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THE TRUCKS OF NEW ZEALAND POST New Zealand Trucking / July 2019 IN 1911 THE POST OFFICE put its first truck on the road. Whilst mainly used for work associated with mail and telecommunications, over the years the trucks have also been used in a variety of roles, including transporting floral tributes in state funeral processions, transporting baggage for VIP tours, and in civil defence. In 1990 NZ Post entered into a joint venture with Airwork Ltd to operate dedicated aircraft to move mail within New Zealand. NZ Post started to move away from company operated vehicles when Courier Post became owner-driver-based in 1992, with the model being put into place across most of the transport fleet in the following years. The decline in the traditional letter market and the rapid increase in the parcel market, driven by online shopping, has changed the mix of products moved, but the use of road to provide an efficient, reliable, cost-effective but flexible service still exists. Photo: Taken in Auckland in 2000 this picture provides a good illustration of the type of vehicles used to move mail around New Zealand in the 21st century. The aircraft, a F27 Friendship, was converted to carry freight in containers designed and purposebuilt in New Zealand. Dedicated jets now operate this service. .

Isuzu Trucks Australia / June 16, 2019 . .

Isuzu Trucks Australia / June 16, 2019 . . . . .

Hino Australia Press Release / July 1, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZmrFHfN7JQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSH_ilMS2kc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ5u1zgrUQY

Big Rigs / July 4, 2019 FREIGHT efficiency and flood immunity along the Capricorn Highway near Rockhampton are set for major improvement with works starting on the replacement of a timber bridge over Valentine Creek, south-west of Gracemere. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the $8.3 million project was jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments. "This investment is about getting people home and goods to market sooner and safer as the Capricorn Highway is Central Queensland's primary east-west freight corridor and part of Australia's national freight network," Mr McCormack said. Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said the bridge was built in 1951 and well past its used-by date. "The new bridge will be able to withstand a one-in-50-year flood and remove weight limitations that impede heavy vehicle access, improving freight connectivity across Queensland," Mr Bailey said. Federal Member for Flynn Ken O'Dowd said project works involved replacing the timber bridge with a wider two-lane concrete structure as well as upgrading and widening the Capricorn Highway approaches to the bridge. "Once the project is completed, major benefits will include improved heavy vehicle access, increased freight efficiency, and improved traffic capacity and safety over Valentine Creek," Mr O'Dowd said. State Member for Rockhampton Barry O'Rourke said the project would also support more construction jobs for Rockhampton. "About 27 direct jobs will be supported over the construction phase of the project, so that is important for our region's economy," Mr O'Rourke said. "While it is sad to see a little bit of local history go, the new structure will create a more reliable and flood resilient crossing over the creek." The new bridge is expected to open to traffic mid-December 2019, weather permitting. The $8.3 million Valentine Creek Bridge project is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments. .

Steve Brooks, Trade Trucks AU / June 6, 2019 Fuso outsells its more illustrious Daimler siblings by a hefty margin in Australia, despite being viewed by some as an underling. And now, with a modernised cab and advanced heavy-duty powertrain in the wings, the Japanese giant is hungry for an even bigger bite of the cherry. But how big a bite will the corporate kingdom allow? In Fuso parlance it’s known as the ‘Black Panther’ project. A comprehensive corporate initiative based in Japan, designed to put more class, more comfort, more corporate componentry and, significantly, more safety into Fuso’s heavy-duty arsenal. But seriously, hauling down the Hume from Albury to Melbourne on a bright and balmy day, this particular ‘panther’ looked more like a speckled rooster on ‘roids. Seriously, if you were on the road that day and missed it, you definitely need a labrador. Whatever, if the aim of the marketing minds behind the mottled montage was to attract attention and announce that this was no ordinary Fuso on the fly, then they certainly succeeded. It was, indeed, a Fuso with a difference and as senior manager of product management and engineering Romesh Rodrigo was quick to point out, the FV 6x4 demonstrator with the gregarious graphics is one of several early evaluation units being trialled before a major heavy-duty product push later this year; a push that will see the flagship FV joined by its equally updated FP single-drive and FS eight-wheeler siblings. Yet long before the speckled rooster ever hatched here, ‘Black Panther’ was a comprehensive work-in-progress for Japanese designers and engineers. In fact, first details came to our attention in late 2017 when, on Fuso’s Kitsuregawa proving ground about 150km north of Tokyo, an early development unit was rolled out for a quick once-over and a few laps around the facility’s test track. Time was short, but long enough to learn that Fuso was in the final throes of a project to not only substantially improve external and internal features of the heavy-duty model Japan ambitiously calls ‘Super Great’, but also introduce at least a portion of Daimler’s latest powertrain hardware