Lee Iacocca and Soichiro Honda are two men in the automotive industry that are my personal inspirations. In the 1970's car manufacturers in the United States were saying that there's no way they could build a car that was affordable, reliable and great on gas. Honda walks up onto the scene with the Civic, says "Yes you can!" and the rest is history.
@@ghomerhust A real American Story! His book is a must read. Henry Ford the second was not in Iacocca’s league on any level. Hard working PA kid mad good. And helped restore the Statue of Liberty back in 1986. Will always be my hero and the hero of Mustang lovers forever!
Pulled over on the side of the interstate in an overheating W123 300TD right now. Need to let the engine cool down for 45 mins to an hour. This will do nicely.
I wonder if they're be a time when every car on Earth will be retconed into being Mopar (already you've got AMC (Nash, Hudson, Kaiser, Willys, Jeep), Mercedes (with Daimler and Maybach), Fiat (Lanica, Maserati, & Alfa Romeo included), Rootes Group (Hillman, Sunbeam, Singer, Humber), SIMCA, and that's not including all the Jensens and such with Chrysler engines). I'm going to say "probably" seeing as Fiat wants to buy the world.
Iacocca said it best about Chrysler in the late 70's. "The Dart and Valiant ran forever, and they should never have been dropped. Instead they were replaced by cars that often started to come apart after only a year or two."
He was right, too. I have a 1969 Valiant. Owned it since 1980; paid $400 then. Still running strong in 2021... Even after sitting outside in the weather for the last 23 years under a tattered fabric car cover. Yes, last year I did a bit of work to clean it up, but it's the original 1969 318 engine, never re-bored. Runs like a top, doesn't smoke or leak, and is 100% roadworthy (after new tires of course). Everything works, right down to the trunk, dome, and ignition key lights, end every gauge. No body rust, either. Surprised the hell out of me. I just wish any of the other cars I have ever owned held up that well. Best 400 bucks ever spent.
You're absolutely right both the Valiant and the dart were bulletproof especially with the 225 slant 6 . They were great reliable tough "Compact" rad models. But Chrysler did things on the cheap with the Volare in the Aspen and LeBaron its successions provided and by 80s they began to make better quality out of the platform that they were originally formed at with the fury diplomat and fifth avenue .models (m- bodies) old but durable became the other vehicles that helps save Chrysler in the '80's.
@@rodferguson3515Iaccocca had it right, reliable, small cars, ahead of or outside of stifling consumer trends. As I learn more about the background to the car industry I realize Mr. Iaccocca is directly or indirectly responsible for my favorite Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge vehicles!
I actually saved all of The Roman's history videos on my phone, it's a nice to watch all those stories over and over again when the internet's out ^^ That, along with my favourite reviews from Mr Regular (The EH Civic and the Accord Stationwagon in particular ^^)
Agree! my favorite one is about James Dean's little bastard, It's like a bedtime story for car people lol. I don't know why, but i feel relaxed after hearing the story
Easily one of the greatest minds in American automotive history. I kinda wonder what things would have been like if Henry Ford II wasn't a jealous, paranoid idiot, or if Iacocca had selected Lutz to take the reins at Chrysler. Eh, life is full of what-ifs and what-could've-beens... I think Lee did the best he could with what he had, barring the inevitable errors in judgement brought about by human nature. His was a brilliant mind that didn't see profit above people and still managed to satisfy both for the most part. I only wish more CEOs of major American companies actually gave a hoot about their employees like Iacocca did...
"Maximum Bob" did a pretty good job of wrecking companies....GM kind of went under during his reign....Many good ideas but, no focus out of that guy.....
@@ericbrandt829 I'd take Lutz any day of the week and twice on Sunday over Roger "I don't know nothin' bout makin no cars" Smith and his band of Idiots at GM in the late 70's to mid 80's. GM went into a tailspin by the mid 80's that they have truly never recovered from.
It is tragic that Lee Iacocca died. If he didn't step down from Chrysler in the early 1990s; chances are that Chrysler would still be going strong in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. From 1990 to 1997, Chrysler was doing great. Then Chrysler made the foolish decision to merge with Damler-Benz and from 1998 to 2009 Daimler-Benz ran Chrysler into the ground.
This is a great teaching tool for business people. When you make decisions, NEVER make it personal. Iacocca and Bob Lutz may have hated each other, but they seemed so similar in personality: huge egos and an extreme passion for cars. Lutz wrote in one of his books, that one of his frustrations with General Motors was they had hired too many "bankers" and "real estate" people to run the company.
I was witness to Lee while he managed Chrysler, I attened a few of his face to face meetings. This man was dynamic. Inspiring and very believable. You just knew what he was saying is what he believed. Being a self driven man was a high plus in his success.
@@martyzielinski1442 The video references lots of sources too. You're the one that said it's not the truth, so the onus is on you. If you can't be bothered to give even the slightest hint what you're referring to, why say anything at all?
