Open letter to Bob Lutz

[PaulM]

Mr. Lutz.
I´m writing this dreaming that MAYBE it could somehow get to you, i´ve been reading for months the info on new cars, both imported and domestic, i , as a true GM fan, am sad to point out that there are not many competitive american cars, sure, we have an outstanding accesible sports-car(Corvette),but as i´m sure you know, that doesn´t makes nearly a noticeable profit on GM, GM(and the other Big 3) need cars that are WAY MORE atractive to new car buyers, why is it that Lexus is recognized as one of the best "luxury" brands, and not Cadillac(many could argue this)?, did Lexus came into US making profits on their first models?, i doubt it, instead of wasting so much money on cars like the "Super" Buicks,i think, in my humble opinion, that GM could have brought the Chinese Park Avenue to the US,i understand that there are many things that have to be taken into account here, but do you really
think that Americans have so much of a different taste in cars that other countries?, if so, why do GM management think that Lexus, BMW, Mercedes-Benz are selling their cars?, people recognize those cars not only by the name, BUT by their quality, if GM keeps selling lower-than-expected quality cars they will soon face the same faith that Oldsmobile, The brands mentioned before didn´t came into the market with the prestige they have at this time, it took them years of quality cars to get there!!

I´m sure that YOU remember when Toyota first came into the US, their cars were not exactly the biggest sellers, did they make LOTS of profit with them?, were they taken seriously by the majority of car buyers at the time, sincerely, i don´t think so, it WILL take time for GM to recover for all the years that it suffered for a bad image, but if good cars are offered, word of mouth is going to get spread,that the new Buick, or Pontiac, or Chevy, is a truly Outstanding car, and maybe not in the following year,but sales will get higher with time, and isn´t that what will keep GM in bussines?.

Mr. Lutz, you stated somewhere that you wanted to make Pontiac like BMW, not an easy task, but definetly attainable,sure it´s not the sixties, when Pontiac ruled, but it can happen again, how did it happen before?
with cars that people PERCEIVED as good cars, it doesn´t have to be the best, to be perceived at the best, but it definetly helps, if GM wants to survive, it better offer what people want, based on what people conceive as a good car, and not what a bean counter thinks.

I think that GM is lacking products, that doesn´t mean that GM products are bad, but you don´t sell what people don´t want, is market research that difficult?, just look at what is selling, Camrys, Accords, Civics, Scions, none of those cars appeal to me, but from a Bussiness standpoint, they make sense.

Now, i understand that GM has very capable people working with them, but it really bothers me seeing that people believe that GM products suck, and seeing GM doing nothing about it, i read you comments on how people complain about fuel economy and how GM cant do it for $200, well,
i understand your point, i´m sure there are HUNDREDS of reasons why this is happening, and that it ain´t so easy to fix them, but making the same old boring cars ain´t going to help you, and "pausing" vehicles like the possible new Impala ain´t either, im not really good at expressing mmyself, but i fell that GM needs to do something quick, GM needs "halo" cars, why are so many v6 Mustangs sold, bacause not anybody can buy the Cobra, people want the M3, but buy the 323 instead, people wanted a Corvette,
but bought a Camaro, people want a Lexus, they buy a Toyota, why did a friend bought a Grand Prix, because he could not afford the GTO, not anyone is going to buy these cars, but they will bring interest on the brand and their offerings.


PLEASE GM, bring to the market cars that people want to buy. return the old glory to your brands, Cadillac deserves better, and so do Pontiac, Buick, Etc.



Paul Macias.

[jzchev28]

well i'll agree the new park ave is a sharp car for sure, we need more cars like it. we could surely use some more high quality small cars. if there is anything that can be done to push ahead the new cobalt since its not getting a MCE, it should be done. bring all the "mini's" over under different brands, if anything it will help offset the CAFE numbers.

[plane]

PaulM, Welcome to GMI.

[wolverine]

Proof read and spell check, please.

[HoeyHimself]

Originally Posted by jzchev28

well i'll agree the new park ave is a sharp car for sure, we need more cars like it. we could surely use some more high quality small cars. if there is anything that can be done to push ahead the new cobalt since its not getting a MCE, it should be done. bring all the "mini's" over under different brands, if anything it will help offset the CAFE numbers.

That only works if the cars are built here in the States...and Lutz even said that they couldnt build those cars here and pull a profit, so scratch that unfortunantly.

[Bruce_Lee]

Not to offend, but, please tell us that you DID proof read it before sending it (if actually sent). It is not just the spelling, but the punctuation. You make good points, but this letter seems like it was written by a third grade student....

