Auto industry / Business & brands
Bob Lutz
born 1932 · automotive executive at Ford, Chrysler and GM
Swiss-born 'car guy' who held top jobs at all three Detroit automakers, from the Dodge Viper at Chrysler to GM's product revival.
- Born
Zürich, Switzerland
age 94- Birth name
- Robert Anthony Lutz
- Also known as
- Robert A. Lutz
- Detroit years
- 1980s–present
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Lutz, a former Marine aviator, worked for GM and BMW in Europe and ran Ford of Europe before moving to Ford's Dearborn headquarters as executive vice president. In 1986 he joined Chrysler, where as president he drove the product program behind the Dodge Viper, the cab-forward LH sedans and the Dodge Ram, helping revive the company in the 1990s. He left after the 1998 Daimler merger, and in 2001 General Motors hired him to fix its product development; as vice chairman he pushed cars such as the Cadillac CTS, the Chevrolet Malibu and the Volt concept. After GM's 2009 bankruptcy he stayed on briefly as an adviser and retired at the end of that year. He is one of very few executives to hold senior posts at Ford, Chrysler and GM, and he remains an outspoken commentator on the industry.
Highlights
- Executive vice president of Ford Motor Company
- President and vice chairman of Chrysler, 1986–1998; Dodge Viper
- Vice chairman of product development at GM, 2001–2009
- Author of Guts (1998) and Car Guys vs. Bean Counters (2011)
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 2
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Worked here · 1996–1998
Chrysler World Headquarters and Technology Center
Chrysler's Auburn Hills campus, completed during his final years as company president; today Stellantis North America's headquarters.
Worked here · 2001–2009
Renaissance Center
GM's riverfront headquarters during his years as vice chairman; GM left in 2026.