A TRUE American businessman if there ever were one. I am so proud to say that I grew up in the Lee Iacocca Era. Lee truly proved that you could take pride in American products WITHOUT taking a White Nationalistic/xenophobic approach. This was reflected in his "If you can find a better car, buy it." tagline that he always used. Not only did he acknowledge that many people still believed that American vehicles were inferior copies of their European & Japanese counterparts instead of taking a "BUY AMERICAN OR DIE!!!!!!!!" approach, he went to great pains to assure the American buying public that Chrysler REALLY had something to offer over the competition. And he did this by finding product niches that other manufacturers were ignoring & filling them with models that could be designed & built at modest cost.
Rest in peace, Mr. Iacocca; your efforts helped to keep my Dad employed at Direct Connection in the early 80’s. Thank you RCR for the education- factual and entertaining.
Man, I never put those 2 things together... but yes, that's a great comparison! All the more fitting because Chrysler built a bunch of Shermans (as well as K's)
You know, when I saw this was 50 minutes, I was slightly discouraged, but I’m glad I still hit play, because your writing and delivery had me hooked like a good book. This isn’t just a 50 minute video, it’s a 50 minute masterpiece... and that is timeless.
I think I enjoy these RCR Tales more than the reviews. They're so well presented while being entertaining and education. Absolutely love getting to learn about automotive history. Thanks for the work, Roman!
I'm half way through this and although I doubted the Roman, he proves to be a great story teller, and the PowerPoint presentation provides nice visuals that harkens back to seasons 1 and 2 of RCR. Now I know what I have been missing this whole time. Thank you.
absolutely - unfortunately those days are gone - America is about turning a fast buck on paper and moving on - it is a reflection of the societies values
@@mr.k4311 Hello, my grand uncle financed the world's first built digital computer called ZUSE Z3 (and he financed the ZUSE Z4 as well). compliments & regards Jon "01100101010" Doe
@@mr.k4311 Howdee, just mean: we should keep that sportive because Lee Iacocca would have wanted it that way, and hey? what else is there? Regrads from ol' Germany (where it is everything to be a woman...like in some cases it is in the USA...I'd say we should not try and change that modern sexism...only if they start to kill themselves or so... I don't say I got it worse than any man in the USA but it is so rigid and thorouhly how we turned the old sexism 180 degrees...now it's the same but vice versa... tl;dr the old sexism was turned like 360 degrees (which means it wouzld not change at all, only we swopped roles w/ the girls). The time will heal it but it will take some time and seem not to work overnight. We should not expect anything- that is our healing for today! It's a labour day today so igot to close now... Regards Jon(-ine) Doe ;-)
My folks owned three K cars. Two Reliant wagons and one Reliant sedan. My mother and sister survived being T-boned in one in 1991 so it's not unfair to say that I owe a majority of my mother's life to that car. Didn't stop me from being able to pull the Plymouth badge off the tailgate when I was 5 (still have it), but I digress.
I very much enjoyed this. As someone who was born only a few years before his retirement, I never really was exposed to much of his actions, only seeing and hearing Iacocca's name mentioned with almost reverence by family members and automotive publications. Despite the negative image, my mother has great memories of driving her Pinto all over western Canada promoting her college during her final summer vacations. My father also talks about cross-shopping K-cars and being very impressed when he bought his only new car ever after his '71 Buick got molotoved by some drunk asshole, ultimately deciding on the Novarolla that brought my whole family home from the hospital, for cost reasons. But I never got the exposure to Iacocca that my parents did. So thanks.
I feel very proud to own a K-car! I’ve long admired Lee Iacocca but to know my little ‘85 Plymouth Caravelle coupe helped save all those jobs is something else. Shame the Plymouth marque wasn’t so lucky.
I went to school with his granddaughter, so I got to meet him a handful of times. Interesting guy, though I was a bit too young to appreciate just how interesting.
Smashed that like button. Great job. Bosses who aspire to be leaders in any workplace can take notes from men like Iacocca. Stories like this remind all of us to listen to those on the front lines with first hand knowledge.
I remembered today that I passed this up when it was uploaded because I didn't have the time to watch it. This was 10/10 fantastic. I do not regret coming back and seeking it out to watch.
What really needs to be recognized here is that Roman has enticed all of us to spend far more time looking at k-cars and minivans than any of us would ever do in any other part of our lives!
Lutz had a very interesting take on his experiences with Iacocca in one of his books. I didn't get the impression they hated each other. Just that they were both very sure they were right, and didn't always see eye to eye. Kind of like a star player and a coach who are both committed to winning, but don't always agree on how to do it.
@@75aces97 I would say that is a much better description of the relationship . I know this - he was surely mad that he gave the keys to Chrysler to Eaton
@@pjpredhomme7699 That turned out even more interesting. Iacocca admitted afterward that naming Eaton was a mistake, but one hell of a what if would be if Lutz had been named instead. As in, would Daimler have pursued Lutz for "merger of equals"? And would Lutz have accepted their terms? Lutz was a great and passionate car guy, but I don't know whether his stewardship would have resulted in successful business. After Iacocca retired, Chrysler had its LH platform, first generation Neon, and the midsized Stratus platform, but hadn't shed the power train problems from the K car days. When asked whether he had at least some Schadenfreude after the I'll fated merger that forced Eaton out, Lutz said he was not happy about it at all. Given his dry sense of humor and overall smugness, I find that a little hard to believe. Maybe not for long, but I suspect he gloated in private at least. 😄 According to him, Jurgen Schrempf threw his weight around right away and basically steamrolled Eaton. I find that very easy to believe. Maybe, though, he was upset to see the Chrysler renaissance that he had a hand in ruined.
