For being a retired automotive executive, Bob Lutz still keeps one hell of a pulse on the industry. The former GM, Ford, Chrysler and BMW executive was Autoline’s guest and he dished out a lot of information and perspective on a host of topics. Namely, he talked mid-engine Corvette, Tesla and the future of vehicle ownership.
Lutz has pretty keen insight into the mid-engine Corvette. After all, the first mid-engine program received the green light before he retired from GM in 2010. The executive, who now oversees VLF, said the C7 Corvette was originally planned as the mid-engine car before the global financial crisis of 2008 ultimately killed the plan.
On that topic, Lutz also recalled a Cadillac version of the stillborn mid-engine Corvette from last decade. He said the car wore a gorgeous body and a full-scale model was completed and finished in a tri-coat silver hue. Of the vehicles Lutz oversaw before he left GM, he said the mid-engine Cadillac was the one that got away and the car he would have kept forever.
With his prior knowledge, Lutz speculated (and it is all speculation, as Lutz isn’t read into GM product plans) the C8 Corvette will likely bow with a starting price about $5,000 above the current C7 Corvette Stingray. Judging from his experience, the program was likely developed with major cost constraints to keep the Corvette affordable while taking advantage of the mid-engine layout to push the car to new performance heights.
Of course, no Lutz conversation is complete without talking about Tesla. The executive has come out as the company’s biggest naysayer and has consistently said Tesla will soon run out of money and face its demise. He doesn’t shy away from similar comments in the episode.
Strap in because there’s a lot to listen to, but its well worth the listen.
Comments
“The executive has come out as the company’s biggest naysayer and has consistently said Tesla will soon run out of money and face its demise.”
That’s rich, coming from the GM product development dude between 2001 and 2011…
Well troll the truth is it was amazing Lutz got as much done as he did since he nothing to work with at a GM that was bankrupt when he arrived.
Few people could have gotten the product he did under these same conditions.
At least he did not have to preselected the Volt years ahead and still leave customers waiting on a car that may not come.
Yup. He did a lot more for GM for what little he had to work with, and much of it has never surfaced. Remember when he made a last minute change of front end of the C-6, which is still one of the best looking generations. Plus, he was a car guy and proved it with all the performance models that GM came out with while he was at the helm.
He had to fix the 04 GP in the 11th hour as it had an Aztec nose.
The Lacrosse was so bad it was delayed a year.
The GTO was don e on a budget of nothing.
The Votlt was started and many other cars were tweaked from what they were as they were even bigger disappointments before Bov got there.
If only he had arrived 15 years before.
Tesla is dead in the water. No more American taxpayer money to keep the ponzi scheme afloat.
Lutz is still great well into his 80’s. Smart guy that has been around the global auto industry extensively and for so long. Always love the bloggers and armchair quarterbacks who criticize him. Losers.
They lost me when none of them knew what an LS9 is….
They lost me when none of them knew what an LS9 is in the pre-show session….
He did a lot for GM. Spearheaded some great automobiles and brought the Chevrolet Volt to market under strenuous times in the auto industry. Just because he has opinions is no reason to troll this article and post
Take a lunch break! The chip crunching is unbearable.
I love when he talks down tesla
I love Bob Lutz a lot. I am a huge fan. But I have to admit I hate that he is completely uneducated about Tesla. This has been an ongoing thing for at least five years now. Tesla has completely leapfrogged the Auto Industry in the Technology Department. I think Super Cruise is slightly better than Auto Pilot but that is about it. Tesla is basically using Aviation Grade Circuit Boards while all the other manufacturers are still utilizing Auto Grade ones produced to reach a certain price point. Tesla has completely revolutionized the Auto Industry and as an American it makes me extremely proud that we are leading once again. GM and every other company better start following in the Footsteps of Tesla. Now I am not stating that Tesla is running great as a company I am simply stating where they are at as a Technology Powerhouse in the Industry. Bob Lutz hasn’t embraced them for some reason from day one. I really hope it isn’t because he’s involved somehow financially with any association of Big Oil Companies and is simply smearing Tesla. We as Americans should be extremely proud of Tesla just like we are for our Big Three. Obviously since we are on this site we lean heavily on GM’s side of the Big Three.
HOLD UP!!
No one caught that lap time for the ZR1 vs the Ford GT? I wasn’t aware of a new lap time with that large of a gap (4+seconds). Last I read it was a 1+ second gap between the ZR1 vs the GT.
The SEC is suing Tesla Motors. Elon is not too smart. He is damaging his own company