[source: Motor Authority]

Bob Lutz: GM won't abandon sports cars, pickups and SUVs

General Motors' vice-chairman Bob Lutz has revealed what the future holds for the struggling carmaker, reassuring the press that despite an impending bankruptcy the firm will emerge as a "powerhouse" in the auto industry and that it will still produce the types of vehicles that are largely blamed for getting it into the situation it finds itself in today - sports cars, SUVs and pickup trucks.

There will be dramatic changes, however, including a much greater focus on hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as more conventional cars. But GM's affordable performance heritage and the pickup trucks and SUVs that once made it the biggest carmaker in the world won't be forgotten.

With a bankruptcy filing looming closer, Lutz explained to Automotive News that a "smaller but leaner" GM would be able to sell cars in the complete automotive rainbow - from high-powered sports cars to small hybrids. In the past, he has admitted that GM vehicles could be unremarkable and suffering from "mediocrity", but the future he promises will be very different.

The embrace of hybrid technology is different from the Lutz we knew of old, who at one point called climate change a "theory". However, it seems as though the reality of the situation has finally hit home for GM. Lutz has even become a champion of President Barack Obama's auto industry task force, which is overseeing the restructuring of GM. He revealed that the task force should become a permanent fixture in the auto industry to promote a dialogue between companies and government.

Lutz is well known for his Republican stance and his initial hesitation about government regulation of the auto industry, but he says he had a change of heart when he recognized that even members of the auto industry task force could be fans of cars - most notably when some of the members were keen to find out the release date and cost of the upcoming Cadillac CTS Coupe.

Despite all his posturing about the changes and future success of GM, Lutz won't be around to actually play a direct role anymore as he's set to retire at the end of the year. His replacement has been named as Thomas G. Stephens, who will report to GM CEO Fritz Henderson.

Lutz, Shut up!!!

You ruined Pontiac with your watered downed designs and the rest of the car lines with your Lutzification!

This man had his chance to "save" the company, and look where it's going. This man thought that neice cars would save GM, yeah right. Nice try there old man. Just retire already!

GM needs a refresh of its small pickups. They need a GMC Sierra replacement and a GMC Canyon refresh. The era of the giant SUV is over just like the giant Cadillac is gone.

Lutz needs to stop living in the past, embrace the present and maybe he can help GM survive into the future. If he can't do this. He should step down and accept that he IS the problem at GM.

Oh really? We'll see.....

Blaming Lutz has to be one of the most absurd positions I have ever seen taken on this site.

This is not Bob Lutz's fault. This all goes back to Roger Smith and the 80s. All this slash and burn they are doing now SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE THEN! BUT THEY HAD NO BALLS!

GM needs a refresh of its small pickups. They need a GMC Sierra replacement and a GMC Canyon refresh. The era of the giant SUV is over just like the giant Cadillac is gone.

Lutz needs to stop living in the past, embrace the present and maybe he can help GM survive into the future. If he can't do this. He should step down and accept that he IS the problem at GM.

Sorry SoCalCTS, Giant SUV and Cadillacs are not gone. Use 6'6" 275lb tall people cannot fit in your mid size CTS if we want to haul others. I have a CTS and NO ONE can sit behind me when I drive as there is NO ROOM. Not everyone can fit in small Auto's. GM knows this, everything will have it's place just on a smaller scale of production.

Lutz, Shut up!!!

You ruined Pontiac with your watered downed designs and the rest of the car lines with your Lutzification!

This man had his chance to "save" the company, and look where it's going. This man thought that neice cars would save GM, yeah right. Nice try there old man. Just retire already!

How dear Bob Lutz bring out such watered down designs as the G8, CTS-V, ZR1, Enclave, Sky, Solstice, Malibu, Lacrosse, and Silverado.

Everyone knows Lutz should have followed his predecessors with real quality GM products like the Corsica, Cutlass Calais, Skylark, Sunfire, and Catara. Now those were some real products!

I only wish he could have found a way to get a 4 cylinder into the G8 GXP for some real Pontiac excitement.