As someone who's first car was derived from the Chrysler K platform (a 1986 Plymouth Caravelle SE sedan), and someone who devoured Iacocca's autobiography as a 6th grader, I greatly enjoyed this RCR story. Roman, keep up the good work, and I'm anticipating your next great story for us.
I came into this thinking I'd get bored quickly, but that was an extremely interesting story. Iacocca seems like he was a pretty good dude, and the automotive industry definitely wouldn't be the same without him. It's hard to imagine the very real possibility that Chrysler wouldn't even exist today if it weren't for him.
I don't think you give yourself enough credit Roman, this is a really well written and well read piece. Keep up the great work and I can't wait for the next one!
Really good biography. Lee's history is quite extraordinary and he should serve as an inspiration to everyone aspiring in the world of business, autos or management today.
also im glad i sat thru this as a mopar die hard myself i cant thank Lee more for keep an american Icon around when it need the help the most what a selfless and kind man
This was excellent, thank you! I lived through the era but paid little attention to K cars. Back when Chrysler was failing in 79, my dad tried to convince me to buy one of their cars as they were practically giving them away, there was no way I'd have signed a note for one of those things!
I was reading this book yesterday called "engines of change" and it talked all about everything in this video! This came out at the right time. Super interesting, thanks for making this!
will we ever see a RCR Car Stories about the 90s speed wars with the japanese motorbikes? it was mentioned in the hayabusa review and I've wanted to see a documentary about it ever since
Not only did Lee Iacocca save Chrysler and millions of jobs, he probably saved the American automobile industry as well. And no one but Iacocca deserves credit for the "SUV" boom that began after Chrysler's purchase of AMC/Jeep. AMC's products, other than Jeep, were nothing to brag about. Lee Iacocca and Chrysler are the best thing that ever happened to Jeep and the global 4-wheel drive sport utility vehicle market. Andy McKane, 9 January 2023, Maunaloa, Hawaii.
Another great of the automobile industry is Peter Schreyer. Peter Schreyer worked as the lead designer for Audi and Lamborghini before becoming the lead designer at Kia and Hyundai. Because Kia and Hyundai are Korean car companies with their biggest competitors being Japanese car companies Toyota and Honda; Peter Schreyer knew that in order to help Kia and Hyundai sell more vehicles, he would have to design vehicles with a splash of European flair coupled with the best technology from Korea that money can buy. To do this; Peter fell back on his years as the chief designer at Audi and Lamborghini, which are German and Italian car companies, respectively.
Awesome, awesome video Roman. Thanks for your research and brilliant storytelling. Can you giys do a video on pickup trucks in American culture? How they started as farm haulers to modern day family vehicles, to how the chicken tax killed small trucks and death of the Ranger and how american "bigger is better" views and other legislative decisions have essentially axed reg. cab trucks etc etc.? I think that would be neat to learn about. Cheers!
Lee Iacocca's book is a definite read for any car guy. You can skip the first few chapters if you are not interested in his upbringing. He was very much left bitter by Ford sacking him after all he had done for them. He took it very personally as not just an insult to him but also his family. He was the type of guy that could have saved Chrysler regardless of circumstances but Ford left a chip on his solder that makes his success there all the more powerful. Ford really did him wrong but he rose above them and made his story even more inspiring. Showing he could be knocked flat and get back up to do it again. It wasn't just dumb luck but intense drive.
I did a report on Iacocca in 5th grade. His autobiography was a lot to digest at that age. My visual aid for the report was a 1965 Mustang promo model borrowed from my dad. Iacocca and Carroll Shelby were two of my heroes I always wanted to meet someday but never did.
UA-cam has been trying to shove this video down my throat for months and I just decided to give it a chance... I loved it, I'm feeling quite inspired by this story. 10/10 would watch again.
There are a few misses during Iacocca’s run with Chrysler. There was a huge market that was filled by the Caprice (and other GM name plates) and the Ford Crown Victoria. He left this completely alone. I think he also blundered with the AMC Eagle. I fully agree this 4X4 car needed a serious update. Throwing it away allowed a market to be owned solely by Subaru. In the 90s and 2000s Subaru was quite successful. Eagle could have been great if it was given an update, instead of being painted onto an already existing car line.
I'm 70yrs old, which I mention only for context. I'm a walking cliche: sgl. retired man, toy terrier dog owner, retiree who returned to his hometown in far northwest FL. (Insert jokes here.) Your writing style is crisp, your innate sense of humor informs the audio style of your delivery & your grasp of automotive history is truly awesome. So please, keep up the good work because I'm really enjoying your documentaries. (Did I mention I was a film major graduating w/a film degree "back in the day"? Talk about a liberal arts fantasy.) Thanks again for providing outstanding content in this dim witted time of unmitigated nonsense on so many social media platforms. "Good on ya'!"