and, importantly, a full suite of advanced safety systems. The truck at Kitsuregawa, for instance, was equipped with Fuso’s version of the same 10.7-litre Daimler family engine known as the OM470, which also powers current Mercedes-Benz 2643 and 2646 models (430 and 455hp (321 and 339kW) respectively), stirring through the corporation’s widely-used 12-speed overdrive automated transmission. Likewise, the presence of several Mercedes-Benz models in various parts of the sprawling Kitsuregawa compound certainly didn’t escape anyone’s attention. Nor was the Benz influence inside the extensively refashioned Fuso cab difficult to spot. Still, and despite the fact this notably greater ‘Super Great’ was already available to Japanese buyers, questions about when its FV equivalent would become available in Australia, and just how far Fuso would be able (allowed) to go with the integration of a wider range of Daimler engines and drivetrains, went largely unanswered. But now, after a stint driving the revamped FV between Albury (NSW) and Daimler Trucks headquarters at Mulgrave in Melbourne’s south-east, the new Fuso heavies have hit the Australian market – using the name Shogun. Interestingly, they’ll arrive not long before corporate colleague Freightliner introduces its much anticipated Cascadia conventional, pointing to an exciting and particularly busy time for Daimler Trucks Australia in the back half of this year. What remains less apparent is how far Daimler is willing to go with the introduction of other ‘family engines’ in Fuso’s heavy-duty models. Like, will the rejuvenated FV be granted the grunt to break the 500hp (373kW) barrier with the addition of, say, the 12.8-litre OM471 engine that powers Benz’s 2651 and 2653 models? ‘No’ is the likely answer. Why? Well, one reason is that Japan has next to no need for a 500hp truck, meaning the economic viability of engineering the 12.8-litre engine into Fuso’s flagship for relatively small volume markets such as Australia and New Zealand is not especially attractive. The bigger reason, however, is probably found in the closely guarded corporate rationale which strives to keep brands from the same stable going head-to-head in commercial contest. And Daimler certainly isn’t alone in this line of thinking. For example, just as Volvo Group keeps corporate colleague UD in the sub-500 category to minimise a familial fracas with the popular Volvo FM model, so does it seem more than a tad likely that Daimler will keep Fuso’s heavy-duty range hobbled to specific market segments where opportunities for a competitive clash with the Benz breed are kept to an absolute minimum. Put simply, neither Volvo nor Daimler are big on the idea of turning their Japanese offshoots into budget-priced alternatives to their leading heavy-duty brands. So don’t hold your breath waiting for 500hp or more to appear in this new generation Fuso. It’s a fair bet it simply won’t happen, now or anytime in the foreseeable future, despite the fact the reborn FV will come with a gross combination mass (GCM) rating of 63 tonnes, making it applicable for B-double duties (For its part, Fuso says the 13-litre engine is still under active consideration – Ed). That said, though, the move to bring Fuso further into Daimler’s corporate mould with the introduction of the OM470 engine at outputs of 455 and 430hp, coupled to the DT12 automated overdrive transmission, all tucked under a significantly upgraded cab, will do the Japanese brand’s heavy-duty hopes no harm. No harm at all. In fact, Fuso’s heavy-duty opportunities in metro and shorthaul regional roles will be arguably greater than they’ve ever been once the revitalised FP single-drive, FS eight-wheeler and an FV six-wheeler available in both rigid and prime mover form hit the market. ROOSTER ON THE RUN Even with the cab’s colourful camouflage, it was easy enough to recognise the subtle but nonetheless notable changes to the external sheet metal. Structurally, the cab shell is largely unchanged but a redesigned grille and front panel at least provide a more modern appearance than the current crop of Fuso heavies; an appearance further enhanced by an entirely new group of LED headlamps. Importantly, especially for shorthaul distribution applications where drivers are constantly climbing in and out, the step entry level is markedly lower than current models. Most noticeable of all, however, were the mirrors. But don’t worry, this strange array of slim limbs dangling from the front corners high on the cab, coupled to mirror housings obviously ‘borrowed’ from the Mercedes-Benz catalogue, are not standard. They were, in fact, simply adapted for local trials of the new range, replacing the standard Japanese mirrors which arrived with the demo truck. Obviously, says Fuso’s Romesh Rodrigo, mirror mountings and housings entirely suited to local needs and conditions will be used on production models for Australia. Yet from a driver’s perspective, the most appreciable advances are on the inside and again, the family resemblance to the latest Mercedes-Benz models is apparent in many details. And that, of course, can only be a good thing given the extraordinary acceptance of the new Benz breed since its launch two years ago. Similarly, the switchgear, control layout and information systems, which we’ve applauded in numerous test drives of various Mercedes-Benz models over the past few years, particularly for their simpler logic and easier operation compared to European rivals, are entirely evident in the refreshed Fuso. The steering wheel, for instance, is straight from the ‘Book of Benz’, with easily understood control buttons for features such as the vehicle information system and cruise control mounted on the upper arms of the wheel. Also like its Benz brothers, the transmission