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On a Clear Day You Can See General Motors: John Z. DeLorean's Look Inside the Automotive Giant
John Z. DeLorean's look inside the automotive giant. A devastating chronicle of high-level mismanagement, stupidity, insensitivity and near-criminal unconcern for the public.
237 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1979
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March 21, 2021
2021-03-21 I read this book not long after it came out in 1979. The reasons I thought it worthwhile to read:
1. I was born in Detroit and fascinated, to some extent, with the auto business
2. I had read "Wheels" by Arthur Hailey, which had a somewhat similar character in that fiction work
3. I had been really into certain new technologies and "improvements" that I thought Detroit auto makers had dragged their feet on introducing: Wankel engine, aluminum body parts, smaller/lighter cars, etc. I later saw much more clearly why smart management delayed bringing most of those "improvements" out, due to the significant costs/problems they posed too. NOT that they were not appropriate in certain limited instances, but that was and is happening in any case, with little fanfare. Even the Wankel might have certain limited uses that actually make it efficient and wise to use, and able to be sold.
4. De Lorean seemed like a far more entrepreneurial business type than the too stodgy/short-sighted managers/leaders who had been running the companies up to that point.
So, what I got out of the book:
- DeLorean's ego was through the roof!!! He took credit for things that many, many people helped to make happen and would not have happened without them too. Well - I perhaps did not get this out of the book itself as much as in discussions with people in the auto business after I read it and they told me extra stuff about the various things we talked about from the book.
- He had some good ideas, but rarely talked about the pluses and minuses. He only seemed to discuss the pluses he saw.
- He described the screwed up dynamics/incentives in the top management ("14th floor") that was fairly shocking and counterproductive to the business of GM. This was a real positive of the book. It did presage some of GM's previous and even deeper later fall (bankruptcy), it seems to me.
- It was written too soon, to show you what happened to his career after GM with his new car co. the "DeLorean Motor Cars ltd." (of course), Northern Irish govt/tax paid subsidies for his plant in Belfast and drug deals to try to keep it afloat. Never a boring guy, for sure.
His third wife, the super-model Christina Ferrara, was only mentioned one time in the whole book (in the Index, but she was also in one of the pictures).
Other than that, I don't remember much about the book.
-----
But before tossing the book for Goodwill, I decided to skim through it and found quite a few penciled in notes I had written in the margins. Many were questioning DeLorean's statements as being counter to what I knew or needing more explanation that he did not provide (because it would weaken his brash statements?) Many, of course pointed out his anti-market philosophy and how pro-government controls he seemed to be.
But possibly the one that sums up things the best was his statement: "The undue emphasis on profits and cost control without a wider concern for the effects of GM's business on its many publics seemed too often capable of brining together, in the corporation, men of sound, personal morality and responsibility who as a group reached business decisions which were irresponsible and of questionable morality." WELL. Given what I said above, you might know how believable this statement is.
1. I was born in Detroit and fascinated, to some extent, with the auto business
2. I had read "Wheels" by Arthur Hailey, which had a somewhat similar character in that fiction work
3. I had been really into certain new technologies and "improvements" that I thought Detroit auto makers had dragged their feet on introducing: Wankel engine, aluminum body parts, smaller/lighter cars, etc. I later saw much more clearly why smart management delayed bringing most of those "improvements" out, due to the significant costs/problems they posed too. NOT that they were not appropriate in certain limited instances, but that was and is happening in any case, with little fanfare. Even the Wankel might have certain limited uses that actually make it efficient and wise to use, and able to be sold.
4. De Lorean seemed like a far more entrepreneurial business type than the too stodgy/short-sighted managers/leaders who had been running the companies up to that point.
So, what I got out of the book:
- DeLorean's ego was through the roof!!! He took credit for things that many, many people helped to make happen and would not have happened without them too. Well - I perhaps did not get this out of the book itself as much as in discussions with people in the auto business after I read it and they told me extra stuff about the various things we talked about from the book.