It's Crazy, anticipate Monday's for rcr and whenever Ronan will have the car stories. The history and lore person in me likes these more than the reviews though, tall still need to review my ae86 or aw11 restomod or my Silverado ss
Well done documentary about a individual who was ahead of his time with ideas yet had a work ethic that is rarely seen or promoted anymore in this day and age
Without question, Mr. Ioccoca was definitely one of the most relevant personalities/influencers the auto industry has ever known. If one cannot find inspiration in his story, as Ronnie Reagan would say, "Well", I don't know what to tell you my friends. The man's life is a truly great American story indeed!! Thank you much for the amazing content my friend.👏
Not many people know who Lee Iaccocca was and what he did for automotive marketing. His story is one of the most inspiring one. Come one the guy invented the Mustang and MiniVan!
Rest in Peace Mr. Iacocca. 7/2/2019 Godspeed sir, and thank you for all your accomplishments. We will never forget you and your wonderful cars!
Lee Iacocca and Soichiro Honda are two men in the automotive industry that are my personal inspirations. In the 1970's car manufacturers in the United States were saying that there's no way they could build a car that was affordable, reliable and great on gas. Honda walks up onto the scene with the Civic, says "Yes you can!" and the rest is history.
Thanks for the Mustang, America's car!
this man was responsible for more change and influence in the auto industry than any single person, period.
@@ghomerhust A real American Story! His book is a must read. Henry Ford the second was not in Iacocca’s league on any level. Hard working PA kid mad good. And helped restore the Statue of Liberty back in 1986. Will always be my hero and the hero of Mustang lovers forever!
He got out just in time what a g
Watched start to finish. Next you guys need to do the '90s speed wars with motorcycles.
I've been waiting for that ever since they mentioned its possibility in the hayabusa episode
Michael A OH GOD YES :D
NOT A CAR
And then the 1970's "supercar scare" in Australia.
waiting til this day
Lee Iacocca LEGEND!
Chrysler should have a picture of him in every dealership.
I'm a dodge salesman, my pc background is iacocca in front of the voyager. I 100% agree.
Pulled over on the side of the interstate in an overheating W123 300TD right now. Need to let the engine cool down for 45 mins to an hour. This will do nicely.
Sam Mullan Galvin yessir, 1984 300TD turbodiesel!
Chris Harding Shoulda bought a Chrysler? lel
Anon Doe I bought a Mercedes and the Roman had me believe they're the same thing
I wonder if they're be a time when every car on Earth will be retconed into being Mopar (already you've got AMC (Nash, Hudson, Kaiser, Willys, Jeep), Mercedes (with Daimler and Maybach), Fiat (Lanica, Maserati, & Alfa Romeo included), Rootes Group (Hillman, Sunbeam, Singer, Humber), SIMCA, and that's not including all the Jensens and such with Chrysler engines). I'm going to say "probably" seeing as Fiat wants to buy the world.
i hope your data plan is ok
Iacocca said it best about Chrysler in the late 70's. "The Dart and Valiant ran forever, and they should never have been dropped. Instead they were replaced by cars that often started to come apart after only a year or two."
He was right, too. I have a 1969 Valiant. Owned it since 1980; paid $400 then. Still running strong in 2021... Even after sitting outside in the weather for the last 23 years under a tattered fabric car cover. Yes, last year I did a bit of work to clean it up, but it's the original 1969 318 engine, never re-bored. Runs like a top, doesn't smoke or leak, and is 100% roadworthy (after new tires of course). Everything works, right down to the trunk, dome, and ignition key lights, end every gauge. No body rust, either. Surprised the hell out of me. I just wish any of the other cars I have ever owned held up that well. Best 400 bucks ever spent.
go watch ford vs ferrari lol
You're absolutely right both the Valiant and the dart were bulletproof especially with the 225 slant 6 .
They were great reliable tough "Compact" rad models. But Chrysler did things on the cheap with the Volare in the Aspen and LeBaron its successions provided and by 80s they began to make better quality out of the platform that they were originally formed at with the fury diplomat and fifth avenue .models (m- bodies) old but durable became the other vehicles that helps save Chrysler in the '80's.
@@rodferguson3515Iaccocca had it right, reliable, small cars, ahead of or outside of stifling consumer trends. As I learn more about the background to the car industry I realize Mr. Iaccocca is directly or indirectly responsible for my favorite Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge vehicles!
Is anyone else starting to like The Roman's work ? I've watched all these since the Tale of The Dale...
I actually saved all of The Roman's history videos on my phone, it's a nice to watch all those stories over and over again when the internet's out ^^ That, along with my favourite reviews from Mr Regular (The EH Civic and the Accord Stationwagon in particular ^^)
Agree! my favorite one is about James Dean's little bastard, It's like a bedtime story for car people lol. I don't know why, but i feel relaxed after hearing the story
HNRichard Precisely! its strangely comforting and relaxing ^^
DCGehrke the roman writes a lot for the reviews.
