PT Cruiser stylist to head Cadillac

Bryan Nesbitt, the designer of the Chrysler PT Cruiser and the knock-off Chevy HHR, will be named as the new head of Cadillac later today. He will assume his new duties August first.

The news, first reported on autoextremist.com, was confirmed by GM spokesman Terry Rhadigan. Rhadigan also said the two Steves, Hill and Shannon, who have been running Cadillac on an interim basis, will be reassigned.

Nesbitt, who left Chrysler in 2001, is now vice president of GM North American design. In his hew post, he will report to Bob Lutz, GM’s chief of marketing and communications, with whom he worked in his Chrysler days.

The move is said to be part of Lutz’s strategy to shake up General Motors and make design the centerpiece of GM advertising.