Bob Lutz – the former head of product development at General Motors – is best known for his love of high horsepower, but the 77-year old auto executive says he supports further integration between the automakers and the United States government.
Most view a close relationship between the automakers and the government as a death sentence for performance vehicles, but Lutz says both sides can co-exist. “Benevolent oversight and two-way communication between Washington and the auto industry” would be a good thing, Lutz said at an event in Detroit earlier on Thursday.
Lutz added that some from the Obama administration’s auto task force members were more interested in the upcoming CTS-V Coupe than they were in some of the automaker’s more eco-friendly offerings, according to Autoweek.
Lutz even supported President Obama’s recently announces CAFE standards which require a 35.5 mpg fleet average by 2016 – a full four years ahead of schedule. Lutz will retire from General Motors at the end of the year.



05/28, 6:27 PM
posted by:
Go Saab
Oh, he is able to give interviews from his Winnebago down in Gulfport? How nice…
05/28, 6:37 PM
posted by:
leftwingagenda
the government should be interested in every single profitable model, no matter how many MPGs it pulls, imo…
05/28, 6:39 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
Sorry, there’s already too much government oversight. I don’t mind keeping emissions regulations that prevent smog and other very harmful chemicals that appear in large cities, but I don’t need big brother over both my shoulders.
05/28, 6:47 PM
posted by:
Lionwithoutpride
Disgusting.
05/28, 6:55 PM
posted by:
DrFill
Yes, I am in favor of the government watching Lutz more
DrFill
05/28, 7:20 PM
posted by:
Me
Wow. My Lutz approval rating just went through the floor. I guess you wouldn’t mind the government coming in. First, you have no choice and second, you’re out before the tragedy is realized anyway.
05/28, 7:22 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Really Bob. You of all people should understand that having an 800lb gorilla in the passenger seat can’t possibly do anything to enhance performance.
05/28, 7:26 PM
posted by:
andy
i wonder how many mpg obama’s tank gets, maybe he should trade it in for a Kennedy addition Prius
05/28, 7:30 PM
posted by:
zoomzoomer
leftwingagenda.. I agree completely.. at this point, with industry sales down 40-50% across the board, ANY US vehicle that actually sells should take precedence over CAFE standards!
05/28, 7:30 PM
posted by:
shane train
andy- Obama’s got an Escape Hybrid.
And as far as his official Presidential Cadillac, it’s really not subject to regular standards, considering it’s everythingproof and has to be that way. Just like every other President’s.
05/28, 7:30 PM
posted by:
zoomzoomer
“Lutz even supported President Obama’s recently announces CAFE standards which require a 35.5 mpg fleet average by 2016 – a full four years ahead of schedule.
Lutz will retire from General Motors at the end of the year.”
And that’s exactly WHY he supports it!
05/28, 7:44 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
Anybody else see the irony in the headline? Wasn’t it because of a slight oversight that Lutz is filthy rich anyway?
05/28, 7:44 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
I’d definitely be in favor of more of THAT, too.
05/28, 8:01 PM
posted by:
DenverGuy217
you said it Zoom! if that guy was sticking around longer, he’d be all over the place swearing up a storm about the Gov’t
05/28, 8:01 PM
posted by:
Borat
Putz is also a slut. I wonder if he swallows, he definately will take it up the ass ( for a price)
05/28, 8:15 PM
posted by:
Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3
Lutz also has some subprime loans he’d like to sell you.
05/28, 8:31 PM
posted by:
CADDY-V
Yes bring out the CTS-V coupe. 560hp in a coupe HELL YA!!!! Any body what a ride? The coupe is Hot!!
05/28, 9:13 PM
posted by:
Lionwithoutpride
For the sake of Putz’s soul I really hope we find out the administration had a gun to his head. I doubt it, but that’s the only imaginable way for him to avoid damnation in all future histories of this time period.
05/28, 9:27 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
Can they not shut this guy up already?
05/29, 1:20 AM
posted by:
AxeHead
Will the real Lutz stand up? Wasn’t this the guy that said that global warming is bull stools? I respected him for having an opinion back then, not sure who this monkey is imposing for him in this article?
05/29, 4:37 AM
posted by:
fan
isnt that the same GM that was whining about the government now acting out their say they earned through the loans that GM wanted/needed/desired? weird how this guys spin around…
05/29, 8:14 AM
posted by:
gehrhardt
And then Lutz said “Thank you sir, may I have another?”
05/29, 8:48 AM
posted by:
gizmo2
$30B will buy a lot of suck up
05/29, 8:54 AM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Anyone in favor of more government is an idiot.
05/29, 10:30 AM
posted by:
JakeK66
I don’t think we are getting the full picture here, I know – and everyone else knows it too – that Lutz is a Republican, so for him to say this actually speaks good for the auto task force. They seem more interested in making money than making MPG’s so since I don’t know what’s going on, I’d have to take Lutz’s word on it. He is still one of the greatest automotive minds of our generation.
05/29, 11:07 AM
posted by:
Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3
Botox Bob Lutz = Total CONfidence
05/29, 12:13 PM
posted by:
saabaru1
I think it went something like this:
“Hey Lutz, you gonna support us, or you gonna share a hole with Whitey Bulger”
“..yes sir”