Bob Lutz: Global Warming is a "Total Crock of Sh**"

[coolraoul]

Bob Lutz Says Global Warming is a "Total Crock of Sh**"
The “Green” movement will take this as a huge slap in the face from the biggest car manufacturer in the world. GM’s vice chairman, Bob Lutz, was quoted at a recent closed-door session with some invited journalists as saying that Global Warming was a “total crock of ****”. He also added that Hybrid cars like those made by Toyota “make no economic sense”, and that Diesel automatic cars such as those being pushed by Chrysler are only successful in Europe due to diesel being half the price of gasoline.
His comments come on the back of record losses posted by the auto giant. GM posted a huge $38.7 USD billion loss in 2007. Clearly GM need to remodel their business strategy and it does bring into question whether Lutz has become detached from the car buying public.
The jury is still out regarding Global Warming and its causes, but comments such as these are flying in the face of the general public’s opinion. Lutz may be missing the point from a business perspective, many people want to buy green, and they want to be seen as upstanding citizens doing their bit to reduce CO2 and greenhouse gases. So while many Japanese and European manufacturers are providing a choice of alternative power sources such as advance Diesels and Hybrids, is GM set to flounder with its current US line up of gas slurping SUV’s or will Lutz allow development of innovative technologies such as the Chevy Volt in the future?
Source: D Magazine via Jalopnik.com





If GM stays away of the Green move they will dive even faster than I tought...
Lutz has to go after such statements, imo. He clearly is not adapted to the market any more. I like big V8 too, but a chairman has to be realistic...

 

[PanterroR]

 

[Tarek]

What an idiot,just like the US governement is away from all environmental aggreements.

 

[Sunny]

What a retard. With idiots like this at the helm, no wonder GM looses billions every quarter.

 

[castagna]

I think he's right, but maybe I say this because I don't like hybrids and I'm really tired of Al Gore.

 

[coolraoul]

Global Warming is a reality.
Of course hybrids are not the solution, they are only a short-term solution (Prius) or a marketing gadget (Lexus).

However, a company that does not invest massive amount of money in ecological solutions and is not convinced that the future has to be green will not be able to survive.

 

[Bruce]

Lutz is an idiot? What's new?

 

[coolraoul]

Well, having such a man at the head of the world's biggest carmaker in the world...

I wouldn't say he's an idiot; But he is clearly not up-to-date any more;;;

 

[Bruce]

Bah... he's an idiot.

Of course, I might just be biased. I remember when the Discovery Channel aired a television show on supercars and such a year or so back, and Lutz's response to the McLaren F1 being amongst the choosen 'fast cars' was something akin to: "It's an interesting car, but not one which I see as revolutionary - a million dollars for a car was/is unrealistic". At the same time, he wouldn't shut his trap when it came to Ferrari and thought it was fantastic that they were able to set up their own market for the Enzo whilst picking and choosing selective owners at the price they desired.

 

[YoUhimhER]

he is the reason why gm is failing miserable. and he is the reason why i hate gm.

 

[NarutoRamen]

Sometimes, it's better to just keep your mouth shut. I think Lutz's mom forgot to teach him that.

 

[Deutsch]

I more than respect Bob Lutz. Save your inflammatory anti-American remarks for personal conversation. No need to smear it all over the thread. I believe "Global Warming" is a complete fallacy pumped up by celebrities, media, and pop culture. What's the first thing people do when they realize something that could have potentially negative impact that they have no control over? They panic. For the record the earth has gone through many "warming" and "cooling" phases, this is just the first one modern man just so happens to be in the midst of

 

[Sunny]

I more than respect Bob Lutz. Save your inflammatory anti-American remarks for personal conversation. No need to smear it all over the thread. I believe "Global Warming" is a complete fallacy pumped up by celebrities, media, and pop culture. What's the first thing people do when they realize something that could have potentially negative impact that they have no control over? They panic. For the record the earth has gone through many "warming" and "cooling" phases, this is just the first one modern man just so happens to be in the midst of

Hmmm, so panning Bob Lutz equates to anti Americanism? I guess the same logic is behind the rest of the post, so I will just ignore it.

 

[Merc1]

Well I won't comment on Lutz, but GM is on the upswing. They're making the best products I've ever seen from them, and I've been a GM basher for years and years. Ok so they just posted a huge loss, but they should be alright this time next year if the hits keep coming.

M

 

[Choleric]

Well I won't comment on Lutz, but GM is on the upswing. They're making the best products I've ever seen from them, and I've been a GM basher for years and years. Ok so they just posted a huge loss, but they should be alright this time next year if the hits keep coming.

M

Agreed, as long as they get rid of a brand or two...

