In wonderful Bob Lutz fashion, the former General Motors head told entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley that making cars is hard.

“I think, like so many Silicon Valley techies, that they believe they are smarter than the world’s automobile business, and that they will do it better,” Lutz told The Associated Press. “No way.”

His argument, in a Readers Digest version: Cars are more dangerous than Walkmen and when you make things that can explode it costs money so beat it, nerds.

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Automotive News [sub] reports that Pininfarina is building a one-off based on Rolls-Royce's unobtainable Phantom Drophead Coupe. The Pininfarina Hyperion is a stylish convertible boulevardier built for a mysteriously unnamed private collector. The Hyperion will debut at the Pebble Beach Concourse d'Elegance this August. No word on what this monument to excess will cost its lucky owner, but given the bloated price points of other Italian reskins of the latest and hottest, one can only expect a price tag that would make Croesus blush. That saidm, besides a fresh new Italian suit, the Hyperion doesn't offer anything that's not available at the Drophead's if-you-have-to-ask price of $412k. Besides envious looks at even the toniest of locales, of course. Which we can all agree is more important than mere money.

This clip from GNTV is almost 18 minutes long. I love Maximum Bob's "poor, pitiful misunderstood GM" schtick for the first five minutes. Then the winner of TTAC's 2008 annual Bob Lutz Award goes into a rambling rant about blogs in general and how important his is (in specific). At the 10 minute mark, Lutz addresses his "global warming is a crock of shit" comment; he was wronged because it was "off the record." MB didn't think it was that big of a thing until the print media picked it up– and they only found out about it because he posted his "here's what I really meant" backtrack in Fastlane. At the 14 minute mark Bob's asked how GM will make use of "social media" in the next few years. It gets seriously boring as he pontificates on the evolution from bulletin boards with notices tacked up on them (which he refers to as "fiberware," whatever that means) to blogs. Maximum Bob never really passes on any usable information, but it's an interesting excursion into LutzLand. I'm disappointed that he never mentioned the Deathwatch series. And I have to wonder what this guy did to get him to do this, and what he cut from the final vid. Think we could get Bobbo to agree to doing a video for us?

Who is the most deserving of the first annual Bob Lutz Award? We're looking for the automotive executive who said the most outrageous, politically incorrect or just plain dumb thing. Since this is the first time for the award, we've allowed nominees from the past; next time we'll limit it to the past calendar year. Click on the link below to cast your vote. The nominees are listed in alphabetical order along with an example of why each was nominated. (Yes, I know I said I'd list all the quotes that got them nominated on the ballot, but when I did one nominee had said so many different things the ballot went off the screen.) Only one vote per customer, please. Voting will close at 6PM EST Sunday, so don't procrastinate.

Voting has closed. The results will be posted today. Thank you for your participation. 

The nominations for the first annual Bob Lutz Award ("Lutzie") are closed, and boy do we have some doozies! We'll open the polls tomorrow morning for you to vote for the automotive executive who you think made the most outrageous, politically incorrect or just downright dumb statement. And to make it more interesting, not only will you get to vote for the person, but in the case of multiple nominations you'll also get to vote on what you think is the best (worst?) thing they said. The voting will run through 6PM EST Sunday, and we'll announce the winner Monday morning.

Hollywood has the Oscar. Nashville has the Grammy. Broadway has the Tony. And TTAC has the "Lutzie." The Lutzie is our award for the industry executive who made the most outlandish statement or statements, demonstrated a total disconnect with reality and/or inserted their pedal extremity firmly into their oral cavity with alarming regularity. We're looking to you for nominations, starting today. Tell us who you think is most deserving of the award and give us a quote that illustrates their worth in a comment below. We'll take nominations until 6 PM EST Wednesday and open the final voting on Friday. Voting will end 6 PM EST Sunday and we'll announce the winner Monday. And yes, GM Car Czar Maximum Bob Lutz is eligible. 

Nominations are closed.  Voting will  start Friday morning and run through 6PM EST Sunday.  Results will be announced Monday Morning.