and engine brake are controlled through a wand on the steering column while, on the other side of the column, there’s a similar wand for indicators, high beam and the like. But unlike its Benz brothers, the wands are on different sides due to the fact that Japan is a right-hand drive country and Europe, of course, is left-hand drive. Either way, the wands provide fingertip control. Somewhat strangely, though, the relatively large expanse between driver and passenger seats is a convoluted collection of cavities and storage bins with the park brake lever mounted where a gear lever would ordinarily sit. Easily reached, for sure, but had the lever been mounted on the dash fascia it would have perhaps opened up the space for more practical use. Anyway, just a personal thought. It is, however, a big stretch to call the area behind the seats a sleeper section even if it does comply with the questionable regulatory dimensions that define an ‘approved’ sleeper berth. Admittedly, the FV is primarily intended for metro and shorthaul regional work but with barely enough room for a half-decent dream, you’d need to be thin as a jockey, about the same height, and have feet the size of a fairy to consider the area anything more than an over-sized parcel shelf. Even so, the new interior layout is streets ahead of Fuso’s existing offering and from the driver’s seat, the only conclusion is that it’s simply a better place to work. As for performance and road manners, there’s not a lot to be gleaned from a few hours striding down the Victorian side of the Hume in a truck with just 6,000km on the clock hauling a gross weight near around 38 tonnes. Besides, with a drivetrain delivering 100 km/h at a thirsty 1,800 rpm, it was far from a typical highway spec. It was, however, a different story through the Melbourne ‘burbs, where the combination of a responsive 455hp engine backed up by 2,200Nm (1,622 lb ft) of torque, pushing into an overdrive transmission and relatively slow 4.625:1 rear axle ratio allowed the Fuso to accelerate freely, comfortably keeping pace with traffic flows and providing easy lift-off on hills. On the other hand, with the engine bawling high in the rev range for most of the run from Albury, it was perhaps predictable that fuel consumption would not be particularly great. Then again, maybe the day’s result of 2.2km/litre (6.2 miles/gallon) wasn’t too bad for a relatively new engine spending most of its day on a linehaul leg with a shorthaul spec. Whatever, it’s worth mentioning the revamped FV will also offer a taller 4.22:1 rear axle ratio, delivering 100 km/h at a more fuel-friendly 1,550 rpm or thereabouts. Meantime, built on a 3,810mm wheelbase and riding on Fuso’s own hefty six-rod mechanical rear suspension, highway road manners of the demo truck left a little to be desired. Normally, Japanese six-rod suspensions ride reasonably well but some sections of the Hume produced a somewhat choppy kick from the back-end while up front it actually felt like shock absorbers weren’t up to the task. Then again, as Fuso’s Romesh Rodrigo emphasised, the new Fusos are still being evaluated and tandem-drive production versions in both prime mover and rigid configurations will offer a Daimler eight-bag rear air suspension as well as the six-rod assembly. SAFER STANDARDS Whereas disc brakes are the norm on Mercedes-Benz models, Fuso is sticking with its existing wedge drum brakes on the new heavies. But the difference this time is that the brakes on the refashioned Fuso will operate on an EBS (electronic) platform rather than the existing pneumatic control system. What’s more, the electronic architecture of the new models allows Fuso to incorporate the same advanced safety systems as those fitted to Mercedes-Benz, including an electronic stability program, active emergency braking, lane departure warning system, active cruise control and a hill-hold function. Furthermore, Fuso’s version of the 10.7-litre engine uses a combination of selective catalytic reduction and exhaust gas recirculation technology along with a diesel particulate filter to meet Japan’s latest emissions requirement, which is said to be even more stringent than the Euro 6 standard. All up, this next generation of Fuso heavies appears to be a substantial and somewhat overdue evolutionary step for the Japanese brand in this country. While its light-duty Canter and medium-duty Fighter models continue to notch sizeable volumes, which keep the name high on Australia’s overall truck market, Fuso’s stake in the heavy sector has generally been modest and perhaps short of its true potential. Take the eight-wheeler market, for example. Fuso has offered an eight-wheeler with a loadsharing twin-steer for the best part of 20 years but, for whatever reason, has never come close to being a significant supplier of eight-wheelers. Market leader Isuzu, on the other hand, has made a motza in the eight-wheeler category since developing a loadsharing twin-steer some five or so years ago. Last year alone, Isuzu delivered almost 650 8x4s. By comparison, Fuso continued to fly under the radar on the delivery of just 73 eight-wheelers. Now, however, with the upcoming introduction of new single-drive, six-wheeler and eight-wheeler models sporting an advanced and lively Daimler engine coupled to a proven drivetrain, and equipped with an improved cab and comprehensive suite of top-shelf safety systems, there appears plenty of opportunity for Fuso to rack up a considerably stronger heavy-duty presence. Sure, the powertrain appears purposefully constrained to avoid a competitive clash with its Benz brothers but that said, the features presented in the early trial unit suggest Fuso’s heavy-duty future is potentially brighter than ever. Maybe the rooster will get to fly after all! .