DCGehrke Starting? The Roman's work has always been dope. The reviews are hit or miss, but Romanian pieces are always high and tight.
Easily one of the greatest minds in American automotive history. I kinda wonder what things would have been like if Henry Ford II wasn't a jealous, paranoid idiot, or if Iacocca had selected Lutz to take the reins at Chrysler. Eh, life is full of what-ifs and what-could've-beens... I think Lee did the best he could with what he had, barring the inevitable errors in judgement brought about by human nature. His was a brilliant mind that didn't see profit above people and still managed to satisfy both for the most part. I only wish more CEOs of major American companies actually gave a hoot about their employees like Iacocca did...
"Maximum Bob" did a pretty good job of wrecking companies....GM kind of went under during his reign....Many good ideas but, no focus out of that guy.....
@@ericbrandt829 I'd take Lutz any day of the week and twice on Sunday over Roger "I don't know nothin' bout makin no cars" Smith and his band of Idiots at GM in the late 70's to mid 80's. GM went into a tailspin by the mid 80's that they have truly never recovered from.
These documentaries are fantastic, this one especially. Great job!
Just found out he died so I figured I'd go back and watch this again
It is tragic that Lee Iacocca died. If he didn't step down from Chrysler in the early 1990s; chances are that Chrysler would still be going strong in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. From 1990 to 1997, Chrysler was doing great. Then Chrysler made the foolish decision to merge with Damler-Benz and from 1998 to 2009 Daimler-Benz ran Chrysler into the ground.
@@michaellovely6601
Not merge, bought out right.
@@289cobra9 more like sold to...
@@michaellovely6601 P
This is a great teaching tool for business people. When you make decisions, NEVER make it personal. Iacocca and Bob Lutz may have hated each other, but they seemed so similar in personality: huge egos and an extreme passion for cars. Lutz wrote in one of his books, that one of his frustrations with General Motors was they had hired too many "bankers" and "real estate" people to run the company.
Immediately thought about this video after I heard the news. RIP Lee Iacocca
Thanks for all the help Lee we're going to miss you
Of course you are., You're children.
Roman this was honestly one of the best podcasty type of thing I have ever heard. Hats off to you good sir!
Too bad it’s not the truth......
I was witness to Lee while he managed Chrysler, I attened a few of his face to face meetings. This man was dynamic. Inspiring and very believable. You just knew what he was saying is what he believed. Being a self driven man was a high plus in his success.
@@martyzielinski2469 Gee, might be nice if you elaborated just a little bit.
@@neofromthewarnerbrothersic145 There are many books on the subject if you really wanna know.
@@martyzielinski1442 The video references lots of sources too. You're the one that said it's not the truth, so the onus is on you. If you can't be bothered to give even the slightest hint what you're referring to, why say anything at all?
Lee was a great man and I weep for today's Chrysler. I hope another great CEO comes forward to save the company.
A TRUE American businessman if there ever were one. I am so proud to say that I grew up in the Lee Iacocca Era. Lee truly proved that you could take pride in American products WITHOUT taking a White Nationalistic/xenophobic approach. This was reflected in his "If you can find a better car, buy it." tagline that he always used. Not only did he acknowledge that many people still believed that American vehicles were inferior copies of their European & Japanese counterparts instead of taking a "BUY AMERICAN OR DIE!!!!!!!!" approach, he went to great pains to assure the American buying public that Chrysler REALLY had something to offer over the competition. And he did this by finding product niches that other manufacturers were ignoring & filling them with models that could be designed & built at modest cost.
Rest in peace, Mr. Iacocca; your efforts helped to keep my Dad employed at Direct Connection in the early 80’s. Thank you RCR for the education- factual and entertaining.
So, the the K-Car is basically the automotive equivalent of the M4 Sherman.
Man, I never put those 2 things together... but yes, that's a great comparison! All the more fitting because Chrysler built a bunch of Shermans (as well as K's)
Arthur Robinson And the Yugo is basically a t-34
@@michaelmcginley1875 well said
@@michaelmcginley1875 no, the yugo would have lasted longer at Aberdeen.
Good Job!!!
You know, when I saw this was 50 minutes, I was slightly discouraged, but I’m glad I still hit play, because your writing and delivery had me hooked like a good book. This isn’t just a 50 minute video, it’s a 50 minute masterpiece... and that is timeless.
Amen!
I think I enjoy these RCR Tales more than the reviews. They're so well presented while being entertaining and education. Absolutely love getting to learn about automotive history. Thanks for the work, Roman!
I'm half way through this and although I doubted the Roman, he proves to be a great story teller, and the PowerPoint presentation provides nice visuals that harkens back to seasons 1 and 2 of RCR. Now I know what I have been missing this whole time. Thank you.
RIP Lee Iacocca, you will be missed.
Iacocca is the kind of businessman that I actually like, and think America needs more like him.
absolutely - unfortunately those days are gone - America is about turning a fast buck on paper and moving on - it is a reflection of the societies values
Thanks Lee, from St louis Chrysler assembly,....Mustang, Cobra , Viper , lamborghini, jeep, K car ,minivan and more .
