESEL DIESEL DIESEL!!!!!!! The Duramax Diesel is an awesome power plant and GM has produced a winner, yet you don't harness that technology into an I4 and or V-6?? IF GM duramax architecture into a world class I4 or V-6 coupled to the new generation of 6 speed transmissions, you couldn't keep them on the lot. The 4.3L Vortech was a great engine because it was proven V-8 technology. I drive an 03 Duramax with 95,000 miles on it and it sails down the freeway getting 19-24 mpg with some simple modifications, any performance vehicle on the road right now gets comparable mileage with my 3/4 ton truck! I use half the fuel my neighbor does driving the same distance with a Z71 or my friends F150. I know your going to say "People don't like the stink" and if they knew the savings in their pockets and a lower cost of ownership, you would see people change their minds. "It's dirty", That is the Governments fault for letting our diesel fuel in the states be so dirty. If your clean up the fuel (EPA) and with a little better emissions your slayed that dragon.

The VW Diesel's have always produced mileage numbers comparable with hybrids, and the technology has been around for a long time. I know GM produced some bogus diesels for cars in the 80's gas crunch, but those were built on the technology of production gas V-8's, and were not very good. If GM produced a CTSd with a 240hp duramax V-6 and running a 6 speed gear box I would be the first in line and it would be a winner with dual purpose performance and economy your customers want. Diesels are all the rage in Europe so I bet you could grab more market share over there too eh???

With BioDiesels and other variants of synthetic diesel fuels (even cooking oil) can be burned in the engine with great results and reduces the strain on refineries since it's produced in less time and also fossil fuels can be blended with synthetics to reduce the demand for foreign oil. Your customers want performance??? Go on youtube and watch a Duramax powered Silverado Crew Cab 4X4 eat a ZO6 on the quarter mile, or a string of Mustangs. I know a guy that drags a camper to a dragstrip with a 3/4 ton diesel, then takes it to the track and pulls mid 11 second passes all weekend then tows his camper home. How about a 400hp Duramax in the new Camaro??? I saw a Duramax in a 80's Buick GNX and it could pull 10's in the quarter and 38 on the freeway... this technology is truly awesome and it will outperform a hybrid or electric ride all day long and not even break a sweat.

To digress a moment....

Camaro & Firebird are like Pork and Beans
GTO & Chevelle are like Pizza and Beer

Bravo on the Camaro, but where is my 1971 styled 2008 Trans AM??? I'm sorry but the GTO looked more like a Grand Prix than the Grand Prix did. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE bring back the Bird not the Goat!!! Not to mention a Duramax is a 6.6L matching the old 6.6L 400's H.O. that tore up the roads..... and that shaker hood means business. Have your Milford Boys drop a STOCK Duramax into a GTO, with an EDGE Programmer for tweaking the programming and you'll be drifting and giggling all the way around the track and pulling better MPG and performance than the LS-2 would ever dream of.... you can pick me up for a ride and we'll both giggle like little school kids.

Make a clean diesel (based on proven technology) option for every vehicle you make, and keep with the Volt and Hydrogen technology for the next generation. When all those Toyota's drop off the road like flies because of a battery shortage or recall you can thank me later.

Thanks for your time,

Rob Z

Bob,

It's refreshing to hear the straight talk about some of the future GM direction. It's also becoming clear that the Buick brand is just dead here in the US. Maybe the Chinese market hasn't caught on yet, and God love 'em for that. But really, who aspires to own a LaCrosse or Lucerne (sounds like a country song - you picked a fine time to leave me..) oh wait, that's Lucille. No matter, because the sales here continue to leave you as well. As long as these cars continue to be designed for the geriatric set, your sales will continue to slide. The big reason for Buick's growth in China is the sale of small cars that aren't offered here. Without the Sail and Excelle, Buick would be a damaged brand in China as well.

The issue around the globe is your lack of focus on the product. Everybody at GM is absolutely scrambling to meet the cost reduction goals, and the product loses out every time. Why isn't that crystal clear by now? Cheap mis-matched hard plastics, unfinished surfaces, cheap feeling switches, low grade carpeting, headliners and lack of A-pillar coverings - it all adds up to a perfect execution of cheap crappy cars. Excuse me Bob, but we your loyal fans NOTICE these product omissions. Just because Toyota is looking to cheapen their product line doesn't give you the out to do it as well. Remember, they are kicking you ass in the sales department and the only way to get it back is by stepping up with the content. They have established a reliability and low depreciation record that is second to none. You can't afford to look to them as your benchmark. To win, you MUST now set your sights much higher.