How dear Bob Lutz bring out such watered down designs as the G8, CTS-V, ZR1, Enclave, Sky, Solstice, Malibu, Lacrosse, and Silverado.

Everyone knows Lutz should have followed his predecessors with real quality GM products like the Corsica, Cutlass Calais, Skylark, Sunfire, and Catara. Now those were some real products!

I only wish he could have found a way to get a 4 cylinder into the G8 GXP for some real Pontiac excitement.

For even bringing up those pathetic history moments. We are the New GM and only look forward, not backwards!

I love how the article pigeon-holes him as a 'Republican.' I guess enjoying cars, and believing in building cars that people want to buy, and supporting new hybrid, and engine technologies makes people 'Republican.'

I love how the article pigeon-holes him as a 'Republican.' I guess enjoying cars, and believing in building cars that people want to buy, and supporting new hybrid, and engine technologies makes people 'Republican.'

Would a modern day news article exist without adding qualifiers and author's opinion?

Sorry SoCalCTS, Giant SUV and Cadillacs are not gone. Use 6'6" 275lb tall people cannot fit in your mid size CTS if we want to haul others. I have a CTS and NO ONE can sit behind me when I drive as there is NO ROOM. Not everyone can fit in small Auto's. GM knows this, everything will have it's place just on a smaller scale of production.

Let the pickups and SUV's go for awhile longer --- they'll sell at current levels as long as gas prices don't go crazy --

What GM needs to do is focus like a laser beam on CARS -- especially on the upcoming Cruze and Volt, and on replacements for the Malibu and especially Impala. If what I hear is right, and the Cruze has another crummy, powerless GM engine in it, that's a disaster in the making. I hate to say this but Ford is on the right track with the Focus, Fusion and Taurus, and GM needs Chevy models to properly compete. It should be almost all about Chevy now for awhile. Buick has its new models coming, Caddy probably needs a new DTS, but not much else.

This is not Bob Lutz's fault. This all goes back to Roger Smith and the 80s. All this slash and burn they are doing now SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE THEN! BUT THEY HAD NO BALLS!

I'm sorry, he had allot to do with it. He stuck his nose into the design department way too much. Pontiacs were all about crazy, racing-inspired designs like the Grand Prix GTP, and Grand Am GT. Pontiacs seemed to be the only domestic brand that even attracted import buyers to buy. What he did is turned them into rebadged Chevys. He turned GM cars into Chryslers of the 90's. He is too old, and too cocky, and needs to suck it up and leave. The only success I would give him credit for is the, ummm... G8. Which was not even designed by him (thank God!)

We got a whole thread dedicated to 'race inspired' EXCITEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.cheersandgears.com/index.php?showtopic=28318

This is not Bob Lutz's fault. This all goes back to Roger Smith and the 80s. All this slash and burn they are doing now SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE THEN! BUT THEY HAD NO BALLS!

Amen to that. I am glad Bob feels this way, but I am still not sold. I just hope for best, and it sounds somewhat promising GM might have a few sports cars, and I knew trucks and SUV's weren't going anywhere. They are GM's bread and butter.

I'm sorry, he had allot to do with it. He stuck his nose into the design department way too much. Pontiacs were all about crazy, racing-inspired designs like the Grand Prix GTP, and Grand Am GT. Pontiacs seemed to be the only domestic brand that even attracted import buyers to buy. What he did is turned them into rebadged Chevys. He turned GM cars into Chryslers of the 90's. He is too old, and too cocky, and needs to suck it up and leave. The only success I would give him credit for is the, ummm... G8. Which was not even designed by him (thank God!)

Nothing says sporty like a Grand Am wrapped in ribbed plastic with a black plastic dashboard and a Quad 4 under the hood. Imagine having to give that up for a Solstice with sexy curves and a turbocharger, let along build quality. Who in their right mind is going to pay for a car that last 100,000 miles? I'd rather just keep trading in my Grand Am every 3 years before the head gasket goes.

Now I'm not doctor, but something tells me there isn't a whole lot "race inspired" by cars equipped with 3.4L V6 engines, outside of that "hot" Ram Air badge.