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Best part of 'New GM' story: Lutz stays

Posted by Hootan Mahallati | July 10, 2009 | In gm news

The automotive press has been busy today reporting on GM's exit from bankruptcy as the 'good' assets of bankrupt GM have been sold to a new entity, 60.8% of which is owned by the US government. As one would hope, GM CEO Fritz Henderson has announced deep cuts in the decision-making ranks, cutting the team in half and eliminating the matrix management structure. Henderson has reaffirmed the company's focus on just four brands, namely Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and Buick.

All these are good moves that GM should have made a long time ago, but the best news for GM customers pertains to one Bob Lutz. The 77 year-old former 'car czar', credited with the injection of new flair into GM's product lineup, had recently announced that he would retire by the end of the year. But the incredibly-youthful and even cool Mr. Lutz will get a new role as vice chairman of creative design, brands, marketing and communications. He will report directly to Henderson.

In my last opinion piece on GM, I mentioned how Lutz should have been GM's CEO all along because the man is a consummate car guy. His decision to stay on at GM bodes very well for the old General, whose Chevrolet Camaro outsold all of Cadillac and Buick combined in June.

[Source: Automotive News]

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