As he tries to turn around the auto giant from years of what many call bland design, an embarrassing 2009 recall and the effects of the 2011 earthquake, he is grabbing the wheel and playing the role of personal pitchman.
The Vioxx recall started off a firestorm, fueling Congressional hearings into the FDA's ability to track side effects and causing massive upheavals throughout the drug industry.
Wariness at the FDA is understandable: In four years it has endured the embarrassment of the recall of ten drugs it had approved as safe and effective after they were linked to rare but potentially deadly side effects.