Lutz on Lutz

[Flybrian]

Lutz on Lutz
"Never in doubt"
By JAMIE LAREAU | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
Link to Original Article @ AutoWeek | Updated: 03/21/07, 2:32 pm et

AT A GLANCE:
Name: Bob Lutz
Title: GM's vice chairman of global product development
Age: 75
Personal: Married with four grown daughters
Lives: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Big break: Getting hired by BMW in 1972 as global sales and marketing head

In 2001, Rick Wagoner went looking for a Bob Lutz-type to turbocharge General Motors' product development.

Lutz, who was 69 at the time, had retired from Chrysler Corp. and was running Exide, the battery company. He had been everywhere and done everything, starting at GM in the 1960s and making a name for himself at Opel in Germany.

In 1972, Lutz left GM to become BMW's top sales exec in Munich. He later was recruited by Ford Motor Co., rose to chairman of Ford of Europe, and in 1985 was lured to Chrysler by Lee Iacocca.

He retired in 1998, a decorated hero of Chrysler's revival and the very model of the kind of product-savvy executive GM's CEO was looking for. For Wagoner, the choice was simple: The real Bob Lutz would do until the imitation came along.

What figure in history would you most like to meet?
Winston Churchill. I did meet -- but would enjoy seeing again -- Charles De Gaulle.

What's the best film you've seen this year?
The Departed.

What is your motto?
Often wrong, but never in doubt.

What gets your goat?
Needless analysis when the answer is obvious.

What's your greatest personal achievement?
Becoming a Marine aviator.

What's your idea of perfect happiness?
Having enough material wealth where you feel no financial stress and being surrounded by humans and animals that you love and who love you.

How do you describe yourself to others?
I never really have to do that.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Verbosity.

What word or phrase do you overuse?
Other than the F-word?

What trait do you most dislike in others?
An unwillingness to challenge conventional wisdom.

What's the biggest sacrifice you make to do your job well?
Getting up way early in the morning - most mornings around 5 o'clock.

If you could have one do-over in life ...
Never to have left GM in the 1970s. On the other hand, I doubt I'd be as much value to GM today if I hadn't wandered around.

And if you had a second do-over?
Iacocca might have anointed me as his successor - if I hadn't argued with him. But what would that really have resulted in? I would have been CEO of Chrysler and retired at 65 and now what would I do?

[VenSeattle]

Bob has to be my favorite executive in the automobile industry. I liked him at Chrysler, and I love him at GM.

I hope I'm at least half the man he is at 75.

[ocnblu]

Mr. Ven Seattle said it exactly the way I do. Uncle Bob is da bomb. He brings to mind the great automotive execs of GM's past... when they owned a huge market share and could do as they pleased. Of course, we all realize times have changed with so many brands being sold here, but I still believe in Bob Lutz and his vision.

[Carguy]

Bob Lutz--(((ROCKS!!)))--He is a REAL CAR GUY!!---And a REAL MAN!!---And a TRUE LEADER!!---He came along at the correct time to save GM and I for one as a LIFE LONG GM FAN feal GREATFULL to him for that!

[Oracle of Delphi]

He smells like moth balls and vinegar!

[ocnblu]

And what do you smell like, mister? *sniff sniff*

[Oracle of Delphi]

Well my wife says I smell pretty good and I clean up nice too!