Lutz: Pontiac G8 May Be Rebadged as Chevrolet Caprice

DETROIT — Saying that General Motors considers the Pontiac G8 "too good to waste," Bob Lutz on Monday confirmed in a Web chat on the GM FastLane blog that the automaker is considering bringing the sedan back as a Chevrolet Caprice.

"The G8 has finally been discovered by a broader percentage of the buying public," said Lutz, 77, who on Friday was named to a pivotal position at GM as vice chairman responsible for the automaker's brands, marketing, advertising and communications. "The owners are ecstatic about them, many calling it the best sedan they've ever driven. We consider it too good to waste. So we're studying the feasibility of bringing it back in as a [Chevrolet] Caprice for both law enforcement and the public."

The Pontiac G8 is slated to end production with the 2009 model year, as GM abandons the Pontiac brand.

In his hour-long discourse, billed as a "Maximum Web chat" in reference to his nickname "Maximum Bob," Lutz was at times combative with questioners and unrepentant about past potshots at global warming. At one point, he fired back at one critic: "I think it's uncool to drive an import" in response to the comment: "In my group, it is just uncool to drive a GM car."

He also refused to backpedal on remarks he made a year ago calling global warming "a total crock."

"My personal opinion on global warming has nothing to do with my professional performance," he insisted on Monday. "By the way, we just had the coldest June on record in the East, and are in the middle of the coldest July."

Lutz's Web chat seemed to be reassuring to performance enthusiasts and muscle-car fans. He underscored that the Chevrolet Camaro convertible has survived the bankruptcy process. "It was originally going to be a 2010 launch, but is now 2011," Lutz said. "But it's definitely in the plan and in the process of being developed."

When asked if a Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon is a possibility, he replied: "As of now, the V package is planned only for the sedan and coupe. However, should sufficient demand materialize, there is no reason why we couldn't do a V-Series wagon."

He also emphasized that the reborn GM will not turn to diesels as part of its portfolio. "Several Europeans and both Toyota and Honda have canceled their U.S. passenger-car diesel plans, as have we," Lutz said.

The longtime GM executive said that "my new role clearly defines design as one of my ongoing responsibilities." But he said it is not likely that he will appear in future General Motors advertising, when asked if he will do commercials à la Lee Iacocca at Chrysler.

"I might well be effective in that role, but it's a role that really should be performed by the CEO, which Lee Iacocca was and I'm not."

In a surprisingly personal note, Lutz — a pilot — said he "sold the Alpha jet due to economic worries, and got a good price for it, but have retained the L39 Albatross, so I'm still flying regularly."

Inside Line says: Gabby Lutz is back with lots of product updates and appears to be flying high at the remade GM. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent