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G.M. is in such good shape coming out of Chapter 11 because of Bob Lutz, said Thomas G. Stephens, who now handles many of Mr. Lutz's former responsibilities as G.M.'s vice chairman of global product operations. Bob taught us it was O.K. at meetings to call a spade a spade. It was O.K. to tell the truth and to listen to your gut. In the automotive industry, that gut reaction is probably the most important reaction.
Mr. Stephens presented Mr. Lutz with two gifts: a replica of G.M.?s supercharged LS9 engine and a set of solid aluminum scale models of the 11 vehicles that Mr. Lutz championed, including the Pontiac Solstice convertible, the Chevrolet Camaro sports car and the upcoming Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid.
Mr. Lutz called the models ?mind-blowing? and joked that the federal government, which owns 61 percent of G.M. and restricts its executives? pay, could force him to reimburse the company for their cost.
?I just hope the requisite skill was exercised in hiding it in the budget,? Mr. Lutz said.
Mr. Lutz?s automotive career spanned 47 years and included stints as a ranking executive at all three Detroit carmakers, as well as at BMW. But he called his nine years at G.M. ?the most rewarding assignment of my career? and said it was the first time he was leaving a company confident that it would not fall back on the old bad habits he had worked to eradicate.
Mr. Stephens presented Mr. Lutz with two gifts: a replica of G.M.?s supercharged LS9 engine and a set of solid aluminum scale models of the 11 vehicles that Mr. Lutz championed, including the Pontiac Solstice convertible, the Chevrolet Camaro sports car and the upcoming Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid.
Mr. Lutz called the models ?mind-blowing? and joked that the federal government, which owns 61 percent of G.M. and restricts its executives? pay, could force him to reimburse the company for their cost.
?I just hope the requisite skill was exercised in hiding it in the budget,? Mr. Lutz said.
Mr. Lutz?s automotive career spanned 47 years and included stints as a ranking executive at all three Detroit carmakers, as well as at BMW. But he called his nine years at G.M. ?the most rewarding assignment of my career? and said it was the first time he was leaving a company confident that it would not fall back on the old bad habits he had worked to eradicate.
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