Keep practicing...

[yoblues]

Yo Lutz the first thing to do is make every engine in your lineup flex fuel capable ASAP not in ten years. Then get going with the clean diesels.

[TahoeMikeZ71]

PaulM can you post this here also?
http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/archives...bal_agogo.html

[PaulM]

I apologize to everyone, i wrote this at 3 A.M., and i haven´t practiced my english in about 1 year, i currently live in Mexico, but as anyone else here, i like GM products, that´s what motivated me to write this, passing time both in the US and Mexico several times a year, makes me see that, specially in California, people think of GM as thrash, again, i apologize, and if someone can fix the mistakes, please do, so i can post it on the board mentioned above.

Thanks to ALL.

Paul.

[t-rex]

Here ya go, Paul! By the way your English is VERY good. I only corrected grammatical mistakes, and left the rest as-is.


Mr. Lutz.

I’m writing this dreaming that maybe it could somehow get to you. I’ve been reading for months the info on new cars, both imported and domestic. I, as a true GM fan, am sad to point out that there are not many competitive American cars. Sure, we have an outstanding affordable sports car (Corvette), but as I’m sure you know, that doesn´t make nearly a noticeable profit for GM. GM, and the other of the “Big 3”, need cars that are WAY MORE attractive to new car buyers. Why is it that Lexus is recognized as one of the best luxury brands, but not Cadillac (though many could argue this)? Did Lexus come into the US making profits on their first models? I doubt it. Instead of wasting so much money on cars like the "Super" Buicks, I think, in my humble opinion, that GM could have brought the Chinese Park Avenue to the US. I understand that there are many things that have to be taken into account here, but do you really think that Americans have so much of a different taste in cars that other countries? If so, why does GM management think that Lexus, BMW, Mercedes-Benz are selling their cars? People recognize those cars not only by the name, but by their quality. If GM keeps selling lower-than-expected quality cars they will soon face the same fate as Oldsmobile. The brands mentioned before didn’t come into the market with the prestige they have at this time, it took them years of quality cars to get there!

I’m sure that YOU remember when Toyota first came into the US. Their cars were not exactly the biggest sellers. Did they make LOTS of profit with them? Were they taken seriously by the majority of car buyers at the time? Sincerely, I don’t think so. It will take time for GM to recover for all the years that it suffered from a bad image, but if good cars are offered, word of mouth is going to get spread that the new Buick, or Pontiac, or Chevy, is a truly outstanding car. Maybe not in the following year, but sales will get higher with time, and isn’t that what will keep GM in business?

Mr. Lutz, you stated somewhere that you wanted to make Pontiac like BMW, not an easy task, but definitely attainable. Sure it’s not the sixties, when Pontiac ruled, but it can happen again. How did it happen before? With cars that people PERCEIVED as good cars. It doesn’t have to be the best to be perceived at the best, but it definitely helps. If GM wants to survive, it better offer what people want, based on what people conceive as a good car, and not what a bean counter thinks.

I think that GM is lacking products. That doesn’t mean that GM products are bad, but you don’t sell what people want. Is market research that difficult? Just look at what is selling: Camrys, Accords, Civics, Scions. None of these cars appeal to me, but from a business standpoint, they make sense.

Now, I understand that GM has very capable people working for them, but it really bothers me seeing that people believe that GM products suck, and seeing GM doing nothing about it. I read your comments on how people complain about fuel economy and how GM can’t do it for $200. Well, I understand your point and I’m sure there are HUNDREDS of reasons why this is happening, and that it isn’t so easy to fix them, but making the same old boring cars isn’t going to help, and "pausing" vehicles like the possible new Impala isn’t either. I’m not really good at expressing myself, but I feel that GM needs to do something quickly. GM needs "halo" cars. Why are so many V6 Mustangs sold? Because not just anyone can buy the Cobra. People want the M3, but buy the 323 instead. People wanted a Corvette, but bought a Camaro. People want a Lexus, but they buy a Toyota. Why did a friend buy a Grand Prix? Because he could not afford the GTO. Not everyone is going to buy these cars, but they will bring interest on the brand and its offerings.


PLEASE GM, bring to market cars that people want to buy. Return the old glory to your brands. Cadillac deserves better, and so do Pontiac, Buick, etc.



Paul Macias

[PaulM]

Thanks a lot T-Rex.
I posted it on the other board.

Paul.

[jzchev28]

well i'd hate to see the nightmare of a letter it would be if i tried to type it in spanish, good job paul