17 Votes

Boost it!

Lutz: It’s better to have fewer brands and models and market the hell out of them

omarrana submitted on 12/14/2008 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 2:47:27 PM

29 user comments | Category: Misc News | Source: | SOURCE: www.egmcartech.com

Tag Link: GM

Outspoken General Motor’s executive Bob Lutz (who has been pretty quiet during the congressional hearings) has been pretty vocal about the company’s future as of lately.

Lutz said that if GM wants survive its financial crisis, it will have to eliminate brands, reducing models and spend massively on marketing each vehicle.

“It’s really much better to have fewer brands, do it well and then market the hell out of them,” Vice Chairman Bob Lutz told Automotive News.

GM’s new restructuring plan puts Saab and Saturn...

Read Article

Lutz: It’s better to have fewer brands and models and market the hell out of them

About the Author

omarrana

I hooked up my accelerator to my brake lights. I hit the gas, people behind me stop, and I'm gone.

— omarrana (View Profile)


User Comments

kornholio

This guy is an idiot. If they were doing what he is saying, then there wouldn't be five versions of every car in their lineup. This is just a weak attempt to fool people that GM now "gets it". They should've been investing in small cars and hybrid technology instead of trying to run the other American automakers out of business by releasing an imitation to everything they build.

— kornholio (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 2:54:16 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

indifferent

Hasnt Lutz been pushing for the Volt and therefore promoting small cars and hybrid technology?

— indifferent (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 4:45:14 PM | | Votes: 6   

1UAW


kornholio....

Did you bother to READ the article?

— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 5:41:42 PM | | Votes: 2   

1UAW

Hummer Hybrid options would be great.

— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 6:12:40 PM | | Votes: 1   

neutral

Sorry 1UAW, Hummer H2 is going away. Unfortunately for GM, public relations and publicity prevent GM from keeping the H2 (even though in a good economy with stable fuel, it makes lots of money).

I'd never buy one, hell I used to hate the H2 until I drove one a few times.... those damn big SUVs and their ability to navigate midwest winters with impunity!!

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 6:55:33 PM | | Votes: 1   

1UAW

(H3) would be a great PR move, and still could get you through winters while saving fuel.

— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 7:21:23 PM | | Votes: -1   

neutral

Georgemia,

Have you seen GM's cars? What are you talking about? GM is competitive with its rivals in every sphere it wants to compete in. The only segment that can be argued is the small & subcompact (Cobalt & Aveo). Some can argue that the small truck (Colorado) is behind the competition, but i believe the whole market segment is sadly under-invested in.

The Cobalt is still a great car, just has "kiddy" looks. People lambast its interior, however I compare it to the Focus/Corolla/Civic and I can't say the competition is much better. I like the fact that its simple, with well defined lines/edges.

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 10:28:36 PM | | Votes: 2   

STJ88

@indifferent

The Volt is one of there problems, it has cost millions to develop. But won't make any money till about 2020.

— STJ88 (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 5:31:16 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

neutral

Cmon now.. its one of those cars that "people want to buy". According to the environmentalist nazis who (unfortunately) had to voice their opinions all over the media, everyone wants hybrids and EV's and these cars make tons of money.

According to the media/congress, no one wants regular cars/trucks/suvs and they make no money. The reason why Toyota/Honda/Nissan/Hyundai/Kia/Mercedes/BMW/Audi are making trillions of dollars right now is because Toyota built the prius which makes them a profit of $20,000/vehicle.

--Note the sarcasm--



Either way, GM has to continue to develop the volt. All manufacturers have to invest in hybrids/EV's as well as alternate fuels like "green" petroleum, algae-biodiesel, cellulosic ethanol, etc. It's the future, plain & simple.

GM should have replaced the cobalt in 2007. Although it really is a great car (especially for the money), it doesn't have the appeal that its competitors do. This really was a mistake on GM's part, the cruze looks like it will be very successful (provded GM sticks around long enough to launch it).

As far as Im concerned, congress should force Cerberus to sell Chrysler for $4billion (half of what they paid) and tell Daimler to sell the rest for $1billion. This wont happen b/c Cerberus is VERY well connected in Washington. Either way, Chrysler should be given to GM, with GM paying back the government in time. GM should keep the minivan, RAM, grand cherokee, wrangler, patriot and axe everything else, eventually phasing out the Ram.

Government should also stipulate the the "new" GM & Ford have to share advanced research technologies. In other words, Ford gives GM their small hybrids (Malibu/aura hybrid) and "new" GM gives Ford their 2-mode (F150 hybrid). This would appease millions of snooty know-it-alls in the public. Further advanced research into EV's, hybrids, alt fuels, materials, etc should be done in a joint effort as well.

There are too many companies out in the market, there isn't a big enough market, and we (the US people), as a nation need to have a strong automotive industry if we still want to consider ourselves a superpower. at the same time, we need to come to grips with what reality is.

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 7:15:26 PM | | Votes: 1   

204E60

STJ88... did you mean the Volt is one of THEIR problems? (not "there")

— 204E60 (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 9:27:30 PM | | Votes: -1   

1UAW

Wait until you see the next gene buicks!!!

http://forum.avtoindex.com/foto/data/media/25/Buick_Invicta_2008_33.jpg

— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 6:15:20 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

neutral

ChuckG37...

