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Famous Engineers
> Wild Horse Sets New Standard in Autos
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The young boy named Lido was what you might call a “real go-getter.” Even at a
young age, he was working with his father, a grocer by trade, learning how to
manage a business and how to make it profitable. His barely-educated father was especially proud when Lido graduated from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania with a degree in industrial engineering. |
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Lido was hard-working and ambitious, so it might have seemed odd when he turned down a prime employment opportunity after college. Many of his school chums would have jumped at a job like this. Nevertheless, Lido decided against taking the position as an engineer trainee at Ford Motor Company. |
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It was the mid-1940s and Americans were on the verge of beginning their love affair with the automobile, but Lido chose instead to continue his schooling, earning his Master’s Degree in Engineering from Princeton University. While at Princeton, in addition to core courses he chose electives in the field of plastics and politics. |
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The new Princeton graduate then decided it was time to put his unique skill set to work at Ford. The lessons in business learned from his father, his education in the field of industrial engineering, and even his plastics and politics electives would all play a part in his meteoric career. |
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Young Lido didn’t just work for a car company. He managed to turn the industry on its ear with a car named after a horse. Just who is Lido, the son of Italian immigrants who changed a wild horse into the car of America’s desire? |
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Lido Anthony Iacocca, better known by the nickname “Lee,” began at Ford Motor Company as an engineer, but soon afterwards decided he was better suited for sales and marketing. However, he never strayed far from his engineering roots.
Iacocca rose to prominence in Ford’s marketing department with his “56 in ‘56” promotion – a novel finance plan providing the opportunity for Americans to buy a new 1956 Ford for only $56 a month. But, perhaps his greatest claim to fame at Ford involved his engineering as well as marketing skills as he headed the team that developed and marketed the new Ford Mustang.
The Mustang changed the way we thought about smaller cars. Iacocca’s engineering team made smaller cars exciting and maybe even a bit sexy by providing power and style at a reasonable price. It was just the concept to catch the public’s eye.
Iacocca was a bombastic leader. In fact, the spirited Iacocca’s temper caused him to fall from grace with Henry Ford II, leading to Iacocca’s firing. But the next challenge was not far behind. Chrysler called and Lee answered.
The talented engineer and marketer charged onto the market with the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon which quickly became hits. Then, using some charm and some political savvy, Iacocca was able to convince the US Congress to guarantee loans to the company allowing it to get back on track.
With the government’s loan guarantees, Chrysler was able to introduce Iacocca’s next success in automobile engineering, the
“K-Cars:" Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant. Later, Iacocca introduced the minivan to the market, yet another engineering innovation that would shake up the industry.
After leaving Chrysler, Iacocca joined EV Global Motors, a company that hopes to revolutionize transportation with electric-powered cars and bikes. By the way, Lee Iacocca’s latest project is an electric vehicle that most say looks more like a golf cart than a car. And it is named the “Lido.”
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