For years, Buick's have been designed to be just good enough. With exception of the Enclave (another stupid name), the current product line is dumbed down with no excitement whatsoever. It's no wonder the dealers are wondering if this brand will survive. Unless some fundamental changes are put in place at GM, Buick will be the next Olds. You need a lot more than "quiet steel" and Tiger Woods. You need to light up this brand like Cadillac did. Maybe LaNeve can teach you a few things about what worked for Cadillac. Revive Buick with some real car guys and hide from the beancounters. How did they get to be boss anyway? Where are the checks and balances with the beancounters? Are the cost reduction achivements offset by declining sales? Is that really achieving anything if you take cost out and then can't sell the product? Why not focus on INCREASING sales?

oh here we go again with the "eco-unfriendly image" again. When was the last time the bunny huggers were a large part of your consumer base? - Black03Maruader

More and more people are worried about the price of gas. And more and more people are recognizing that climate change is a problem. We "bunny huggers," (though I disagree with that term; I'd rather eat a bunny than hug one) are becoming more and more prevalent and GM and other car manufacturers are simply reacting to the pressures of the market.

Start making cars for the people who made you #1 in the first place...make your cars go fast one quarter mile at a time!

For GM to be successful they need to create cars for all segments of society. Most people do not race their cars, and most people are not car enthusiasts.

However, I can only speak for myself when it comes to the vehicles I would like to buy. And I would gladly choose a few dozen more dollars in my pocket each month over few seconds off my 0-60 time. If GM wants my money, they'll make a car that I want.

I agree with some of the above comments on how long it takes for GM concepts to go into production. It seems GM takes quite a bit longer, especially as compared to Chrysler to get a car from concept to production. What exactly was happening at Chrysler while you were there that isn't happening at GM? I honestly think you need to take a look at this, as whatever it is, Chrysler is still doing it. Take a look at the Camaro concept vs the Challenger. The Camaro is essentially a mock up. yes, you can drive it, but you have to be very careful with it. The Challenger on the other hand was something Chrysler really wanted to build. So they worked out all the engineering for it, and essentially built a prototype instead of a traditional concept car. You can reportedly do burnouts in the Dodge, and drive it like a normal car because it is already so close to what we'll be able to buy at Dodge dealers in the next year or so. GM needs to start doing this with concepts that you really want to go into production if the public reacts well to it. It would really help shorten the time between concept and production to rival Chrysler in this area.

Why not offer a hydrogen powered Sixteen. It would have a high price point and could be delivered with a home refueling station. Its high price would allow using technology too expensive for Sequel for example allowing for better performance. Even if money would be sold on each car sold, there won't be many sold anyway since they would be expensive. A car like this would attract a lot of attention helping promote hydrogen as an alternative to oil.

This could really be the standard of the world.

