I heard Robert Lutz (Vice Chairman of Global Product Development at GM) interviewed on the radio this morning, and was reminded what endeared him to me when he first assumed his post in 2001 -- This is the guy who said GM had too many vehicles that looked "like a whole family of angry kitchen appliances: demented toasters, furious bread machines and vengeful trash compactors.'' And sho' nuff, since his arrival the vehicles that exhibited that dubious style are either gone or nicely refined. Another fave is when he famously spoke of the idea of man-made global warming as "a crock of shit."
One of the vehicles that incurred his wrath was the (now kaput) Pontiac Aztek.
Yeah, I know. Our garage technicians lovingly referred to it as the Ass-Crack when it was still in production. It was actually a nice ride -- handled well; roomy, for a small vehicle; ran/accelerated nicely -- but what good is that when you had to sneak up on it in the driveway and drive with a bag over your head? Lutz once said, "We’d fire the guy who greenlighted the Aztek if we could find anyone willing to admit it.”
Anyway, Bob doesn't mince words. He's a former Marine Corps fighter pilot, and loves to fly his personal jets over the GM Proving Ground (and he flies like a crazy person). I guess I love me some cranky bastards.
"Vrroooom At The Top" -- 2002 Time mag article on Lutz.
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