Bean counters is the best book written by an auto industry insider since iacocca in 1984 and deserves to be shelved alongside alfred pl sloans management classic, my years with general motors. Bean counters is the best book written by an auto industry insider since iacocca in 1984, and deserves to be shelved alongside alfred. Ziggy looks out the window of his maplewood, new jersey, home as his owner. Bob lutz now thinks the chevy volt shouldve been an electric. General motors hired bob lutz out of retirement with a mandate to save the company by making. The new role for the car guy with a heart for electrification should be right up his alley, and lutz enthusiastically praised. Oct 25, 2017 bob lutz and donald trump with the 2006 cadillac xlrv at the new york international auto show i saw this interview with bob lutz in the september 2016 issue of car and driver. The battle for the soul of american business by bob lutz is a good book to realize that in business all you need is a. At the time they were too focused on a future of hydrogen fuel cell cars.
In his latest book car guys versus bean counters he spotlights those, he believes, who have hurt the industry the most. He is fluent in english, swiss german, german, french and has a modest. Bob lutz held senior leadership positions at gm, ford. The title is misleading as this is a book about bob lutz, not the issues gm encountered before, during, and after its liquidity crises along with the rest of the. Lutz built a career as a staunch opponent of bureaucracy and by placing the utmost importance on knowing the product as well as the customer.
Because automakers eat so much capital, will we eventually see only four or five remaining. I recommend anyone interested in this era of vehicles from general motors and why they went bankrupt either read or listen to bob lutz s book car guys vs bean counters. Spanning a fortysevenyear career with the big three and bmw, and after retiring from chrysler in 1998, he was asked back into gm, serving as vice chairman from 2001 to 2010, during which time it had filed for bankruptcy. The battle for the soul of american business ebook textbooks. Bean counters the battle for the soul of american business by bob lutz available from rakuten kobo. Jul 20, 2011 bob lutz in his recent book car guys vs. Here are the best car themed books that you can read to pass the time. After declaring bankruptcy during the recession of 2008, gm is back on track thanks to its embrace of lutz. Lutz is certainly not that unless you count his sense of humour. But he saves his most poisonous venom for the bean counters.
Retiring in late 2010 as vice chairman of general motors, he currently runs bob lutz communications. Lutz may 2 20 bob lutz car guys vs bean counters bob lutz. The fate of empires and search for survival part one. Bob lutz has written an important diagnostic book on the demise of general motors. Bean counters makes the point that gm was doing fine until in the mid 1970s the mbatrained finance guys took control of product development from the. Bob lutz is now the chairman of the board for via motors. Those who dont know of bob lutz have an excellent opportunity to remedy that by reading his latest book, car guys vs bean counters. We learn that lutz was initially shunned by gm brass when he first proposed the electric car in 2003. It attained third place in the new york times business hardcover category and fifth on the wall street journal list.
But he saves his most poisonous venom for the beancounters, the finance people at gm. He was, after all, gms vice chairman in charge of product development during the volts gestation process, widely credited with ushering it. The battle for the soul of american business free online. Car guys vs bean counters by bob lutz ft business book. Bob lutz says chevy volt shouldve been a truck autoblog. Still, the book s basic problem was alltoo familiar in the world of auto executive coverage. The battle for the soul of american business, is about his experiences in the us automobile industry. Lutz pulled back the curtain a little further this weekend on g. At gm, an unlikely hero named bob lutz gets at least some of the credit. Nov 07, 2017 its not every day a titan of industry predicts the demise of his own. Bean counters is a thoughtprovoking commentary from auto industry maven bob lutz. But the bigger question is whether bob lutz has the time to continue improving things at gm.
