Chrysler Speeches continued

Lee A. Iacocca.  Motor Trend's Car of the Year Award, Los Angeles, California, January 12, 1981.       

Chrysler’s K-Cars, the Aries and Reliant, were honored by the prestigious Motor Trend Car of the Year Award in 1981.  In this speech, Lee Iacocca attributed this success to Chrysler’s engineering team which had also been honored for their work on the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon.

“This Motor Trend Car of the Year award is far and away the most satisfying of all because it says (in the midst of the biggest product revolution in history) that Chrysler Engineering is still the best in the world!”

Lee A. Iacocca.  Shelby Press Conference, Highland Park, Michigan. September 9, 1982.           

                       
This speech details the collaboration between automotive designer and race car driver Carroll Shelby and the Chrysler Corporation.  Shelby, who had contributed to the design of the Ford Mustang, accepted Iacocca’s invitation to work on several Dodge models in the 1980s.  Among the models using his technology were the Dodge Shelby Charger, the Dodge Charger Shelby, and the Dodge Omni GLH.

Iacocca used this press conference as an opportunity to generate excitement: “Today, we’re here to talk about another step Chrysler is taking to bring some fun into driving while maintaining our technological lead over the competition.”

Lee A. Iacocca.  Speech before the National Press Club, Washington, D.C.  July 13, 1983.       

Iacocca, who had spoken before the National Press Club in July 1981, was invited again, this time to report on the success he’d had turning the Chrysler Corporation around.  He reported, “All the loans, all 1.2 billion, are being paid back seven years early.”

Lee A. Iacocca.  National Education Association, San Diego, California.  March 3, 1989.       

Iacocca spoke frankly about what he saw as the decline of American schools in this speech, demonstrating his commitment by declaring 1989 the “Year of Education” for both himself and his company [Chrysler].  

Lee A. Iacocca.  Dealer Announcement Shows, Las Vegas, Nevada.  August 15 and 17, 1983.       

Iacocca regularly attended Dealer Announcement Shows throughout his career at both Ford and Chrysler, yet there never was an announcement as was made in this venue: “First thing Monday morning, I checked on the check – it cleared! – All eight hundred and thirteen million, five hundred and thirty four thousand dollars of it!  We’ve paid off our debt and I’m a free man.”  Iacocca took this opportunity to inform the dealers that the loan had been repaid.