Reflections of a product-development revolutionary

Bob Lutz revitalized GM's PD process by challenging its protocols-while following his instincts for making compelling vehicles.

Adecade ago, General Motors' products languished at or near the bottom of most of their respective segments, in terms of overall excellence. In particular, they lacked the design harmony, attention to detail, and premium attributes that were increasingly defining many competitors.

That was the situation Bob Lutz encountered in 2001 when he arrived at GM as Vice Chairman for Product Development. The company's prior executive leadership came from a consumer-goods background and imagined that automotive products could be developed in the same way as $3 tubes of toothpaste.