Mr Lutz, I agree for the most part,with Joe D. from Cleveland OH. If the guys down at Cadillac want to build a smaller car thats fine.Just dont take away my Big Car, this Law about 35 36 miles to the gallon, is bullSh^&,if the goverment wants to save gas then the goverment can bring back the 55 MPH limit, and if people want to drive fast then fine its there ticket, I personally dont want that, but there are a lot of people that would obey that speed law and for what its worth would save millions of barrels a year and lives, nobody was pointing there finger when gas was a buck a gallon.also the reason the Japanese are on top,only for the moment is marketing savy,but most of all our goverment has been letting them and others loot our Markets for years,and it makes me sick, BOB they are giving them the store,my god that makes it hard to compete,But you guys have done a fine job,despite the fact,if anyone doubts what I"m saying then just do a little research . I have seen plenty of japanese Autos broke down on the road, but I have never had a problem with any of my Cadillac's and I have yet to see with my own eye's a Buick on the side of the road! {Rant} Like JOE D.said if someone needs that kind of high MPG then fine.GM has that {over 30 mpg}, but what will happen with Cadillac ? I HATE Small cars !! I love Cadillac and I can Afford to drive one, if someone else cant or does not wish to thats fine,but I also have the right to drive my Big Cadillac North star V-8 its my Money if people want to complain about so called global warming,what a bunch of bull, call China they have zero regard for the enviroment !it seems that everyday the media is kicking GM somewere in the news and it makes me want to puke. Now If Caddy can give me my Big Car and 300 horses and 36 to the gallon then great,but Its got me worried come 2017, I am a Cadillac fanatic, I have had a love affair with Cadillac, Buick and Oldsmobile, since I was a young kid it started at around 7 years old, my first Caddy was a 78 Eldorado Biarritz,bought it in used mint in 82,when all my friends wanted mustangs and camaros, I wanted a Caddy ! BOB I was in a bad wreck In a Deville,{got T-boned by a Drunk}If I were not in that BIG Caddy I would not be typeing this. I would like to see everyone at the Cadillac brand, remember this
{ Cadillac Standard of the World !}Please MR.Lutz keep Cadillac the Big Beautiful Machine that it is. and for you guys at the plant that are reading this, Never forget what your building,and keep doing it with pride.Concept or not{Thanks Guys & GALS} the Cadillac Division Mr Lutz is not just a car to me Its a work of Art ! and if anything were to ever happen to Cadillac, I would fall into a serious mental state,and I know you would not want that to happen..LOL....I wish the Cadillac Sixteen would have seen production, but thats ok keep them coming ! thanks for taking the time to read this, And the next time you talk to Lee Iacocca, tell him Mark Lay says hello, You and Lee in my eyes are two of the greatest car guys to have ever graced the Business and to be honest I wish you and Lee were the one's running GM right now . best Regards Mark.

Mr Lutz,

Here's a question I'd like you to respond to:

I just read that a few days ago you unveiled the 2008 Cadillac BLS wagon in Germany with plans to sell it to the European market. The article I read said the BLS will have...

The front-wheel-drive BLS Wagon is offered with the same range of power units as the BLS sedan, giving the choice of a turbo-diesel and three turbocharged gasoline engines. In addition, a powerful 1.9L four-cylinder two stage turbo-diesel engine with common-rail direct-injection delivers 132 kW (180 hp) and 400 Nm of maximum torque. Depending on engine specification, the BLS Wagon offers the choice of a six-speed manual transmission or a five- or six-speed automatic transmission.

Wow, I think, this is great, a GM car with a common rail diesel and six-speed manual. Where can I buy one?

Then I went on to read that your Cadillac brand manager Jim Taylor also said:

"This is the first Cadillac wagon in our 104-year history, and we think it will do well in many European markets where consumers desire a high
degree of versatility and functionality in their performance luxury vehicles."

"The Cadillac BLS Wagon is an appealing addition to the Cadillac portfolio for customers preferring dramatically designed luxury vehicles that offer versatility and performance along with outstanding ride and handling characteristics. This is the first Cadillac wagon in our 104-year history, and we think it will do well in many European markets where consumers desire a high degree of versatility and functionality in their performance luxury vehicles."

Did I read that quote from Jim Taylor correctly? Does he really think only ...the European market where customers desire a high degree of versatility and functionality in their performance luxury vehicles is ready for a car like the BLS?

Do the two of you really think the U.S. market isn't ready for a car with a turbo-charged, common-rail diesel and six-speed manual transmission? In my opinion that is either a case of being arrogant or misinformed.

V/R

Gary Dikkers

In terms of a "lack of sensitivity to environmental concerns" it is pretty disturbing that these enviromentalists -a vocal minority of malcontents- can dictate to the rest of us what kind of cars should be produced. Show me where the environment has been destroyed due to our cars and trucks or how it can be due to a 1000 HP luxury sedan. All of this concern over the environment has about as much scientific footing as the eugenicists had back in the early 20th century - and that "science" wound up on the ash heap of history. I would like to see a GM and a domesitc auto industry that stands-up for itself instead of pandering to the purveyors of political correctness.

The market that Buick sells to most is senior citizens.

Well the older Boomers are turning into just that. GM may just be looking ahead where others are not.

I am not that age, but while at a Buick dealership, I looked at their two car offerings and was quite impressed. I don't think the competition, be it domestic or foreign, has anything on Buick design. And considering Buicks quality reputation, these are quite good cars.

