GM aim: Show its softer side

Global restructuring, cost cutting and a revamped product line are the forces driving General Motors Corp.'s turnaround bid.

But another less tangible factor has grabbed the attention of the world's largest automaker: likability.

Long viewed as stodgy and ultra-corporate, GM is making a concerted effort to show a more human and personal side of the world's largest automaker.

"There's a feeling that GM is the big, insensitive colossus that needs to be kicked regularly," said Bob Lutz, GM's vice chairman for product development. Lutz, a former top Chrysler executive, said one factor that helped that automaker's comeback in the 1980s was its image as a scrappy underdog that Americans rallied behind.

"The perceptual problem remains our greatest hurdle," he said of GM.

With that in mind, GM used the stage of the North American International Auto Show to try to make the company more human and bring out some personality in its executives and remind people that it's a company made up of real people who care about cars and customers.

The Detroit News

It's about time. This would and could make a world of difference for GM. This should include getting Rick out there in the publics eye.

I've been doing P.R. for GM free of charge 24/7 for the past 15 years of my life.

Sometimes on this forum I seem harsh but I'm always trying to help GM out

with a sale so maybe this new softer GM can hok me up with a pro-bono CTS-V,

I know they'll have trouble selling off the last of the old gen. CTSes so I'm only

trying to be helpful after all.