Bob Lutz Returns As GM Adviser

General Motors today has a radically different product development culture than it did 10 years ago. Products are developed with much less red tape and bureaucratic messes. Hopefully, the corporate development culture has been changed for the good.

The change in approach is owed in large part to Bob Lutz, who was hired in 2001 by then-Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner. That's why it was a bit disconcerting to some when he retired from the company in May 2010.

Now GM has announced that Maximum Bob is back, in a consulting capacity, providing counsel to the senior leadership of the company. This is good news - Lutz championed performance vehicles and the "secret weapon" journalists the company brought in to provide critique of new product.

Lutz has been providing informal advice to GM executives ever since his retirement from the company. Lutz, who has worked at Ford, Chrysler and BMW in addition to being CEO of Exide Batteries, has a passion for GM. New models coming out now and over the past few years show Lutz's impact, and we're grateful to him for helping unlock the power and potential of designers and engineers at GM.