Of course the LaCrosse and Lucerne could be more esthetic, that will probably come soon enough, but for now Buick's offerings are far more than adequate.

The Enclave is a great looking vehicle & I certainly hope that it is an idication of what future Buicks will be like. Will there be a smaller Buick luxury crossover than the Enclave? also, Is the Lambda platform flexible enough to make a sedan based on that vehicle?

Thanks,Bob for what so far have been very pragmatic and informative video clips!

I doubt car enthusiasts will ever be satisfied by what GM offers them on the showroom floor, as the "if only it had more horsepower" mantra is infinite. But perhaps the Pontiac division, with tweaking of the Solstice, GTO, and G8 series, and an aggressive after-market performance program, can give enthusasists more satisfaction, and become a Pontiac (and GM) profit and development focus.

As for us "regular" folk, it's good to see more focus on GM vehicle's quality and overall usability, for which handling, fuel economy, responsiveness are all important.

What remains unsaid is how GM will improve on the archaic Franchise relationships it has with its dealers. By comparison, Toyota, per recent Business Week article, is aggressively polling and prodding their dealers to make sure customers have opportunities to get satisfaction after the sale, helping insure repeated sales and brand loyality. What is GM doing here? Can it afford to fall any farther behind Toyota?

I'd just like to say (as I've said in comments on many blog entries) that I agree with those demanding more Diesel cars - from large (Park Ave/Impala), to medium (G8), to sporty (GTO and Camaro), to small(Cobalt/Vibe/Aveo).

Bob
I agree with a lot you said on the U-tube segment regarding Buick. However I think one thing you should have said is that Buick and Cadillac are going to appeal to younger buyers. A Buick coupe would do that. Sedans are stodgy and are not flashy or sexy. I think you should use the Velite styling on all future Buicks. Take the next upcoming large sedan give it RWD, Velite front styling and build it as a 4-door and 2-door. The same car. Just like GM would have done in the old days. Years ago Electras were built in both varieties. A matter of fact bring back the Electra name.
This way you get a coupe and dont have to develop a totally seperate car. If you want you can call the coupe a Riviera. If later on you build the Shanghai Riviera you can call it a Wildcat and it can compete against the Infiniti g35.

65 comments and Saab is mentioned ONCE. Turbodiesel ad nauseam. Ive got both and it still aint ready for the museum. Lutz, again IMHO youre missing a huge opportunity. Maybe you can test-drive in Troy in August.

I just want to say that I am not impressed with the current Buick flagship the Lucerne. The car is a decent replacement for the LeSabre (however I thought that the LeSabre was more attractive) but it is no replacement for the Park Avenue. The Enclave is a very attractive vehicle but Buick is a car manufacturer. I don't understand why a proper flagship sedan was not derived before an SUV. Buick needs to focus on it's bread-and-butter, the cars. It's great that you brought back the port-holes, but please bring back distinctive American style to go with them. Buick is very special to many of us and I know I would hate to see it go the way of Oldsmobile.

Mr Lutz,
I am unhappy with my Lucerne CXL. I am a tall person and want to get into the car without bumpin my head.
I want to extend the reach of the factory installed EXIT seat possition. I want to extend it all the way for exiting and entering. I don't want the seat to take the drivers position when unlocking the door. I want the drivers possition, when I put in the key in to the ingnition.
I am told by the dealer the factory setting of the EXIT position can't be changed.
It is electronic, so I can't see why there is not a way to make it happen.
Please reply.
Don Selby

Bob- totally DISAGREE on your Cadillac 16 thinking.

The Cadillac 16 is the best idea to come out of GM in decades! God, what a beautiful vehicle!

The thinking behind the American public is we want something to compete with the Bentleys, Maybachs, Rolls Royces, etc, that is 100% American.

All we are wanting is an American car that one aspires to own one day.

Bob,

You are wrong on the Cadillac 16.

Any law on CAFÉ will not put Mercedes’ S-Class, BMW’s 7-Series, Audi’s A8, Jaguar’s XJ, Maserati’s Quattroporte, Bentley’s Flying Spur or Lexus’ LS out of production. Period.