If we could only speak offline.... (never know who's reading these posts)

Buick was dead.... but is in the midst of a revival. The Enclave is proof of this. Yes, the senile 90yr olds are dumping their Buicks, mostly b/c senile 90yr olds either loose their driving rights or die (not to be an ass). The Enclave surprised even me with the fact that there is a waiting list to get one.... tell me the last time an everyday GM car had a waiting list!!!

Wait for the new Buick sedan to come out, hopefully at NAIAS. It's no competitor to the CTS/G37/335/C/IS (its FWD, quiet/smooth luxury), but it will definately be more than a competitor to Acura TL, Lexus ES, Lincoln MKS/MKZ.

Do you have a G37? As much as a detroit-supporter as I am....... Damn that G37...what an cool car(s).

All I gotta say is.... VVEL.... Awesome. (I'm a geek, stuff like the VVEL system get me fired up)

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 7:03:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

BigShow50

Funny how these crack ass execs talk about a business practice that is actually "not new". For the last 100 years, did they finally get? Actions speak louder than words, especially hearing from that crack ass mouth from the south "No Clue Lutz." Some of you may have said that he is a great part of GM's bloodline(and I have to agree in certain ways), and he may have created some decent rides in the past...but it is the past that did not deliver a high demand with high profits. As for the Malibu, it still has a long road ahead of them and for the VOLT, it maybe revolutionary now but by the time it releases in 2011 it will still have to prove its' funtionality and reliability in the real world. But as for its' rivals they will be on par if not still ahead of the game when that day comes. GM is so deperate for attention that they end up speaking ahead of themselves they end up being the guinea pig at the end of the day...really what a bunch of retarded execs...SERIOUSLY!!!

— BigShow50 (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 7:36:11 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

204E60

Truth is that GM (and the other two of the Big Three) is a very large, slow-moving, slow-to-respond corporate entity saddled with complicated UAW contracts and outdated, short-term marketing programs that have now come to strike them right where it hurts. The Big Three's production and marketing of huge, inefficient, irresponsible vehicles (e.g., SUVs) that have zero real value undid them.

— 204E60 (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 9:40:41 PM | | Votes: 0   

t_sotello

GM needs to keep Hummer just sell them as Chevy and ditch the Suburban. With Pontiac keep the G8 but again sell it as a Chevy like they do in South Africa. Also with Pontiac keep the soltice. Now with GMC ditch them, saturn there is no need for them. Saab who wants that. Cadillac needs to stay to remain the luxury and hopefully blend more sport for GM to compete with the competition. Buick is up in the air. They should remain just to be an alternative choice within GM but not a re-badge company.

— t_sotello (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 9:18:02 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

woood

If he knows this, why didnt they do it in the first place!!!!!!

— woood (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 10:35:01 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

woood

The reason is the union for sure.

— woood (View Profile)

Posted on 12/14/2008 10:35:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

makkystyle

Lutz is an f-ing moron. Last I checked there were plenty of marketing dollars being spent by GM. Hummer, G6, G8, Caddy, Tahoe, etc... you can't escape these ads.

What they need to do is make better cars. Idiot.

— makkystyle (View Profile)

Posted on 12/15/2008 2:22:41 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

neutral

I can't say Ive seen any G6 or G8 ads.

I don't see too many Tahoe ads, and almost no Hummer ads.

The only GM ads I see often are Malibu, CTS, Escalade (not too many though), and some GMC truck ads.

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 12/16/2008 11:35:28 PM | | Votes: 0   

rawbux



The problem is NOT how many brands, it's the Government needs to leave all the American car companies alone and get the hell outta there way because they don't have a fricken clue about cars. Government is telling them to invest in building certain cars that people want ot buy but, the problem with that is that most people don't want to buy the cars the government says they want to buy. Car companies need to build what Americans want to buy NOT what the government says they want them to buy. How would you like it if you owned a company and the stupid government came in and said you have to do research and build this whole new deal from the ground up and spend your OWN money doing it!! If you want expierment with something from a company you should have to pay them to build it!! Most people don't want so called green vehicles. I sell cars and 90+% of the people car less about so called green vehicles. The whole global warming thing is a big scam just for the government to get more control over the people and businesses and I can;'t believe we are falling for this crap!!! WE all have our heads in the sand, and when your head is in the sand guess where your ass is!!!


— rawbux (View Profile)

Posted on 12/15/2008 2:36:18 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

veyron1001

Americans want variety not 5 of the same vehicles with a different body kit. I doubt american car companies would exist today if Renault, Peugeot, Vauxhal, Seat, Skoda and Alfa Romeo were sold in the US. It seems like you have either Ford, GM or Chrysler as they spend more on advertising than research and development to actually make a great car.

— veyron1001 (View Profile)

Posted on 12/15/2008 7:39:39 PM | | Votes: 0   

Add your Comments

Images hosted in your AgentSpace can now be posted in the comments section using the following syntax (case matters): [img]IMAGE URL[/img]
Example: [img]http://agent001.myautospies.com/images/sample.jpg[/img]