- He had some good ideas, but rarely talked about the pluses and minuses. He only seemed to discuss the pluses he saw.
- He described the screwed up dynamics/incentives in the top management ("14th floor") that was fairly shocking and counterproductive to the business of GM. This was a real positive of the book. It did presage some of GM's previous and even deeper later fall (bankruptcy), it seems to me.
- It was written too soon, to show you what happened to his career after GM with his new car co. the "DeLorean Motor Cars ltd." (of course), Northern Irish govt/tax paid subsidies for his plant in Belfast and drug deals to try to keep it afloat. Never a boring guy, for sure.
His third wife, the super-model Christina Ferrara, was only mentioned one time in the whole book (in the Index, but she was also in one of the pictures).
Other than that, I don't remember much about the book.
-----
But before tossing the book for Goodwill, I decided to skim through it and found quite a few penciled in notes I had written in the margins. Many were questioning DeLorean's statements as being counter to what I knew or needing more explanation that he did not provide (because it would weaken his brash statements?) Many, of course pointed out his anti-market philosophy and how pro-government controls he seemed to be.
But possibly the one that sums up things the best was his statement: "The undue emphasis on profits and cost control without a wider concern for the effects of GM's business on its many publics seemed too often capable of brining together, in the corporation, men of sound, personal morality and responsibility who as a group reached business decisions which were irresponsible and of questionable morality." WELL. Given what I said above, you might know how believable this statement is.
February 7, 2024
The creation of this book is as notable as the tale itself.
John Z. DeLorean was a well known executive in the Auto industry, but the mainstream was not aware of him until he created the DeLorean Motor Car company in 1980. Even then, the car was saved from obscurity by starring in the popular movie ‘Back to the Future’.
DeLorean and co-author Wright wrote the book in the mid-1970s after DeLorean quit one of the highest paying jobs In the country with the prestigious General Motors.
As the book skewers the management of GM, as well as offering a lot insights into the corporate world, he realized oops, if this gets published, they could make life tough for my brand new car company.
So the author and the publisher, Playboy, who wanted a scandalous tale to tell, had to battle to finally get it published in 1979.
If you are a ‘car guy’ or ‘girl’ there isn’t much about the cars themselves. DeLorean was a major influence on the Pontiac GTO, which kicked off the now iconic muscle car era, later the redesign of the 70 Grand Prix. Items like these are mentioned, but the book is primarily a lesson in corporate politics and getting things done in the face of the ruts and bureaucracies that get created with any big company.
I’m sure the book was used in many a business class.
John Z. DeLorean was a well known executive in the Auto industry, but the mainstream was not aware of him until he created the DeLorean Motor Car company in 1980. Even then, the car was saved from obscurity by starring in the popular movie ‘Back to the Future’.
DeLorean and co-author Wright wrote the book in the mid-1970s after DeLorean quit one of the highest paying jobs In the country with the prestigious General Motors.
As the book skewers the management of GM, as well as offering a lot insights into the corporate world, he realized oops, if this gets published, they could make life tough for my brand new car company.
So the author and the publisher, Playboy, who wanted a scandalous tale to tell, had to battle to finally get it published in 1979.
If you are a ‘car guy’ or ‘girl’ there isn’t much about the cars themselves. DeLorean was a major influence on the Pontiac GTO, which kicked off the now iconic muscle car era, later the redesign of the 70 Grand Prix. Items like these are mentioned, but the book is primarily a lesson in corporate politics and getting things done in the face of the ruts and bureaucracies that get created with any big company.
I’m sure the book was used in many a business class.
March 21, 2020
I won't pretend that DeLorean doesn't have insight into the auto manufacturing world, but his memoir reads too much like that of the last honest man in the industry. Considering that he was arrested and charged with selling large quantities of cocaine just a few years later, I think it's fair to question his character.