Volvo Dual Clutch: a clutch of class Steve Brooks, Trade Trucks AU / June 26, 2019 If you think automated transmissions don’t come any smarter or smoother than Volvo’s super-slick I-shift, well, you’ll have to think again following the release of a new ‘Dual Clutch’ version. But are quicker, slicker shifts Volvo’s only motivation for adding the significant cost and complexity of dual-clutch technology? Volvo’s dual clutch system is clever technology. No question. Launched in Sweden in 2014, which suggests any bugs have been well and truly ironed out by now, it remains a world first for heavy-duty trucks. As Volvo declares, "Transmissions with dual clutches are used in cars, but Volvo Trucks is the first and only manufacturer in the world to offer a similar solution for series-produced heavy vehicles." Built on the remarkably, and deservedly, successful I-shift 12-speed transmission, the dual-clutch assembly makes Volvo’s supremely smooth and responsive automated shifter even smoother and more responsive. Some of the time! But how much smoother and how much more responsive? A little or a lot, the answer depends largely on where the truck is and what it’s doing. Like, there were numerous occasions on a recent drive of a 13-litre FH540 B-double outfit when it was difficult to determine if there was any practical difference between this dual clutch version and the standard I-shift gearbox I’ve come to know and admire over many years in many trucks. Not just Volvo trucks either, but in the same transmission’s other identities as the Mack mDrive or UD’s strangely titled Escot. Yet at other times during a busy stint that included hauling the 55-tonne combination up the formidable Toowoomba Range and down the unforgiving Cunningham’s Gap, the spontaneity of shifts through the dual clutch system was nothing short of outstanding. Put simply, in the fluctuating flows of suburban traffic, where any modern automated shifter will routinely deliver multiple skip-shifts as traffic teeters between stop, go, fast and slow, the dual-clutch system showed little, if any, advantage over a standard I-shift. Out in rolling country, though, and particularly where the grades came long and sharp both uphill and down, single-step shifts through the dual clutch system were breathtakingly quick and smooth. Sensationally seamless and, yes, appreciably more responsive than the standard I-shift. Volvo refers to these single-step swaps as ‘power shifting’ – meaning no interruption to power and torque delivery during gear changes – and overall performance of the dual clutch system was effectively just as the press blurb said it would be. Like, "When driving in conditions where it is optimal for the transmission to skip a few gears, the transmission changes gear just like a regular I-shift unit," Volvo’s press statement reads. Conversely, as Volvo Trucks vice-president Tony O’Connell says in the same statement, "I-shift dual clutch … delivers seamless gear changes and uninterrupted engine power to the road when accelerating and climbing or descending tough grades." And again, that’s just how it panned out on a run that started early on a weekday morning from Volvo’s Brisbane North dealership and ended 350km later at Volvo Group’s new headquarters at Wacol on the city’s western edge. Riding shotgun was Volvo Group fuel efficiency manager Matt Wood (yes, the same Woody I’ve shared many travels with in his former life as a truck scribe) who had the 13-litre FH540 perfectly prepared, hooked to a B-double trailer set mounted on wide profile single tyres. DEFINING THE DETAIL With just 1,600km on the clock, peak performance was probably still a few thousand kilometres away but that said, Volvo’s top 13-litre rating was typically lively and certainly not shy when required to dig deep. Even so, this was an exercise primarily designed to showcase the merits of the dual clutch system over a relatively short but demanding route, and ideally, how this form of transmission technology can aid the efficiency and performance of Volvo 13-litre models at 500 and 540hp (373 and 403kW) in either FM or FH forms. At this point it’s worth noting the dual clutch system is not available behind Volvo’s flagship 16-litre models. So what exactly is ‘Dual Clutch’ and how does it work? Its technical name is the SPO2812 transmission, meaning it’s a 12-speed box with input torque capacity of 2,800Nm. Most importantly, though, the ‘O’ signifies an overdrive gearbox whereas the standard I-shift behind the 13-litre engine in linehaul