I can't believe how much Romans voice sounds just like Lees but with less echo.
billy mccabe yeah, I see what you mean, he has a very similar voice, Icoca had a certain tone, always mad almost
I think it was Roman narrating what Iaccoa said lol.
uncreativename that was the joke, I don't think most people are getting it I guess. Haha
Aren't both Lee and Roman from Pennsylvania? Maybe, that's why; they both sound similar?
RIP Lee from previous owner of 2 Mustangs 1 Chrysler MiniVan and 2 Chrysler convertibles and 1 Dodge 400 convertible. A Job well done.
my dad knew Iacocca personally and taught his daughter how to drive manual
Yeah, and I'm Darth Vader's great great great great great great son.
Join the dark side we got cookies
@@mr.k4311 Hello,
my grand uncle financed the world's first built digital computer called
ZUSE Z3
(and he financed the ZUSE Z4 as well).
compliments & regards
Jon "01100101010" Doe
@@jondoe8423
Hey, good for you man
@@mr.k4311 Howdee, just mean: we should keep that sportive because Lee Iacocca would have wanted it that way, and hey? what else is there? Regrads from ol' Germany (where it is everything to be a woman...like in some cases it is in the USA...I'd say we should not try and change that modern sexism...only if they start to kill themselves or so...
I don't say I got it worse than any man in the USA but it is so rigid and thorouhly how we turned the old sexism 180 degrees...now it's the same but vice versa...
tl;dr
the old sexism was turned like 360 degrees (which means it wouzld not change at all, only we swopped roles w/ the girls). The time will heal it but it will take some time and seem not to work overnight.
We should not expect anything- that is our healing for today!
It's a labour day today so igot to close now...
Regards
Jon(-ine) Doe ;-)
My folks owned three K cars. Two Reliant wagons and one Reliant sedan. My mother and sister survived being T-boned in one in 1991 so it's not unfair to say that I owe a majority of my mother's life to that car. Didn't stop me from being able to pull the Plymouth badge off the tailgate when I was 5 (still have it), but I digress.
SPcamert yt
RIP Lee..! Your persistence paid off for Ford and Chrysler and millions of people around the world.
I very much enjoyed this. As someone who was born only a few years before his retirement, I never really was exposed to much of his actions, only seeing and hearing Iacocca's name mentioned with almost reverence by family members and automotive publications. Despite the negative image, my mother has great memories of driving her Pinto all over western Canada promoting her college during her final summer vacations. My father also talks about cross-shopping K-cars and being very impressed when he bought his only new car ever after his '71 Buick got molotoved by some drunk asshole, ultimately deciding on the Novarolla that brought my whole family home from the hospital, for cost reasons. But I never got the exposure to Iacocca that my parents did. So thanks.
I never tire of these. This is some documentary work to be treasured for sure. Thanks a lot!
I feel very proud to own a K-car! I’ve long admired Lee Iacocca but to know my little ‘85 Plymouth Caravelle coupe helped save all those jobs is something else. Shame the Plymouth marque wasn’t so lucky.
It was rather sad when the Plymouth division of Chrysler went under in 2001.
I went to school with his granddaughter, so I got to meet him a handful of times. Interesting guy, though I was a bit too young to appreciate just how interesting.
RCR: We Really Fucking Love The K-Car
Smashed that like button. Great job. Bosses who aspire to be leaders in any workplace can take notes from men like Iacocca. Stories like this remind all of us to listen to those on the front lines with first hand knowledge.
Yep. Like everyone else I.came back to watch it again as tribute to Lee.
I remembered today that I passed this up when it was uploaded because I didn't have the time to watch it. This was 10/10 fantastic. I do not regret coming back and seeking it out to watch.
just finished this. take a bow roman. didnt stop a second.
What really needs to be recognized here is that Roman has enticed all of us to spend far more time looking at k-cars and minivans than any of us would ever do in any other part of our lives!
Bob Lutz needs the next hour special.
Lutz was a real Renaissance man.
Lutz had a very interesting take on his experiences with Iacocca in one of his books. I didn't get the impression they hated each other. Just that they were both very sure they were right, and didn't always see eye to eye. Kind of like a star player and a coach who are both committed to winning, but don't always agree on how to do it.
@@75aces97 I would say that is a much better description of the relationship . I know this - he was surely mad that he gave the keys to Chrysler to Eaton
@@pjpredhomme7699 That turned out even more interesting. Iacocca admitted afterward that naming Eaton was a mistake, but one hell of a what if would be if Lutz had been named instead. As in, would Daimler have pursued Lutz for "merger of equals"? And would Lutz have accepted their terms?
Lutz was a great and passionate car guy, but I don't know whether his stewardship would have resulted in successful business. After Iacocca retired, Chrysler had its LH platform, first generation Neon, and the midsized Stratus platform, but hadn't shed the power train problems from the K car days.
When asked whether he had at least some Schadenfreude after the I'll fated merger that forced Eaton out, Lutz said he was not happy about it at all. Given his dry sense of humor and overall smugness, I find that a little hard to believe. Maybe not for long, but I suspect he gloated in private at least. 😄 According to him, Jurgen Schrempf threw his weight around right away and basically steamrolled Eaton. I find that very easy to believe. Maybe, though, he was upset to see the Chrysler renaissance that he had a hand in ruined.