May 31, 2022
My life-long interest in automobiles pointed me in the direction of the book. And, no question, having read many other books on the subject, some of them quite good, this is single best book about General Motors. It is the straight story of what happened at GM, and it's John De Lorean's voice - his own words, as if he's right there reading it to you. Whatever you think you know of the man up until now, be prepared to throw it all out the window.
If you remember the great years of GM cars - I was just a kid at the time - this book will provide the answers as to why they were great, and why GM later went to hell in a handbasket. And it won't just tell you, it will take you right into the DNA and show you. If, like so many millions of loyal GM buyers who were later disillusioned, you want to understand, here's your chance.
The gift of this book, besides all the fascinating, detailed historical information, is that it will transform the way you think about corporations, about business, and about the value of individual contibutors. I read it when I was working for a large company and it helped me immensely, by providing a template, a framework, for understanding the corporate-culture shipwreck I was caught up in. For young people, especially those in engineering and business: Read this, to make yourself wise ahead of your time. Yes, it's 45 years old, but De Lorean's eloquently voiced story is absolutely relevant today, and will fortify you.
Still carry this book in my backpack, now 15 years after first reading it.
If you remember the great years of GM cars - I was just a kid at the time - this book will provide the answers as to why they were great, and why GM later went to hell in a handbasket. And it won't just tell you, it will take you right into the DNA and show you. If, like so many millions of loyal GM buyers who were later disillusioned, you want to understand, here's your chance.
The gift of this book, besides all the fascinating, detailed historical information, is that it will transform the way you think about corporations, about business, and about the value of individual contibutors. I read it when I was working for a large company and it helped me immensely, by providing a template, a framework, for understanding the corporate-culture shipwreck I was caught up in. For young people, especially those in engineering and business: Read this, to make yourself wise ahead of your time. Yes, it's 45 years old, but De Lorean's eloquently voiced story is absolutely relevant today, and will fortify you.
Still carry this book in my backpack, now 15 years after first reading it.
March 7, 2010
This was actually surprisingly engrossing...though I don't know if it was quite what Playboy Press was expecting! It was also published against De Lorean's wishes (it's his story in much of his own words, but there are no mentions of fast times I'm afraid, and the only time his women get mentioned it's simply just to say that the other GM wives didn't like them), he feared it might hurt his efforts to get a small green(ish) car built, and he could have been right! It is hard hitting, it names names, it's a fascinating look into an absolutely stultified and bureaucratized corporation that is completely incompetent, if not criminal, and yet still successful simply because of its size and history. A bit outdated perhaps, but a very interesting read, even if you don't have to for your dissertation.
January 21, 2024
When one is told about General Motors (GM), they may learn about a highly cooperative work setting or strong desires to accomplish tough goals within the company. General Motors is quite well known today for the vast array of car brands and technology that it has developed over the course of its existence. On the other hand, there are those who do not view GM as the prestigious company that others claim it to be. In J. Patrick Wright’s “On A Clear Day You Can See General Motors,” John Z. De Lorean provides his personal insights into what his experience as a GM employee was like.
De Lorean begins by explaining why he left General Motors, later delving into numerous different factors that bothered him about the company. He explains that the company promotes loyalty to executives over skill in the workplace, resulting in some less competent employees making the cut while more reliable ones do not. The executives are referred to as The Fourteenth Floor, a group that De Lorean would eventually find himself a part of. Despite this exclusive position, he found this to be a very boring and frustrating experience. There were many immoral decisions being made around the company that either hindered overall prosperity or attempted to deflect responsibility for any struggles away from The Fourteenth Floor. Many of De Lorean’s issues stemmed from his work ethic versus the overall company’s. The Pontiac and Chevrolet divisions of the company had been problematic for years, but De Lorean helped to drastically improve both divisions. He had also introduced a number of propositions that would reduce product costs and heighten efficiency across the company. These new ideas merely created more disagreements and discord between De Lorean and The Fourteenth Floor. De Lorean repeatedly mentioned how General Motors operated on a very intrinsic view on progress: GM runs the show and it will not entertain any outside ideas. These issues, alongside many others, prompted De Lorean’s departure from the company.
