(Bob Lutz oversaw creation of the Cadillac Converj concept for the 2009 Detroit Auto Show; chances of production are zil and none).

  The last "car guy" is gone.

Bob Lutz, the charismatic, fiery and egomaniacal automotive genius behind creation and development of the Chevrolet Volt extended range plug-in hybrid, due for sale in 2010, is leaving General Motors, the corporation announced yesterday. Since 2001, the 76-year old Lutz served as GM vice-chairman and product czar, answerable only to company CEO Rick Wagoner.

The announcement came not from Lutz's office, but in a press release from GM corporate, leading many to wonder if he's really retiring or was pushed-out by the company's board of directors. A noted car and fighter plane collector and pilot, Lutz turns 77 Wednesday this week, and will become a senior adviser to GM chairman Rick Wagoner on April 1, focusing on product design.

As soon as this kind of retirement announcement is made, the retiree becomes an instant lame duck and thus irrelevant. Making Lutz an adviser to Wagoner seems the American equivalent of what Japanese companies call giving outgoing top executives "an office with a window," which often gives those executives tacit control of a smaller company within the carmaker's corporation. But there's no such company-running in Lutz's future, though he'll no doubt receive a big monthly check for his "adviser" services.

(Bob Lutz introduces the Chevrolet Volt concept to the media at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show).

For entire post: URGENT - BOB LUTZ LEAVES GM