Fast Cars

Great L.A. Times article on G.M.'s woes, Bob Lutz' move and how mundane the new Pontiac G6 is. No fast car news, but lots of car news.

At the moment the news broke, I had written two words of a review of the Pontiac G6: "Dump Lutz."

On Monday morning, the news came that General Motors North America Chairman Robert Lutz and Group Vice President Gary Cowger were "relinquishing" their duties with GM North America to assume unspecified roles in GM's global product development and manufacturing efforts — compared with the high-profile role Lutz has occupied, this is like "extraordinary rendition" to Pakistan.

Although GM's chairman and chief executive is Rick Wagoner, Bob Lutz — also known as "Maximum Bob" — has been the point man for GM policy and future product design, the Great White-Haired Father, the Man with the Golden Gut, the auto industry's most quotable and charismatic executive in a town where charisma is scarcer than banana trees.

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