I’m not entirely sure how I came across this book. It happened to be available in my house, so I decided to give it a shot. I had heard of General Motors, and while I thought that it likely had some hidden problems that were not being addressed or discussed, I was intrigued by the exposé nature of this book. GM is also an incredibly large and prosperous company, so to see someone step forward and offer their thoughts and criticisms of the company was very surprising and attention-grabbing. On top of this, I largely had no knowledge of how GM was constructed or how it went about running the company, and I figured that this book would provide good insight into that organization. Upon reading the table of contents, it seemed that the book was about to offer a well-constructed critical assessment of GM. It is worth noting that “On A Clear Day You Can See General Motors” was published in 1979, meaning some of the criticisms could be rather outdated.
De Lorean’s account of his experience at General Motors feels like he is directly speaking to the audience. He does not mince words and is very down to earth in his arguments against GM. In many of his points, De Lorean first describes the context of the situation, moves into what is currently plaguing GM, and then follows up by detailing what should actually be happening. This is complemented by the strong organization and flow of the book as a whole. He begins by talking about the executives at The Fourteenth Floor before effectively contrasting their work ethic with his own. He then builds on this by describing his experience with improving the Pontiac and Chevrolet divisions before moving towards the conclusion by highlighting the continuous shortcomings of GM and what should be done to strengthen the company. Since the book is anecdotal in nature, De Lorean’s points against GM have more evidence and support since they originate from a man who personally went through seventeen years of service in the company. While he refrains from showing excessive emotion, it was clear to me that he was deeply frustrated by the company’s shortcomings and faults. De Lorean maintains a consistent voice throughout the book, which contributes to every chapter feeling unique and well developed.
Even with De Lorean’s strong voice, it became lost at points during the book. Some of the explanations and context that De Lorean detailed felt distracting to his overall message. While these were important to support how General Motors was incorrectly conducting its operations, some of them felt unnecessary because many points that he was making already had sufficient evidence to back them up. Some of these featured brief conversations that he had or quotes that he pulled from those that he communicated with. There were not many occasions where I felt that these added to the book, but they did not subtract from it either. It can also be somewhat difficult to gain a true understanding of some of the problems, particularly with the Chevrolet division and a compact car that GM was developing named the Vega. During the chapters where De Lorean discussed these ideas, he mentioned a number of car parts and included plenty of automobile jargon that can fly over the reader’s head if they do not have much of this knowledge. Of course, being an exposé into a large car company, this makes sense. However, De Lorean did not offer any brief explanations of why some of these features were important. I’m not saying that he should have paused to give a crash course on these features, but offering a quick description of a crossbow hemispherical cylinder head or a torque box would assist the reader’s knowledge.
“On a Clear Day You Can See General Motors” by J. Patrick Wright offered an overall fair reading experience. It was nothing amazing, but it also was not a complete drag, either. The book throws plenty of information at the reader, which may make it somewhat difficult to fully comprehend every individual problem that John Z. De Lorean explains. I personally have learned quite a bit about how General Motors ran its business back in the 1960s and early 1970s. While I believe that a number of those problems have been resolved, it leaves me wondering just how much of what De Lorean said still applies to GM today.