 

[Gullwing]

I believe "Global Warming" is a complete fallacy pumped up by celebrities, media, and pop culture. What's the first thing people do when they realize something that could have potentially negative impact that they have no control over? They panic. For the record the earth has gone through many "warming" and "cooling" phases, this is just the first one modern man just so happens to be in the midst of

You need to look at the facts, over the past twenty five years the average temp of earth has increased ("accurate temps have only been around for 25 years" so some say) now the average temps have not changed much from 50 years ago, the last time media thought global warming was coming. There seems to be a cycle of 25 years or so of warming then cooling then warming then cooling. Latest reports from some (take it for what you will, since you will) indicate temps are now going to cool down.

All in all Bob should not have let any of those coments slip out. A lot of Americans do not like, or know the truth about diesels, but they will start to take notice of increase fuel milage with the ever increasing fuel prices (which will continue to go up unless we nuke China and India and several other developing countries that are demanding more and more fuel, but that will not happen for several clear reasons).
No I do not think we should nuke China, I just think we shouldn't allow them to take our god given fuel. I am putting my money on the huge earthquake at the three gorge dam. but that is another topic.

 

[Choleric]

Before this gets out of a hand, a fair warning...

If this turns into a political argument over global warming, this thread will be closed.

 

[NarutoRamen]

You need to look at the facts, over the past twenty five years the average temp of earth has increased ("accurate temps have only been around for 25 years" so some say) now the average temps have not changed much from 50 years ago, the last time media thought global warming was coming. There seems to be a cycle of 25 years or so of warming then cooling then warming then cooling. Latest reports from some (take it for what you will, since you will) indicate temps are now going to cool down.

All in all Bob should not have let any of those coments slip out. A lot of Americans do not like, or know the truth about diesels, but they will start to take notice of increase fuel milage with the ever increasing fuel prices (which will continue to go up unless we nuke China and India and several other developing countries that are demanding more and more fuel, but that will not happen for several clear reasons).
No I do not think we should nuke China, I just think we shouldn't allow them to take our god given fuel. I am putting my money on the huge earthquake at the three gorge dam. but that is another topic.

God given Fuel? Now I don't want to be a jerk, but that comes off as very fundamentalist and almost racist remark. If I remember correctly, God gave the mideast more fuel, so how does that make it your right? Doesn't that mean that it's Their right?

And since we're on the subject of rights, why shouldn't a developing nation be allowed it's requirement of fuel. I don't want to sound unpatriotic, but I'm sure that the most "advanced" nation in the world could've been working on a tech for alternative fuels since the oil shocks of the 70s. If we did that we'd have a new way of getting the energy we need and china, india and the rest of the world would have enough to go around. But no, what did we do? Sit on our lazy fat asses kiss ass to OPEC and take their handouts.

Is it India's and China's fault that they're behind the western world or is the fault of the western world itself. Do not forget, before british/european colonialism, most of the wealth in the world was in the hands of the Asians, and more specifically the Indus valley region. What do I mean by that? Just because you're rich and powerful today, doesn't mean you'll be like that tomorrow. God doesn't play favorites, he/she has shown so for the past thousands of years. It is us who make the choices. All god has ever said is to stay together and treat each other as family...not rape/kill/pillage/raze for resources.

 

[coolraoul]

Back on topic, we were discussing GM/Lutz...

I think Lutz never should have said that.
He think there is no global warming, okay. But as a CEO of GM he has to listen to the market if he wants to sell its products.

Today, the media are all about global warming, the fuel becomes expensive and the stars drive green or green-wannabe cars..
so the market clearly wants green cars. Any company who does not understand the market will die.

Look at the Germans, they think hybrid is crap, but develop it because the market want it. GM too, of course. But the other carmakers, instead of saying "ecology is crap, I prefer gaz-guzzlers" they say "we are very cioncerned, make everything to save the environments, look we even have solar panel on the roof of the factory". They use it as a sell-argument instead of appearing like horrible polluting dinosaur.

I mean, with a CEO who says he thinks it is crap...people won't buy his hybrid. If the company itself is not convinced/say it is convinced by its own products, how could you convince the clients? This is just stupid. And today, a company who does not appear green is a repulsive for the clients.

I understand Lutz. He comes from a world full of gorgeous V8, muscle-car and passion, and now he has to build 4-cylinder crap with 3 tons batteries...

But he should not say it. As a CEO he has responsibilities.

 

[Gullwing]

God given Fuel? Now I don't want to be a jerk, but that comes off as very fundamentalist and almost racist remark. If I remember correctly, God gave the mideast more fuel, so how does that make it your right? Doesn't that mean that it's Their right? QUOTE]

God given fuel, that was just a joke. All I really was saying was the reason for hight fuel prices is the increased demand all over the world.