Instead of the frivolous and technically challenged 16-cylinder engine the 16 flagship could be renamed and offered with two gasoline engines. One would be a 400hp V8 and the other a 500hp V12. The V8 (which could be sourced from the Corvette program) would exceed the rated power output of the current segment leading S-Class while likely matching (or if the Vette’s highly efficient LS3 was used, exceeding) that of the next generation 7-Series due next year. The V12’s output would closely mirror that of the current 12 in MB’s S600 while likely landing close to the power of the next generation V12 in BMW’s 7-Series.

In sum, you do not need to be bound by the concept’s name. It is the spirit of a flagship vehicle which is desperately needed if Cadillac is ever really serious about being taken seriously. Otherwise, imagine BMW without the 7-Series or Mercedes without the S-Class. Just as those brands would not have achieved their place in the automotive consciousness without those flagships so too will Cadillac fail to achieve true luxury greatness in its range. As Marc E. put it flawlessly, “Cadillac still needs a full sized luxury sedan to compete with the Mercedes S-Class. Without it, Cadillac can't even be considered a ‘Has Been.’ Cadillac is a ‘Never Was.’

Bob, you have to spend money to make money. Cadillac’s prestige is up not just because of the CTS but the expensive CTS-V flagship for the line. This was helped in no small part by Cadillac spending the money for CTS-V’s in Speed GT. As you can see from this thread and elsewhere if you look, the next generation CTS-V is awaited with baited breath.

As for a Cadillac sized and priced below the CTS, that concept should be laughed out of the room. Wasn’t anyone paying attention to the damage caused by BMW’s recent failure with their small Ti hatch or Mercedes’ similarly embarrassing foray into that price segment with the C-Class hatchback? Small cheap cars are anathema for a luxury brand. This is a golden opportunity for you to hold the line while your competitors, who do not have GM’s broad line of products, are forced downward. THEN, you can point out that Cadillac is more exclusive (something the segment trades on) than those other brands because it does not offer vehicles at those low price points.

Like I said, GM has a broad brand portfolio. Want to sell something RWD at a lower price than the CTS? Then call on Buick, Pontiac or Saturn. The European Bluebloods don’t really have that option. Where they are weak you should be strong. They have to go lower. You don’t. Use that to tilt prestige perception away from them. They are spending fabulous amounts on pointlessly complex technology. Take a bit less than they spend for such needless things as self-closing doors and trunks and instead wrap the interior of even a base Caddy in acres of leather and real wood. Where their technology is complex, simplify. Watch the competitors get desperate.

Bob,

My dream -- A Bumblebee Camaro as a hardtop convertible with superior track handling to a Roush Mustang at the same price without any cheap plastic interior.

Mr. Lutz I think that should be the vision of the Camaro and hears why.

1) The Camaro is the direct competitor to the Mustang but, the way I see it, the Roush is currently competing with the Corvette Z06.{(Bring on the Z07 Supercar)

2) Hardtop convertible. I couldn't tell if it was a hardtop convertible or ragtop from autoshow pictures. Anyway, the softtop/ragtop is old news. Bob, can you tell me anyone who enjoys driving a sports car with the softtop up? It's ugly hence the term RAGtop! Besides this is a high end car and should compete with the class of the BMW M3 and outdo the Mustang.

3) Have it ready for the beginning of the 2010 model year(Sept. 2009). This is because you are already way behind the curve with Ford setting the retro trend several years prior and Dodge beating us with the Challenger. Come out of the gates with your best in order to tap into a market that may have already been filled.

4) Don't ruin your best marketing. Transformers was/is a huge success and Camaro was a star. Don't ruin that product placement. Start taking orders, tell us the final configuration of the Camaro and what the expected options are. What is the timetable...V6, V8, z/28, SS, hardtop convertible, ragtop,...when will they be here? Again, I stress, WE WANT THIS CAR NOW because the retro muscle car thunder may gone by the time the Camaro rolls into the show!

Mr. Lutz...Could you please speak to the long delay from Concept to Production in your next video blog. I really want a muscle car but I really don't want to wait 2 more years.

Might want to consider reviewing the XLR-V test drive video on You Tube.

Thanks

Hi . Bob i have come up with a solution to increase the battery production for your Volt . interested let me know. thanks Jeff Jewell