De Lorean begins by explaining why he left General Motors, later delving into numerous different factors that bothered him about the company. He explains that the company promotes loyalty to executives over skill in the workplace, resulting in some less competent employees making the cut while more reliable ones do not. The executives are referred to as The Fourteenth Floor, a group that De Lorean would eventually find himself a part of. Despite this exclusive position, he found this to be a very boring and frustrating experience. There were many immoral decisions being made around the company that either hindered overall prosperity or attempted to deflect responsibility for any struggles away from The Fourteenth Floor. Many of De Lorean’s issues stemmed from his work ethic versus the overall company’s. The Pontiac and Chevrolet divisions of the company had been problematic for years, but De Lorean helped to drastically improve both divisions. He had also introduced a number of propositions that would reduce product costs and heighten efficiency across the company. These new ideas merely created more disagreements and discord between De Lorean and The Fourteenth Floor. De Lorean repeatedly mentioned how General Motors operated on a very intrinsic view on progress: GM runs the show and it will not entertain any outside ideas. These issues, alongside many others, prompted De Lorean’s departure from the company.
I’m not entirely sure how I came across this book. It happened to be available in my house, so I decided to give it a shot. I had heard of General Motors, and while I thought that it likely had some hidden problems that were not being addressed or discussed, I was intrigued by the exposé nature of this book. GM is also an incredibly large and prosperous company, so to see someone step forward and offer their thoughts and criticisms of the company was very surprising and attention-grabbing. On top of this, I largely had no knowledge of how GM was constructed or how it went about running the company, and I figured that this book would provide good insight into that organization. Upon reading the table of contents, it seemed that the book was about to offer a well-constructed critical assessment of GM. It is worth noting that “On A Clear Day You Can See General Motors” was published in 1979, meaning some of the criticisms could be rather outdated.
De Lorean’s account of his experience at General Motors feels like he is directly speaking to the audience. He does not mince words and is very down to earth in his arguments against GM. In many of his points, De Lorean first describes the context of the situation, moves into what is currently plaguing GM, and then follows up by detailing what should actually be happening. This is complemented by the strong organization and flow of the book as a whole. He begins by talking about the executives at The Fourteenth Floor before effectively contrasting their work ethic with his own. He then builds on this by describing his experience with improving the Pontiac and Chevrolet divisions before moving towards the conclusion by highlighting the continuous shortcomings of GM and what should be done to strengthen the company. Since the book is anecdotal in nature, De Lorean’s points against GM have more evidence and support since they originate from a man who personally went through seventeen years of service in the company. While he refrains from showing excessive emotion, it was clear to me that he was deeply frustrated by the company’s shortcomings and faults. De Lorean maintains a consistent voice throughout the book, which contributes to every chapter feeling unique and well developed.
Even with De Lorean’s strong voice, it became lost at points during the book. Some of the explanations and context that De Lorean detailed felt distracting to his overall message. While these were important to support how General Motors was incorrectly conducting its operations, some of them felt unnecessary because many points that he was making already had sufficient evidence to back them up. Some of these featured brief conversations that he had or quotes that he pulled from those that he communicated with. There were not many occasions where I felt that these added to the book, but they did not subtract from it either. It can also be somewhat difficult to gain a true understanding of some of the problems, particularly with the Chevrolet division and a compact car that GM was developing named the Vega. During the chapters where De Lorean discussed these ideas, he mentioned a number of car parts and included plenty of automobile jargon that can fly over the reader’s head if they do not have much of this knowledge. Of course, being an exposé into a large car company, this makes sense. However, De Lorean did not offer any brief explanations of why some of these features were important. I’m not saying that he should have paused to give a crash course on these features, but offering a quick description of a crossbow hemispherical cylinder head or a torque box would assist the reader’s knowledge.
“On a Clear Day You Can See General Motors” by J. Patrick Wright offered an overall fair reading experience. It was nothing amazing, but it also was not a complete drag, either. The book throws plenty of information at the reader, which may make it somewhat difficult to fully comprehend every individual problem that John Z. De Lorean explains. I personally have learned quite a bit about how General Motors ran its business back in the 1960s and early 1970s. While I believe that a number of those problems have been resolved, it leaves me wondering just how much of what De Lorean said still applies to GM today.
May 14, 2007
In 1973, John DeLorean wrote a book about what's wrong with the American automotive industry. While it does come across as a bit "sour grapes" like, everything he says still rings true today. If you are an automotive executive working for an American car maker, you owe it to yourself to read, analyze and understand this book.
