Bob Lutz to retire from GM at end of 2009

Bob Lutz, the iconic and often polemic Vice Chairman of General Motors' global product development team, has announced he will be retiring from the company at the end of 2009. Until then, Lutz will adopt a new role as Vice Chairman and Senior Advisor starting April 1. During his 46 year career in the automotive industry, Lutz has worked for all three of the major U.S. automakers, plus BMW. His roles have included Chairman of Ford Europe during the 1980s, President and COO, later Vice Chairman at Chrysler, and a number of other high-powered roles.