Auto industry legend Lee Iacocca, known as the father of the Ford Mustang and the savior of Chrysler, died July 2, 2019, at his home.

With an auto career spanning the late 1940’s to the early 1990s, Iacocca was a pioneer in the automotive world.  He was 94. According to a family spokesperson, he suffered from complications from Parkinson’s disease.

Father of the Mustang and Minivan

Lido Anthony “Lee” Iacocca was born in 1924 in Allentown, Pennsylvania to Italian immigrants and made history as the only executive in modern times to lead two of the Big Three automakers. He was instrumental in the creation of the Ford Mustang and the Chrysler minivan.

Fired From Ford

He went to work as an engineer for the Ford Motor Company straight out of college at age 22. He then switched to Ford’s marketing and sales side, quickly rising through the ranks to becomeFord president in 1970. During his tenure, he spearheaded the successful release of the Ford Mustang, but clashed with Henry Ford II, and was fired in 1978 after being with the company for over three decades.

Chrysler Takes on Iacocca

Soon after he joined rival company Chrysler and became chairman and CEO in 1979. The company was in dire straits, but he managed to save it from near-bankruptcy by making huge cutbacks and convincing the federal government to guarantee $1.5billion in loans to the company, an unprecedented move at the time. RevivingChrysler and renewingDetroit’s fortunes earned him the title “Detroit’s comeback kid” in a March 1983 cover story in Time magazine.

America’s Most Famous Car Icon

Chrysler’s rebound made him America’s most famous CEO and car salesman. He became a familiar figure through Chrysler TV commercials, with his famous line “if you can find a better car, buy it.”In the 1980’s he helped create a new American icon –the minivan, one of the most profitable consumer products ever created.

1984 Autobiography is A New York Times Bestseller

In 1984 his autobiography was also a hit, staying on The New York Times bestseller list for 88 weeks. In its review of the book, The Wall Street Journal called Iococca the “Motor City’s most famous motor mouth.” He even considered running for president against George H.W. Bush in 1988 but changed his mind when a friend talked him out of it. Polls at the time actually showed he had a realistic chance of winning.“I chose the automobile industry because honestly I just love cars. And if you have to work for 50 years it’s a lot more enjoyable doing something you love.”Iacocca once said.

The father of the Mustang and the minivan, auto legend Lee Iacocca, was laid to rest in Troy, Detroit in July 2019. But his influence and legacy will live on for decades to come.