May 31, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. It was written in the 70's and talked about what an empire GM was but about all the issues that it would face. Good business book
August 9, 2008
Very interesting read about General Motors from John DeLorean (yes, he of the car from the movie "Back to the Future"), who was a senior executive with the corporation.
The book is best when he discusses the managerial issues that continue to plague GM to this day (book was written in the mid-1970s). The weakest is his frequent complaints about how upper management wasn't nice to him, as if overbearing jerks are somehow unique to GM.
The book is best when he discusses the managerial issues that continue to plague GM to this day (book was written in the mid-1970s). The weakest is his frequent complaints about how upper management wasn't nice to him, as if overbearing jerks are somehow unique to GM.
August 21, 2018
It's tempting to read this book as one giant bitch session but it really isn't - DeLorean is certainly trying to settle a bunch of scores throughout but that makes it an even more entertaining read. There's a fair amount of behaviors illustrated that even those at the hippest of startups will recognize. Still engrossing even after all these years.
May 17, 2008
John Z. DeLorean really wrote this along with Wright.
It is probably the only real expose ever written about those Titans of Industry who run General Motors from the exalted "Fourteenth Floor" of the General Motors building.
It is probably the only real expose ever written about those Titans of Industry who run General Motors from the exalted "Fourteenth Floor" of the General Motors building.
April 22, 2022
While not as dramatic or exciting as some of the other auto industry non-fiction (namely Iacocca and DeLorean's autobiographies), this book still offered a good look at the institutional machine that GM had become at the height of the malaise era.
September 8, 2023
(recommendation from my dad)
There are a lot of anecdotes in here that are interesting and I did learn a lot, although I wasn’t necessarily surprised by what I read about the incompetence in GM. But my eyes did start glazing over a bit in the more business-y sections in the second half, and it was pretty poorly edited and repetitive in the last 50 or so pages.
But what I was surprised by was how it almost became a socialist manifesto at times lol. DeLorean is definitely a big businessman but his empathy for unions and emphasis on even providing free education through GM—especially for people of color—was something I didn’t expect at all. It’s a shame the DMC DeLorean was such a failure, because he did seem—at least in here—to have his heart in the right place as far as ethical practices up until then.
This quote summed up the book nicely:
“In fact, among all layers of management at GM, there are those with outright contempt for the working person. To them the worker is devoid of integrity and purpose. It is deep-seated. Its psychological roots may be the fact that many GM managers came from working-class families in the Depression, and now that they have ‘made it,’ they reject this past and its contradiction with the present.”
There are a lot of anecdotes in here that are interesting and I did learn a lot, although I wasn’t necessarily surprised by what I read about the incompetence in GM. But my eyes did start glazing over a bit in the more business-y sections in the second half, and it was pretty poorly edited and repetitive in the last 50 or so pages.
But what I was surprised by was how it almost became a socialist manifesto at times lol. DeLorean is definitely a big businessman but his empathy for unions and emphasis on even providing free education through GM—especially for people of color—was something I didn’t expect at all. It’s a shame the DMC DeLorean was such a failure, because he did seem—at least in here—to have his heart in the right place as far as ethical practices up until then.
This quote summed up the book nicely:
“In fact, among all layers of management at GM, there are those with outright contempt for the working person. To them the worker is devoid of integrity and purpose. It is deep-seated. Its psychological roots may be the fact that many GM managers came from working-class families in the Depression, and now that they have ‘made it,’ they reject this past and its contradiction with the present.”
November 1, 2020
1 в 60е нет инноваций в авто. не очень правда
2 личная выгода vs общественная. командная работа. шефы часто мудаки. но один слабее чем команда. если идти против системы то приятней работать. Сделать продукт сложнее, но если выходит то он лучше.
3 common sense vs построенный процесс не всегда мэтч.
