Life after Lutz

Last Friday marked the final day of "Maximum Bob" Lutz's storied tenure at General Motors.  I can't say I really understand why he had to leave --there are so many possible explanations-- but I certainly hope that we haven't seen the last of him. If you are reading my blog, you probably know who Lutz is, so I will spare you the man's full CV here in my brief eulogy.  But those of you who know me well know that I intensely admire much about Bob Lutz's philosophy toward what cars should be and how companies should approach product development.  He believes that companies need to strive for excellence, not merely optimization.  How true that is, yet how few companies have the courage to invest more than absolutely necessary on a product to make something that is the best rather than merely good enough.  Yet history has shown clearly that good enough is just a downward spiral towards mediocrity and irrelevance.  Now that several of you have slapped your foreheads and groaned, let me continue to say that with Lutz's departure, I do indeed fear for the future of GM.  Supposedly, he has left behind an "approach" that can be replicated, as well as proteges and managers who believe in his gospel.  But look at Chrysler now compared to when Lutz was there and you can understand my uneasiness. Like Steve Jobs, Lutz is one of those rare businessmen who is considered a tastemaker, and who is singularly talented at grasping how to make products people desire, and how to shepherd those products to market without utterly destroying their purity.  But like any singular personality, these type of men are not really replaceable.  So on that note, let's hope that GM's bean counters don't come back to spoil the company's momentum towards a long-awaited return to excellence with the Volt, and other Lutz-influenced products in the pipeline.  Bob, the Automobiliac salutes you!

-Photo credit: Denis Poroy/Associated Press