Via motors named bob lutz, former vice chairman of gm, its chairman of the board, recently. Bean counters makes the point that gm was doing fine until in the mid 1970s the mbatrained finance guys. Outspoken autoindustry veteran, bob lutz, has called on vehicle collectors to buy a tesla model s while theyre still available, insinuating the silicon valley startup isnt far from its demise. It s a true insider s perspective and a great read. Bean counters bob lutz worked at a various number of car companies before returning to general motors in 2001. And you dont need an mba to figure out who he means. A legend in the car industry reveals the philosophy thats starting to turn general motors around. To be sure, the conditions were not ideal for driving a plugin hybrid.
One of the most acute books about management and how companies work in practice that i have read in a long time. Bob lutz to develop allelectric pickup truck with help from. Bob lutz wants to screw the bean counters who screwed the u. Car guys vs bean counters by bob lutz ft business book of. Sloans management classic, my years with general motors. This is a book about general motors history and personal ramblings and selfpromotion. Former gm chairman bob lutz says the end of the car. At the start of 2008, the outlook appeared quite promising for gm.
While on the topic of brand management, lutz revealed a few rather interesting tidbits about his former employer. Jul 07, 2011 now comes an encore in the lutz on lutz genrecar guys vs. The battle for the soul of american business ebook. He spends some portions of the book patting himself on the back, and other portions disputing the merits of climate change. Bean counters is the best book written by an auto industry insider since iacocca in 1984, and deserves to be shelved alongside alfred p. When lutz got into the auto business in the early sixties, ceos. The battle for the soul of american business, by bob lutz. The battle for the soul of american business, and icons and idiots. The battle for the soul of american business, and talk quickly turned to his role as it related to product development and highlevel. Bean counters contains all the pearls of wisdom i would expect to see from bob lutz. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read car guys vs. When bob lutz got into the auto business in the early 1960s, ceos knew that if you captured the publics imagination with innovative car design and top quality craftsmanship, the money would follow. Lutz left switzerland at the age of seven and spent time in scarsdale, new york, becoming a u.
Bean counters, the normally outspoken bob lutz pulls out all the stops and settles a few scores. Girsky, vice chairman of general motors car guys vs. In spite of the sample listen it is not about policy or the bean counter vs. Bean counters the battle for the soul of american business. But bob lutz, the former vice chairman of general motors, believes the auto industry is not long for this world. Lutz told of testdriving a car built on the same platform that the volt will be, using the volts battery system. Jan 23, 2012 after 40 years in the car business, including stints at all of the big three, bob lutz, at 79, is still standing. This book is full of great information for marketers like you. The battle for the soul of american business, and talk quickly turned to his role as it related to product development and highlevel decision making at gm.
He joins morning joe to discuss his new book car guys vs bean counters, which focuses on how auto companies lost their way and how they can recover their lost greatness. Author bob lutz spent 47 years in the auto industry, and he ended his career as vice chairman of general motors. But he saves his most poisonous venom for the bean counters, the finance people at gm. The big change for bob lutz is the overall business model and mission statement that. The green car guy who says global warming is car talk. See all books authored by bob lutz, including car guys vs. I cant say that i was completely surprised when, about two thirds of the way through bob lutz s new book car guys vs bean counters, i caught a sideswipe at myself and the truth about cars, which the retired vicechairman of gm describes as. What follows is a digest of that book, supplemented with additional information where appropriate. Nytimes extended best seller list since publication in june. Lutz was born in zurich, switzerland, the son of margaret and robert harry lutz. Bob lutzs latest volt test drive the new york times. What does his book tell us about what really went on inside gm. An excerpt from bob lutz s book car guys vs bean counters author bob lutz spent 47 years in the auto industry, and he ended his career as vice chairman of general motors.
However, amid a roaring company value and climbing stock prices, he returned to cnbc to. I have also followed the stories on this cocky but extraordinary car guru bob lutz since his days at chrysler, a true hero of the car industry and an honest reporter of its dysfunctional ways that led to bankruptcy. Bob lutz would, im sure, proudly describe himself as a car guy to his core. I was expecting a good discussion of the soul of ameican business finance guys vs. Volts a money loser and, bob, answer a question, please by ralph kalal, on march 20, 2008, 10. The battle for the soul of american business pdf download. At the tableif not running the meetingwhen most of the big decisions came down, the author, now in his late 70s, was often appalled by youthful beancounting mbas with their 4. Ann arbor, mi robert lutz, general motors, car guys vs.
He launched a war against penny pinching, office politics, turf wars and risk avoidance. After declaring bankruptcy during the recession of 2008, gm is back on track thanks to its embrace of lutz s philosophy. An excerpt from bob lutzs book car guys vs bean counters. Lutz has a reputation for speaking his mind and straight shooting. Perhaps the book would have been better served by the title bob lutz vs. Bob lutz knows a thing or two about the chevy volt. The battle for the soul of american business lutz, bob on. Jan 02, 2014 in a recent interview, bob lutz, gms former vicechairman and the father of the volt, explained why he thinks that his baby shouldve been an electric truck. Apr, 2017 its no secret former general motors executive, and selfproclaimed car guy, bob lutz, is no fan of tesla. About the book robert lutz, general motors, car guys vs. Car guys versus bean counters general discussion car. The battle for the soul of american business kindle edition by lutz, bob.
Industry veteran bob lutz has been making headlines lately for his pessimistic outlook, having declared that the auto industry will be dead in 20 years and tesla will be out of business by 2019. Jun 24, 2011 i cant say that i was completely surprised when, about two thirds of the way through bob lutzs new book car guys vs bean counters, i caught a sideswipe at myself and the truth about cars, which the retired vicechairman of gm describes as a web site that often offers anything but. Bob lutz to consult with via motors chevy volt electric car. Autoline detroit recently played host to bob lutz, and, as is always the case, the former general motors vice chairman dished out some great commentary. What matters, lutz argues, is having on board at least one automotive artist with the talent to design desirable new cars. I know firsthand that he can improve their products, but the jury is still out whether or not he can prevent mediocre products from ever reaching the market. Bob lutz named via motors chairman of the board cleantechnica. Oct 04, 2011 none have, until exvice chairman bob lutzs new book, car guys vs. Now comes an encore in the lutz on lutz genre car guys vs. He joins morning joe to discuss his new book car guys vs bean counters, which.
In a newspaper interview last week, the father of the chevy volt, bob lutz, said general motors missed its original opportunity to apply the extendedrange electric powertrain formula. In 2001, general motors hired bob lutz out of retirement with a mandate to save the company by making great cars again. He launched a war against penny pinching, office politics, turf wars, and risk avoidance. The battle for the soul of american business reprint by bob lutz isbn. The battle for the soul of american business ebook written by bob lutz.
In his 2011 book, car guys vs bean counters, robert a bob lutz charts the decline of the once great company and describes his decadelong struggle to rescue it. On sunday i happened to tune in to bob brinkers moneytalk radio show when former gm vice chairman and car guy extraordinaire, bob lutz, was on promoting his new book. Car guys vs bean counters is an enormously entertaining account of how lutz. Firebird, trans am, hot rod, camaro, chevelle, mustang on. Arriving in dealerships in early 2005, the h1 alpha delivers more power, more torque, and enhanced on and offroad capability, with significantly improved fuel economy. Jan 10, 20 the bob lutzbacked via motors produces plugin trucks, based on gm vehicle chassis. Car guys vs bean counters the battle for the soul of. Lutz, who serves as a board member, will be taking the place of retiring carl berg, according to the. Its more recent models had been well received and the company had won. The fate of empires and search for survival part five. As a gearhead, i sure hope that bob can continue to improve things at gm. He launched a war against penny pinching, office politics, turf wars, and risk av. Finally retired from general motors as vice chairman he churned out a second book the first one was called guts and became a board member of via motors, which is converting fullsized gm suvs, vans and pickups to 100mpg plugin hybrids.
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