4 командный игрок = предсказуемый игрок. ему больше доверия. Даже если он не топ. система повышает таких людей. выдвижениe серого кандидата
5 главные кпи любой компании продажи и прибыли. CEO это тоже наемный работник у которого цель вытащить компанию в profitability.
6 компания ответственна за жизни людей на которые она влияет. напрямую и косвенно
7 твой менеджер не обязан понимать твою работу. есть практика ставить финансистов во главе инженерии. но хороший менеджер обязан понимать что делают его подчиненные.
8 краткосрочные цели != долгосрочные. gestion par la crise.
9 война с партнерами вместо кооперации
10 profit driven development
11 аналитика и поиск боттлнеков - задача ceo чтобы уменьшить расходы.
2 личная выгода vs общественная. командная работа. шефы часто мудаки. но один слабее чем команда. если идти против системы то приятней работать. Сделать продукт сложнее, но если выходит то он лучше.
3 common sense vs построенный процесс не всегда мэтч.
4 командный игрок = предсказуемый игрок. ему больше доверия. Даже если он не топ. система повышает таких людей. выдвижениe серого кандидата
5 главные кпи любой компании продажи и прибыли. CEO это тоже наемный работник у которого цель вытащить компанию в profitability.
6 компания ответственна за жизни людей на которые она влияет. напрямую и косвенно
7 твой менеджер не обязан понимать твою работу. есть практика ставить финансистов во главе инженерии. но хороший менеджер обязан понимать что делают его подчиненные.
8 краткосрочные цели != долгосрочные. gestion par la crise.
9 война с партнерами вместо кооперации
10 profit driven development
11 аналитика и поиск боттлнеков - задача ceo чтобы уменьшить расходы.
July 4, 2024
An excellent look at General Motors in the early 70’s. De Lorean is a great storyteller, and his efforts to help steer General Motors would’ve worked so well in hindsight. Fascinating book about mismanagement of a truly gigantic corporation & the fight against mismanagement.
September 16, 2022
Older book
January 19, 2020
John DeLorean paints a vivid picture of the excess and administrative failing perpetrated by General Motors most senior members.
The book is at its best in the middle chapters, when DeLorean depicts the challenge faced by each division (such as ludicrous production times, lack of MRP software, and diminishing dealership trust of GM as a supplier) and then breaks down the genius strategies he used to whip the divisions back into shape.
The book is at its best in the middle chapters, when DeLorean depicts the challenge faced by each division (such as ludicrous production times, lack of MRP software, and diminishing dealership trust of GM as a supplier) and then breaks down the genius strategies he used to whip the divisions back into shape.
June 6, 2020
Interesting book especially with the perspective of having spent time in the auto industry. The experiences were relatable even though they happened 30 years after this book was written. It is difficult however to consider seriously an analysis by DeLorean on ethical business practices considering his ultimate downfall.
December 24, 2007
A brilliant dissection of General Motors, the largest automotive maker in the world. The writer John De Lorean was himself a maverick and hedaline player in the industry until he launched the ill-fated Dr Lorean car - an ego trip that tripped him up
June 2, 2020
I found the anecdotes about his time in GM to be very interesting. I'm sure there was another side of these stories, though, as DeLorean is always the genius and everyone who didn't agree with him is an idiot. Also, it's strange to read an autobiography not authored by the subject.
May 5, 2009
THIS is what caused our downfall in 2008! A most interesting read.
December 6, 2012
First half was filled with some interesting war stories and personalities from the 60s and 70s. Also plenty about what was wrong. Second half is tedious details. Last chapter is great.
March 1, 2016
HB-B @ 1979, 7/80. 1st Edition, signed by author J. Patrick Wright...Personal friend. : John Z. DeLorean's Look Inside the Automotive Giant.
March 26, 2018
An indictment of GM only. Don’t expect to read about the DeLorean Motor Company as it (sadly) not even mentioned.
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