As someone who's first car was derived from the Chrysler K platform (a 1986 Plymouth Caravelle SE sedan), and someone who devoured Iacocca's autobiography as a 6th grader, I greatly enjoyed this RCR story. Roman, keep up the good work, and I'm anticipating your next great story for us.
I came into this thinking I'd get bored quickly, but that was an extremely interesting story. Iacocca seems like he was a pretty good dude, and the automotive industry definitely wouldn't be the same without him. It's hard to imagine the very real possibility that Chrysler wouldn't even exist today if it weren't for him.
His book is fascinating.....I would highly RECOMMEND reading it......he tells some great stories....
Nice job man. Lee was the American dream and wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Definitely something you don't see nowadays.
I don't think you give yourself enough credit Roman, this is a really well written and well read piece. Keep up the great work and I can't wait for the next one!
I love these videos you should do the story of ferdinand porsche
I can’t believe no one has made a movie about Iacocca. Great job on this documentary!
He shows up in Ford vs Ferrari.
Really good biography. Lee's history is quite extraordinary and he should serve as an inspiration to everyone aspiring in the world of business, autos or management today.
These story videos are some of the very best on UA-cam. Totally worth the effort in making them...thank you for the knowledge and entertainment!
also im glad i sat thru this as a mopar die hard myself i cant thank Lee more for keep an american Icon around when it need the help the most
what a selfless and kind man
Oh man, this is awesome. Thank you for putting this together.
This was excellent, thank you! I lived through the era but paid little attention to K cars. Back when Chrysler was failing in 79, my dad tried to convince me to buy one of their cars as they were practically giving them away, there was no way I'd have signed a note for one of those things!
Lee iacocca has looked 80 since the 70s
I was reading this book yesterday called "engines of change" and it talked all about everything in this video! This came out at the right time. Super interesting, thanks for making this!
...And now I wanna drive 8 hours back east for Yocco's. Thanks, Roman.
This is the best, I'm only 1:28 into it but I can already tell you it is the best thing on youtube.
There's funny writing on the wall in the dumper at the 47 minute mark.
Big fan of RCR but these documentaries bring it to a whole new level. This is your best one so far Roman. Love your guys work. Keep it up!
My parents had a 84 Aries (4 door sedan), it ended up being one of the first cars I ever drove.
I don't know how the next RCR story can top this one. Great job Roman!
will we ever see a RCR Car Stories about the 90s speed wars with the japanese motorbikes? it was mentioned in the hayabusa review and I've wanted to see a documentary about it ever since
"When the going gets tough, the tough get fiber, and then get going! " I love it! Thank you, Roman, for channeling Mr. R in your narration. :)
Rest in peace to the man who saved Chrysler
Not only did Lee Iacocca save Chrysler and millions of jobs, he probably saved the American automobile industry as well. And no one but Iacocca deserves credit for the "SUV" boom that began after Chrysler's purchase of AMC/Jeep. AMC's products, other than Jeep, were nothing to brag about. Lee Iacocca and Chrysler are the best thing that ever happened to Jeep and the global 4-wheel drive sport utility vehicle market. Andy McKane, 9 January 2023, Maunaloa, Hawaii.
Another great story of a automotive legend. Please never apologize for being you, you are one of my favorite story tellers. Please keep them coming...
Roman, this is amazing. Fantastic work. The History Chanel and Discovery need to be calling you.
You guys should have these available for download as a podcast, Id love to have them around for when I'm on the road and don't have the data.
The Roman's long history videos? I'm so excited for this, thanks for putting up the video! I genuinely love these vids a lot ^^
Nice job. I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting Lee Iacocca. I read his autobiography years ago and always had a lot of respect for him.
This is really good, Iacocca would approve of the effort you must have put into this video.
Ben Folds songs for chapter names. Clever.
Alan Smith I'm glad I'm not the only one that caught that and was amused.
What a beautiful original car. I hope you can preserve it as it is. Congratulations to you for owning this marvel of automotive history.
Some of the greatest automotive legends in my opinion:
Henry Ford
Lee Iacocca
Bob Lutz
Alan Mulally
Bill Mitchell (as a designer)
Tw 1748592848 Harley earl is probably worth a mention for his iconic 50s designs perhaps?
Elizabeth Carmichael
I wouldn't put Henry over there, he learned everything from the sweden guys and never gave them credit.
Another great of the automobile industry is Peter Schreyer. Peter Schreyer worked as the lead designer for Audi and Lamborghini before becoming the lead designer at Kia and Hyundai. Because Kia and Hyundai are Korean car companies with their biggest competitors being Japanese car companies Toyota and Honda; Peter Schreyer knew that in order to help Kia and Hyundai sell more vehicles, he would have to design vehicles with a splash of European flair coupled with the best technology from Korea that money can buy. To do this; Peter fell back on his years as the chief designer at Audi and Lamborghini, which are German and Italian car companies, respectively.
