Bob Lutz Interview

[NFS4]

My hero 🙂

http://www.edmunds.com/advice/specialreports/articles/100660/article.html?tid=edmunds.h..reviews.graphic.18.*

 

[Ryan]

Expect some seriously positive reviews of mediocre GM products in the upcoming months. But that's the GM way, right? Do anything except build a better product. From Automotive News:

Press bias

Lutz went on to ding the press for instances of what he saw as a bias affecting coverage of Detroit automakers vs. the type of attention Japanese and European automakers receive.

More specifically, he cited reviews of sport utility vehicles in one issue of Primedia's Automobile magazine. In its review of a not-yet-available Mercedes model, a reference was made to the SUV's "sophisticated" electronics. But a roughly comparable system on an SUV made by GM's Cadillac division was dismissed as having "the usual Buck Rogers electronic hoo-hah."

To laughs from the audience, he said, "I am not making this up."

He told the audience of publishers that he did not "deny you your right" to write such reviews -- but reminded them that GM also had the right to determine where to spend its ad dollars and that it might not look kindly on what he called "biased" reviews.

Lutz asked the rhetorical question "Why should we feed the hand that bites us?"

The audience, though, appeared to focus more on Lutz's remarks about TV than those about editorial coverage. Two key magazine executives, buttonholed in the lobby briefly after Lutz address, said they would love to provide a video of Lutz's remarks to sales reps making calls on carmakers.

 

[Siddhartha]

Does anyone here own a GM product made in the last year or two? Are you satisfied with it?

I wonder what it will take for GM to change the general perceptions of its products?

 

[Cfour]

Lutz = The Man.

I don't think I've seen a negative reveiw of a new (new as in revamped) GM model from Chevy, Buick, Pontiac, and especially Cadillac in a while.

Personally, I own a 2000 Grand Am GT and I like it a lot. No problems, seems to be built well... is a great sized car, and seats 4 comfortably... and I love the looks (i know some wont, but looks are subjective, so no point in arguing).