Wild-Ass Rumor Of The Day: Lutz Headed Back To GM?

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

The Daily Beast reports:

As General Motors Co. gets closer to emerging from government oversight, the automaker is trying to hire Bob Lutz, its former chief of vehicle development, as a consultant…



The U.S. Treasury has opposed Lutz’s appointment on the grounds that, since he left the company last May, paying him so close to his retirement could look like a sweetheart payout. The government could soften its opposition in three months, once a year has passed since Lutz’s retirement.Could it be true? Could the man credited with all of GM’s success and none of its failures really be coming back for more? More to the point, as a consultant? Bob’s current gigs are advising an electric scooter company and the Lotus “revival”… does GM really want to put itself in that company? Oh, who are we kidding? We want Lutz back. The industry just seems so damn boring without him…


Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Robert Schwartz Robert Schwartz on Feb 15, 2011

    If Maximum Bob is back, can Rabid Rick be far behind?

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    • Ronnie Schreiber Ronnie Schreiber on Feb 16, 2011

      The path to GM's bankruptcy was set long before Lutz joined the company 10 years ago. You can say that Rick Henderson and his team didn't manage the company well, but there were structural and corporate culture issues that long predated Lutz' involvement as head of product.

  • JustPassinThru JustPassinThru on Feb 16, 2011

    This is GM, once more, trying to live in the past. If they're betting the future on a near-octogenarian former executive - it's beyond lost. I don't share the dislike of Lutz. He was, in my view, a flawed but brilliant executive that served all the companies he worked for, well in turn. Chrysler, especially, benefited from his input during their years on a roll in the 1990s. But he's old, with all the baggage that entails. Lee Iacocca isn't coming back to resuscitate Chrysler. And Lutz won't be able to do much for GM that hasn't been done already. Both were brilliant in their own way; both were flawed; and as both got older, their flaws overshadowed their brilliance.

    • See 2 previous
    • Doctor olds Doctor olds on Feb 17, 2011

      Buickman- I really am not a union fan. If I were King, I would have stopped, or at least reigned in the union. Too much power to impose unsustainable costs, too little support for maximizing quality and cost results. The system seems to promote mediocrity by eliminating opportunity to earn reward for hard work. This is not to slam the many hard working and dedicated UAW employees who just want to do a good job, like goood employees everywhere. Most have a work ethic as good as any Salary folks. Better than some. I feel a lot better about their agreement to the break through contract of 2007. It is the enabler for current profits. You know I reject the notion that there was a plan to go bankrupt! Delphi was spun off years ago because it was not profitable, the same reason Ford spun off Visteon. Ask Obama's auto task force why they threw Delphi salaried pensioners to the PBGC despite the plan being around 90% funded (according to my Delphi friends and relatives). That was not a GM move. Nor was Delphi management's decision to eliminate salary retirement health care years ago. GM went bankrupt the old fashioned way, they simply lost all the money! That is what happens when costs exceed revenues over a long period of time. Fascinating your claim that it was pre-planned given Wagoner's public resistance to it. I suppose you will say that was an act just to fool us. Bankruptcy means there is no money left. Obligations can not be fulfilled without the money. Now, who are these favored friends?

  • GarbageMotorsCo. GarbageMotorsCo. on Feb 16, 2011

    Put a muzzle on him this time.

  • Nevets248 Nevets248 on Feb 17, 2011

    Somewhere, the one-handed typists @ GM Inside News are wiping off their keyboards/monitors, and Global Insight's Rebecca Lindland is changing her underwear.

    • Buickman Buickman on Feb 17, 2011

      I wouldn't worry about GMIN. it's a site populated by net nazis, company moles, bored teenagers and perverts. TTAC is where it's at.

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