Carroll Shelby.
I've had this tab open for 4 days now, I'll eventually have a full hour to watch.....I hope
Awesome, awesome video Roman. Thanks for your research and brilliant storytelling. Can you giys do a video on pickup trucks in American culture? How they started as farm haulers to modern day family vehicles, to how the chicken tax killed small trucks and death of the Ranger and how american "bigger is better" views and other legislative decisions have essentially axed reg. cab trucks etc etc.? I think that would be neat to learn about. Cheers!
I read the book as a 13 year old, 47 now. Amazing encapsulation of the man. Thank you
Rip Lee Iacocca. His legacy will never be forgotten.
Especially by the families of those that died because he wanted to save a few bucks
@@TighelanderII lol.......
Lee Iacocca's book is a definite read for any car guy. You can skip the first few chapters if you are not interested in his upbringing. He was very much left bitter by Ford sacking him after all he had done for them. He took it very personally as not just an insult to him but also his family. He was the type of guy that could have saved Chrysler regardless of circumstances but Ford left a chip on his solder that makes his success there all the more powerful. Ford really did him wrong but he rose above them and made his story even more inspiring. Showing he could be knocked flat and get back up to do it again. It wasn't just dumb luck but intense drive.
Loved every second of it man!! Thank you!!
I did a report on Iacocca in 5th grade. His autobiography was a lot to digest at that age. My visual aid for the report was a 1965 Mustang promo model borrowed from my dad. Iacocca and Carroll Shelby were two of my heroes I always wanted to meet someday but never did.
my neighbor has a reliant. still running in 2017.
They were good cars. My mom still has an Acclaim. For some reason I see a lot more old Plymouths than old Dodges despite being rather similar.
You can keep any POS running.
Every time I hear of a Reliant being mentioned I think of Wrath of Khan.
Great job, once again. Really digging these "history lessons for car guys". Your work is hugely appreciated!
As a British person the one i think he might do is British leyland (but that might be the one we all think)
Law5121 absolutely right... I was thinking UK car industry as well lol
So awesome. These stories beat everything else on YT for me and I take so much away from them every time, good job Roman!
Roman. Roman. Roman. I don't think you know how good these videos are, how good you are at doing them.
I loved this segment! Please keep the history broadcasts rolling along!
If you want you could a story on Oldsmobile. The making of the 442 or the last day's or Whatever you want.
or Pontiac.
UA-cam has been trying to shove this video down my throat for months and I just decided to give it a chance... I loved it, I'm feeling quite inspired by this story. 10/10 would watch again.
There are a few misses during Iacocca’s run with Chrysler. There was a huge market that was filled by the Caprice (and other GM name plates) and the Ford Crown Victoria. He left this completely alone. I think he also blundered with the AMC Eagle. I fully agree this 4X4 car needed a serious update. Throwing it away allowed a market to be owned solely by Subaru. In the 90s and 2000s Subaru was quite successful. Eagle could have been great if it was given an update, instead of being painted onto an already existing car line.
I'm 70yrs old, which I mention only for context. I'm a walking cliche: sgl. retired man, toy terrier dog owner, retiree who returned to his hometown in far northwest FL. (Insert jokes here.) Your writing style is crisp, your innate sense of humor informs the audio style of your delivery & your grasp of automotive history is truly awesome. So please, keep up the good work because I'm really enjoying your documentaries. (Did I mention I was a film major graduating w/a film degree "back in the day"? Talk about a liberal arts fantasy.) Thanks again for providing outstanding content in this dim witted time of unmitigated nonsense on so many social media platforms. "Good on ya'!"
Iacocca is one of those names that if you call yourself a car enthusiast, you have to know it and what we got from him.
I just wrote an article on him for my school paper! Great man.
Chapter 4: Landed
Chapter 4: Rockin' the Suburbs
Ben Folds for life!
Excellent job. Thanks for taking the time and effort to put this together. You certainly did great justice to this legend.
It's Crazy, anticipate Monday's for rcr and whenever Ronan will have the car stories.
The history and lore person in me likes these more than the reviews
though, tall still need to review my ae86 or aw11 restomod or my Silverado ss
4traxx AE86 was already reviewed
searchoverload8 so was the s2000
Well done documentary about a individual who was ahead of his time with ideas yet had a work ethic that is rarely seen or promoted anymore in this day and age
This was some top notch stuff from The Roman.
Without question, Mr. Ioccoca was definitely one of the most relevant personalities/influencers the auto industry has ever known. If one cannot find inspiration in his story, as Ronnie Reagan would say, "Well", I don't know what to tell you my friends. The man's life is a truly great American story indeed!! Thank you much for the amazing content my friend.👏
YES THE FUCKING ROMAN IS BACK WITH ANOTHER STORY
I LOVE these videos
I really like these long, well researched videos. Keep 'em comin'!
Not many people know who Lee Iaccocca was and what he did for automotive marketing. His story is one of the most inspiring one. Come one the guy invented the Mustang and MiniVan!
This is your best one yet. Great job.
I see what you did with the Ben Folds Five song titles. Well played.