Bob Lutz Discovers Tasteful Chrome Surrounds On The Doors Of Perception

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Having wandered with GM through the deserts of poor perceived quality, Bob “The Lizard King” Lutz has broken on through to the other side… of the perception gap. No longer will GM be accused of skimping on quality. No longer will GM struggle to realize its upmarket ambitions. Whence this mystical power? Lutz shares the keys to the the doors of perception with Automotive News [sub]:

Nothing adds perceived value to a car faster than that chrome surround around the side glass because it is a hallmark of German and Japanese luxury products. If you skimp on $50 of chrome, you are reducing the customer’s perceived value of the car by $500 of $600.

Like, wow. Where do these ideas come from?

Though Lutz was talking specifically about the next-generation Malibu, the brilliance of chrome window surrounds is that they can make every GM product upscale!

Lutz said all of GM’s future cars will have a chrome strip surrounding the side window glass. The lone exception is the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. It was too late in the product plan to make the change.

Fantastic. More chrome makes everything look upscale, so why not put it on everything? Why hasn’t anyone thought of this before? Oh wait, Lincoln and Mercury are on the phone and they want their shallow, transparent ploy back.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Nick Nick on Dec 21, 2009

    KalapanaBlack, I sense you are disappointed with your Malibu? :) That's unfortunate...I thought it was one of GMs winners. Honestly. Anyway, I want GM to go back to the time where you could tell the models apart by the number of tail lights. Three across on each side...nirvana. Where's Mikey? He should know when they stopped doing that.

  • Nick Nick on Dec 21, 2009

    This website is eating posts again... Anyway, I was saying that I wish they'd go back to the era when the number of tail lights told you what trim level you were driving. Three across on each side? Nirvana. I don't know when GM stopped doing that with Chevy. 1970? Where's Mikey?

  • ASISEEIT ASISEEIT on Dec 22, 2009

    Someone needs to edit what Mr. Lutz says. So G.M.'s big problem is chrome? Good LORD more nails for the coffin! Is this the best G.M. has to offer? Chrome? I will reiterate my belief in G.M.'s purposeful suicide. I don't understand it but it seems apparent. Maybe this is a case of ,"The Kings New Clothes" where not a soul wants to tell him he's NAKED!!!! Well "You're Naked!!"

  • Jeremy5000 Jeremy5000 on Dec 31, 2009

    My dad's Honda doesn't have any chrome, I should have noticed this terrible lack of quality and prevented him from purchasing such a vehicle.

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