That Bob Lutz
knows cars is no secret. He's but one of a bunch of influential auto executives that fit that qualification. What sets Lutz apart from his peers, is his incredible sense of design, and most importantâhow to inspire
the designers under himâplus the ability to get those great designs approved for productionâand damn the bean counters and the endless line of corporate beaucrats that inevitably get in the way. It doesn't happen overnight...
Lutz was hired 5 years ago, and only now are we starting to see what this man is capable of. First came the Pontiac Solstice, and now virtually every new GM vehicle is a feast for the eyes. They're all great looking products, that should have no trouble finding customers.
"This place is so switched on," Lutz says of GM's design team. "There's a sense we're winning again. GM is back to being a design-driven company."
Too bad GM couldn't tapped into Lutz 20 or 30 years ago, as the man is now 74. While up in years, we're seeing some of his best work ever, for sure.
"This place is so switched on," Lutz says of GM's design team. "There's a sense we're winning again. GM is back to being a design-driven company."
Too bad GM couldn't tapped into Lutz 20 or 30 years ago, as the man is now 74. While up in years, we're seeing some of his best work ever, for sure.
escape15208 says:
05:58 AM, 10/ 3/06
Maybe that design driven company ethos can find it's way to the blandsville, albeit clean, sheetmetal of the Impala. Or do some surgery on the homely Malibu.
The spy photos of the next Malibu look promising, thought admittedly the bar was pretty low. However, I read that the Malibu will drop the Maxx version, which somewaht ironically was the only thing that differentiated it from the other cars in its class. Too bad, it had some very ncie ideas incorporated into it, and looks better and mroe purposeful than the sedan.
lou62 says:
09:05 AM, 10/ 3/06
Man with the "Midas Touch??' How about some progress in quality
Bob..."Midas Touch"...I don't think so.
ateixeira says:
11:00 AM, 10/ 3/06
I think you guys are looking at the wrong models...check out the new big crossovers. Especially the interiors. I'm talking Enclave and Outlook. They look great. Best GM interiors ever.
estreka says:
06:01 PM, 10/ 3/06
I'll agree that GM products are developing nicely in the aesthetic department, but I think GM needs more than just lines. Or rather, it needs to concentrate on the bottom line, but not in the same way that got it into this mess in the first place.
Also, I'm having trouble finding marquee signatures. Pontiac and Cadillac are pretty easy to tell apart, but the rest of GM's products are looking frighteningly similar. I know they're all the same underneath, but the customer isn't supposed to know that.
rsholland says:
06:52 PM, 10/ 3/06
Well, the fact of the matter is, until Lutz arrived, most GM vehicles were for the most part a visual snore. Not so since Big Bob came on board and worked some of his magic. Now there are a lot very good looking—if not great looking cars sitting in GM showrooms, and Mr. Lutz is to be thanked for that.