IN THIS FEATURE A man of strong opinions A surprising love of MG Rover 74 going on 47 Vauxhall and Opel The best sports car in the world? Matching Toyota

Apart from looking good, driving well and retaining their values, GM's global products are built to world-class standards, Lutz insists. He even goes as far as comparing the build quality of some of his cars with the best-made vehicles on the planet.

'We match Toyota actually. We actually match Toyota. And the goal is to go beyond Toyota.'

...as this Toyota Yaris?

Hold on. Is Robert A Lutz, really saying he believes deep down that GM cars such as, say, Opels and Vauxhalls produced in Europe are screwed together as well as Japanese Toyotas?

"Yeah I do. I do now. I would even say that's true of our vehicles built in the United States. If you want, I'll take you to see a Buick up close - and I challenge you to show me a Lexus/Toyota or an Acura/Honda or an Infiniti/Nissan with tighter body gaps and flanges, better interior fittings, sheet metal quality and so forth."

He's ecstatically happy about what he regards as huge improvements in GM build quality and, because he's a realist, he continues to accept that his Japanese rivals are still very good at what they do. Then there are the Germans.

But we'll keep you waiting until later this week for that, plus his views on China, how GM can heal itself and why automotive technology has gone too far.

Interview: Bob Lutz Part Two
In the second part of our exclusive interview, Bob Lutz shares his views on the Germans, as well as the threat of Asian manufacturers to GM's economic sustainability.