At GM, design takes the spotlight

The man mainly responsible for the turnaround is said to have 'a magic touch.'
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
DETROIT -- Bob Lutz doesn't need General Motors Chairman Rick Wagoner to pat him on the back or the buff books to gush over his latest creation, the concept Chevy Camaro convertible destined for showrooms in 2009.
He has his wife, Denise.
When the convertible rolled on stage at a GM preview on the eve of the Detroit Auto Show, Mrs. L. beamed, leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
Not only has Lutz spent many nights and weekends trying to fulfill his mission to revamp the GM product lineup, he has taken considerable heat from analysts as well as the press that he has been slow to deliver in his five years on the job.
No so to Denise. With tears in her eyes, she looked at the concept resting only a few feet from her front-row seat, and said:
"It's beautiful. And it's symbolic. It represents the change coming at GM. It's going to draw attention to GM and show that its product development is going in the right direction."
"We're finally seeing the Lutz influence at GM, and the cars he has bragged about for so long," agreed Joe Phillippi, principal of AutoTrends. "We've asked, 'Where's the beef?' and haven't seen it, but now we do and it's a huge step up for GM."
Wagoner gazed at the convertible and noted to Ed Welburn, head of design for GM, that heritage cars such as Camaro are something Toyota doesn't fool with -- possibly because it can't.
"We've gotta do more cars like this," Wagoner offered.
Lutz agrees.
A reminder of heritage
"The advantage of a heritage car is that you remind Americans of their rich U.S. heritage," Lutz said.
"When you emulate other countries, it doesn't work. The more your cars look European, the less motivated the buyers. And we once did the Chevy Malibu to look more Japanese like a Camry. But it didn't work. Consumers weren't looking for a car that looked like a Camry, they were looking for a car that was reliable like a Camry."
Lutz is also quick to share the spotlight.
"No one does this by himself. It's a team thing. I was the catalyst to get the staff working as a team and reinstate design as a key element at GM. It takes some time, and more time at GM than it did at Chrysler when I was there, to profoundly change the product."
As president and chief operating officer of Chrysler from 1993-96 and then vice chairman until he retired in 1998, Lutz had a hand in the Dodge Viper, Plymouth Prowler and Chrysler PT Cruiser.
Lutz, you see, doesn't stand alongside the clay model, shaping it into a pleasant-looking machine; he stands with the modeler, offering advice and encouragement.
Same as he did at Chrysler. But he says there was a big difference between it and GM.
"At Chrysler as soon as we started doing some good cars, the media rallied behind us and said it was swell that a brave little company had brave guys struggling to get back. At GM it came a lot harder. The perception was that at GM here was this big, unfeeling colossus that needed to be kicked regularly to get it to its senses and that it had the kicking coming."
When unveiling the Camaro concept coupe at this time last year, Lutz estimated GM could sell 100,000 units annually. With a convertible, that should be easy.
Former chief designer Wayne Cherry attended the Detroit auto show and admired the cars from a distance.
It has been said that Lutz inherited a system in which the brand managers of each division -- basically marketing types -- tried to have a voice in styling.
"A lot of people wanted a hand in designing the cars," Cherry said, leaving it at that.
Lutz's strong personality brought an end to that.
"Lutz is an enabler, a person who gets people focused. He's the man who gave design a more prominent role at GM than it had," said Dave Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Offering praise
"He has a magic touch," added Catherine Madden, analyst with Global Insight. "Lutz's tenure at GM is critical to the turnaround because the bottom line is product.
"Only 12 months ago GM was losing 24 million a day and now they've adopted a laserlike urgency to return to profits. Lutz's tenure is critical to the turnaround. You wouldn't see it without him."
Daily losses have fallen to 5 million.
Folks at the auto show saw two other Lutz-driven machines, the Saturn Aura sedan and Chevy Silverado pickup, sweep North American Car and Truck of the Year honors.
"It's an award and a vindication," he whispered, a tone of voice not often used by the former Marine.
Lutz also showed off the 2008 Cadillac CTS and Chevy Malibu, both of which received acclaim.
"This is what happens when you let your designers do their best work. We're back in the car game. The days of compromise are long gone," said Troy Clarke, president of GM's North American operations.
And Lutz isn't done yet, though he turned 75 on Feb. 12. "That's only 24 or 25 in Celsius, which is closer to how I act."