What is it with this PR conference speech? Why are we getting GM Car Czar Bob Lutz’ bon mots in les dribs and drabs? In this latest instalment from the spinmeisters ho’ down [via The Detroit Fress Press], Maximum Bob almost breaks his arm, patting himself on the back for being so open with the press about the Volt’s progress– or lack thereof (although he doesn’t say that, obviously). “In the unlikely event that we were going to hit some huge stumbling block, we wanted the world to kind of see how we got to that stumbling block and what that stumbling block was. As it happens, luckily, we don’t seem to be encountering any stumbling blocks.” Wow! Has Bob forgotten that the Volt blew past its original deadline like a Dodge Viper passing a Chevy Aveo? Meanwhile, the car is a raging success. “Volt has received 95% hugely positive coverage and has become really an iconic vehicle, which is strange to say about a vehicle that is not out yet.” Strange, and wonderful, really.
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Good lord, that has to be the most surreal speech from an auto exec this year…
“we don’t seem to be encountering any stumbling blocks.”
Except for that battery thingy.
And the price.
And the On-Sale date.
And the range.
And the design.
Hey Bob, it’s easy to wax poetic and get favorable press about vaporware. Just ask Bill Gates. Or Tesla.
“Maximum Bob almost breaks his arm, patting himself on the back” – bull. The guy is much more talented then my dog when it comes to agility in certain dimensions. Also barking.
Well maybe Bob is right. According to David Booth, who writes a column that seems to be syndicated all over Canada, the Chevy Volt is “the world’s best alternative fuel vehicle.”
Presumably Mr. Booth lives in an alternate universe where a fully sorted Volt is already for sale. In his world, there must be no stumbling blocks. I posit that he and Bob are in fact living in the same alt.universe.
See that gem in the third paragraph of this article:
http://autos.canada.com/news/story.html?id=f3ad03d1-32ac-4f81-8830-7742317fb2f5
It seems as though somebody is looking to win the Bob Lutz award for a second consecutive year…
I take it back: Mr. Booth wins the honors bestowed on Mr. Putz (agility).
That is a shameless copy of Acura styling. With that kind of money, I can buy a TSX and use the change to pay for gas for multiple years.
“Volt has received 95% hugely positive coverage and has become really an iconic vehicle, which is strange to say about a vehicle that is not out yet.”
Wait until you finally get the car out(IF you get the Volt out) and then the honeymoon ends. Lutz you might want to wear a cup because when your overpriced toaster doesn’t live up to all you have claimed about it you are going to get kicked in the nutz. This wont be an egg on the face kind of shaming.
David Booth, who writes a column that seems to be syndicated all over Canada, the Chevy Volt is “the world’s best alternative fuel vehicle.”
Since when is gasoline an alternative fuel?
Thank you, Dean, for linking that article. When I read this gem: “[GM] is a company whose every successive product offering continues to garner accolades,” I laughed. I needed that.
Well I have my doubts about the success of the volt. But the use of series technology to have the gas engine charge the batteries instead of pushing the car is genius in my opinion. The volt may not make it but the lessons learned from it’s failure will push the ball forward big time.
From the FreeP article: “One of the reasons that we are being so open with the Volt and permitting the media to participate in the development is that this is uncharted territory for us,” Lutz said.
Ummm… how “open” was it to keep showing pictures of and even advertising the original concept when you knew damned good and well that the real Volt looked nothing like the concept?
Auto Repair Mechanic :
Well I have my doubts about the success of the volt. But the use of series technology to have the gas engine charge the batteries instead of pushing the car is genius in my opinion.
It would be cool if it worked that way. The Volt, however, only uses the gas engine to produce electricity to run the car. There will be no charging here.