Automotive journalists the world over are saddened and General Motors communications staff are breathing a sigh of relief today: Bob Lutz is retiring. For journalists, the loss of perhaps the most quotable executive since Hank the Duece means they will have to dig a little harder for stories. For the PR staff, it means a little less scrambling to spin the story whenever Lutz goes off script. Lutz has been Vice Chairman for Global Product Development at GM since 2001. Over his 45-year automotive career, Lutz has worked at Opel, BMW, Ford and Chrysler as well as a stint running Exide batteries.

During his current stint at General Motors, Lutz has been a vocal champion for the newest generation of products ranging from the Cadillac CTS to the Chevrolet Volt. Lutz has also made himself a target as one of the executives behind the decision to kill the EV1 and his comments about man-made global warming being "a crock of ..."

As of April 1, Lutz will move to a senior advisor role and Tom Stephens will move over running global powertrain operations to overseeing all of product development. Lutz will officially leave GM at the end of the year.