I second that prediction. A global depression is a *much* better excuse than a lame "battery costs too much wah wah wah" excuse on a car they had ZERO intention of building
Wasn't Lutz at GM decades ago making decisions back then? How are "decisions beyond its control"? The decades long sustained loss of market share was planned by GM?
I blame Carter for not giving away, but paying Panama to take the Canal. Lutz isn't solely responsible for GM's death spiral but what did he do to increase profits, market share, or viability? If the Directors were doing their jobs they would have made changes on the executive level. As an outsider I can only surmise that there wasn't anyone in authority who gave a crap about the corporation. Next step--Bankruptcy Court. Time to void the employment and retirement contracts.
Bud Light Presents: Real Men of Genius (real men of genius) Today we salute you, Mr. American Auto Industry Wrecker Guy. (Mr. American Auto Industry Wrecker Guy) Only you know what the Public really wants and can make it for them. (We need more cup holders!) Nobody wants small cars. Hybrids? Too expensive. We built electric cars nobody bought. (Time to crush them all.) Only you can take a Fortune 500 company and turn it into a Penny Stock then fly to DC for a bailout. (I’ll pay you Tuesday for a billion today.) So crack open an ice-cold Bud Light, oh Sultan of the Chevy, because you put the VOLT in REVOLTING. (Mr. American Auto Industry Wrecker Guy) Bud Light Beer, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO Listen to the radio spots here: Bud Light Salutes Real Men of Genius
Yeah too funny. Like the EV1 that was never offered for sale, that was wrenched out of owners hands and crushed. Kinda funny how GM is still in denial over that event
Not really. Per Lutz Biography | GM FastLane, he was at GM from 1963 to 1971 and from 2001 until now. It really is too bad they killed the EV1. Rick Wagoner at least has admitted to killing it being a mistake. It is pretty laughable that >11 years after the first Priuses came out in Japan, GM has nothing competitive w/the Prius in terms of fuel economy.
Thanks for the update. What is true of most really old companies is that the focus of the CEO becomes the focus of all the underlings. I have no desire to just bash GM, but we desperately need GM to get out of the rut they are in. Unfortunately, in their case, regaining goodwill and trust takes time and that is working against them as the try to correct the problems of past (and some present) leadership.
Ok . . . what is there ... maybe 3 or 4 more business days left in 2009. Anybody care to take bets on whether Lutz keeps his promise and leaves? What ... you mean he DID leave? What ... you mean he's back? What ... you mean another broken promise? (sigh) .
bump In the greatest of ironic situations, Lutz's own words are coming back to haunt him again! Too bad he didn't actually retire as planned. Anywho, he was the one who caused Prius owners a lot of grief for many years by claiming hybrids were just a STOP GAP. Now, his own Volt is struggling with the very problem he helped to create. It's being promoted as a fully electric vehicle. But the fact that it also has an engine is being looked upon as a short-term solution rather than just fully embracing batteries as the sole source for energy. Irony makes for very interesting history. .
Exactly! Hybrid stop gap will be a looooooong stop. More and more manufacturers are getting into the game. I didn't understand his pride in the Volt achievement. He admitted that GM will loose money on it and does not make financial sense to the buyers. He did not believe in global warming. What is he proud of?
Today's the day! Of course, this is the third time a retirement date has been reached. Will he really step down? .
Does he get his multi-million-dollar severance package each time he steps down? If so, then yes, he'll probably step down again. And not for the last time, either.
He says in his blog "Today's the last day". He also says "This company is not set up to do a mediocre product anymore. Period." We should get a pool going to see how many of the statements in this one post turn out to be lies.
My favorite: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/ttac-announces-its-first-annual-bob-lutz-award/ Well ok, it is a 3rd party quote ... but I hope it's ture .
Well, motoring.co.za - GM's Lutz says bankruptcy 'out of question' and Lutz says GM bankruptcy "out of the question" — Autoblog seem to confirm it, from 2006.
