GON
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Just speculation and I have not studied the subject, but casual observation suggests that Lee Iacocca's mission may have been to save Chrysler, and the seed of equivalent benefit would be to investors in Chrysler---- not to line his pockets regardless of how Chrysler performed. Observations suggests Lee was on a mission to prove his abilities in auto manufacturing, and not to ring his personal wallet register. Again, just casual speculation on my part. I know of no other American CEO with this perceived passion today. Seems most American CEOs have little care about America's ability to manufacture products for the home team.
In this Aug. 7, 1980, file photo, Chrysler Corp. Chairman Lee Iacocca with the first K Car, a Plymouth Reliant, in Detroit. Iacocca became a folk hero for rescuing the company. Lee Iacocca and Joe Czar (Production Manager at Right) drove the first K Car offline at the Chrysler Jefferson Plant. The Chrysler K platform was developed just as the company faltered in the market, underpinning a modest range of compact/mid-size sedans and wagons—and eventually underpinning nearly fifty different models, including all-wheel drive variants. The right car at the right time. They were initially very profitable, and Iacocca credited them with allowing the company to pay off its bankruptcy loans early.
Following the 1973 oil crisis, compounded by the 1979 energy crisis, American consumers began to buy fuel-efficient, low-cost automobiles built in Japan. With the market for large V-8 engined cars declining, American domestic auto manufacturers tried to develop compact vehicles that could compete with the Japanese imports of Toyota, Honda, and Nissan in price and finish. The K-cars (Dodge Aries, Plymouth Reliant, Chrysler LeBaron, Dodge 400, and, in Mexico, Dodge Dart) sold over 2 million vehicles from 1981 to 1988.
In this Aug. 7, 1980, file photo, Chrysler Corp. Chairman Lee Iacocca with the first K Car, a Plymouth Reliant, in Detroit. Iacocca became a folk hero for rescuing the company. Lee Iacocca and Joe Czar (Production Manager at Right) drove the first K Car offline at the Chrysler Jefferson Plant. The Chrysler K platform was developed just as the company faltered in the market, underpinning a modest range of compact/mid-size sedans and wagons—and eventually underpinning nearly fifty different models, including all-wheel drive variants. The right car at the right time. They were initially very profitable, and Iacocca credited them with allowing the company to pay off its bankruptcy loans early.
Following the 1973 oil crisis, compounded by the 1979 energy crisis, American consumers began to buy fuel-efficient, low-cost automobiles built in Japan. With the market for large V-8 engined cars declining, American domestic auto manufacturers tried to develop compact vehicles that could compete with the Japanese imports of Toyota, Honda, and Nissan in price and finish. The K-cars (Dodge Aries, Plymouth Reliant, Chrysler LeBaron, Dodge 400, and, in Mexico, Dodge Dart) sold over 2 million vehicles from 1981 to 1988.
The K-car platform made it abundantly clear to me that Iococca's legacy was more about impeccable PR and marketing (focused on the "buy American" sentiment) than actual resurrection of quality in the auto industry. Here is a photo of the NOS hinge pins I found on eBay.
