Yesterday we reported that General Motors chairman Bob Lutz was considering retirement after the automaker launches its plug-in electric car, the Chevrolet Volt, in 2010. However, Lutz has since released a statement announcing that he has no such plans to retire.
“Read my lips: I am not thinking retirement,†wrote Lutz in an e-mail to Automotive News. “The job is better than ever, and so is GM!!!!â€
In an interview with the AP earlier this week, Lutz said that his health and the direction of the company will also affect his decision. “You never know about your health. You never know about the needs of the corporation,” Lutz continued. “You never know what the board wants to do, or Rick wants to transition to a younger team. All of those things are possible.”
Lutz confirmed that he told the AP that he would not retire before the launch of GM’s electric plug-in, but that the rest of the interview was out of context.
Charles Hill, AP‘s Detroit bureau chief, released this statement today about the interview: “The context of the interview reported in our Dec. 11 story about Robert Lutz clearly was retirement. The story is an accurate account of the interview.â€
Lutz, 75, has been in the auto industry for over 40 years and is largely responsible for GM’s recent North American turnaround. Lutz has been with GM since 2001.
