http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...47/1148/AUTO01

Bob Lutz is always good for a laugh. I've never met the man but I suspect a lot of folks miss his wry sense of humor. Obviously, this is way above the head of this reporter.

Bob Wilson

 

Oh, he's dead serious. If you compare a fully loaded Prius to a base model Aveo, only drive 10k per year, all on the freeway, assume gas prices will only go up 7% per year, and you're already 76 like Lutz, you'll be 150 before you break even.

 

"Lutz said being late to the market with hybrids has cost GM billions in sales because it lost its image of having superior technology."

WHat image of superior technology? Badge engineering with different grills and taillights on the same old vehicles, diesels that turned off the American public for almost 30 yrs to the benefits of diesel, and SUVs? GM did cost itself billions, but don't blame it on hybrids.

 

• 1st no-crank engine (GM invented the electric starter)
• 1st automatic transmission
• 1st electronically controlled automatic transmission
• 1st electronic radios
• 1st Heads Up Display
• 1st Night Vision applications
• 1st Delay Wipers applications
• 1st Rain Sensing Wipers applications
• 1st Variable Displacement Engines (1st app was notoriously bad, but current generation product is exceptional)
• 1st modern commercially available electric car
• 1st in-vehicle telematics system (OnStar)
• 1st implementation of satellite radio (XM)
• 1st commercial availability of airbags
• Tie with Honda for 1st commercial availability of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles
• 1st application of power retractable hardtop in an affordable (<$30K) car
• Currently among the 2 or 3 leaders in development of fully autonomous vehicles

That's just off the top of my head.

Peace,

Martin

 

Hmm. Wonder why, then (speaking to the quote in the title), the latest Consumer Reports judges the Prius as being the least expensive family car to own after only 5 years. Must have been a typo and CR really meant 150.

 

Let's don't forget that though GM came out with the EV1 - they had every one of them destroyed. I'm not normally into conspiracies but I think they may have developed a car that required extremely low maintenance thus impacting their bottom line even worse than a subsidized electric vehicle. (I really liked the movie..."Who Killed the Electric Car")

 

Nice list. I had always thought Mercedes had that honor, though, with the 1985 MB 380SL (the year before mine!). That was the first one I remember, anyhow. When did GM do it?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_bag...o_the_seatbelt

Looks like GM and Ford had them in the early 70's and Mercedes introduced it in '81.

 

Yes, Lutz frequently is full of bull and puts his foot waaaaay in his mouth.However, look at what he has done,and is doing. Lutz is betting on the Volt,and the Volt system.
The Volt and smaller/larger versions of it are going to get us off imported oil-WITH ALL THAT THAT IMPLIES.Heck, in 20 years we might be buiilding statues of Lutz.
The Volt will scale up and down in size,and carrying capacity,and it will be able to scale a sideways in cost.If you have plenty of money and want the most expensive version,then you get the 40 mile plug in one with a 3 cyl TDI that makes it a 60 mpg car once the battery is drained.Not so affluent,then you get 15 mile plug in range with a spark ignition 1000 cc 3 cyl that gets maybe 40 mpg.
GM has their other hybrid system(currently in the Tahoe) for vehicles that need heavy tow or heavy carrying capacity.
The Volt runs on coal;in the USA we have plenty of coal.We also have plenty of wind,sunlight,and coastline,and the Volt runs on them also.We should build more NUKES,and it runs on that also.
Oil is killing us-literally killing us,and tanking our economy.
Ignore what Lutz says,and look at what he is doing.GM might save us from imported oil;they are certainly trying.
Charlie

 

I believe that the modern catalytic converter is also a GM innovation.