B-double applications is a direct-drive unit. As Volvo puts it, the broad ratio coverage of the overdrive shifter – from a first gear of 11.73:1 to a relatively tall 0.78:1 top slot – provides good lift-off capability and critically at the other end of the spread, fuel efficient engine revs at cruising speed. However, it needs to be also pointed out that this dual-clutch version of I-shift drove into a 3.4:1 rear axle ratio instead of the 3.09:1 final drive typically used behind the direct-drive box in 13-litre linehaul B-double combinations. That means the 13-litre dual clutch derivative uses the same gearbox and diff combination fitted in the vast majority of Volvo 16-litre B-double outfits. Consequently, as our test run revealed, engine speed at 100km/h with the dual-clutch overdrive box is around 1,400rpm. By comparison, the standard direct-drive version of I-shift running through the 3.09:1 diff ratio notches 100km/h at a twitch off 1,600rpm. Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that a prime goal for the dual clutch layout is to improve the fuel efficiency of 13-litre models in linehaul B-double roles. Anyway, as for the details and actual workings of the I-shift dual clutch system, Volvo says, "I-shift dual clutch can be described as two gearboxes with two clutches, integrated into one unit. "The two [dry type] clutches are connected to two different input shafts, operating independently of each other. Since the gearbox has 12 [forward] gears, one shaft holds the six odd numbered gears while the other holds the six even numbered gears. "During gear changing, the first gearbox is disconnected at the same instant as the second gearbox is connected, so gear changes take place without any interruption in power delivery." POWER SHIFTING! There is, however, a significant exception in ‘power shifting’ availability. It does not operate on the range-change between 6th and 7th gears, which, as most drivers will confirm, is where fast shift speed is generally most beneficial. What’s more, there are significant control components which operate the dual clutch arrangement and in addition to more mechanical parts, add substantially to I-shift’s complexity. As Volvo explains, "The clutches are controlled by the DCCA (Dual Concentric Clutch Actuator), which in turn is pneumatically controlled via the DCVU (Dual Clutch Valve Unit) while another device, the GCU (Gearbox Control Unit) controls gear changing." Predictably, with complexity comes cost but unlike complexity, cost isn’t so easily uncovered in the corporate context. In fact, Volvo’s official response when asked about the price premium for the dual clutch version of I-shift were a couple of rather lame lines about not speaking specifically about price and suggesting, "anyone interested in this unique offering … should contact their nearest Volvo dealer". Following that advice, it seems there’s some ‘wriggle room’ when it comes to price but nonetheless, the dual clutch system won’t come cheap at between $10,000 and $12,000 over the cost of a standard direct-drive I-shift in the 13-litre Volvo. For the driver, however, nothing much has changed in operational terms. There’s a shift lever integrated on the left side of the seat, which has no mechanical contact to the actual transmission, and selecting auto, manual or reverse modes is as easy as pushing the short stick forward or back, with buttons on the side of the lever for fingertip shifts up or down when required. There’s also a button for ‘Economy’ and ‘Performance’ modes, which give the driver the option of engine speeds tailored for fuel economy or, as Volvo states, "when extra engine power is needed". In reality, all ‘Performance’ mode does is increase the engine speed for upshifts made under full throttle. Used correctly, the ‘economy’ and ‘performance’ functions of I-shift can be beneficial but it’s no secret that ‘performance’ mode has become something of a bane for Volvo and some of its customers. There are drivers who simply over-use ‘Performance’ in the mistaken belief of extracting more muscle from the engine – particularly the 13-litre engine – when, in fact, all they’re doing is using more fuel to gain marginally higher engine speeds. In response, and obviously striving to improve fuel returns, Volvo some time ago introduced the option of dash-mounted transmission controls in place of the shift lever, a move which not only deleted ‘economy’ and ‘performance’ modes but also removed the ability to make manual shifts. It’s easy to understand why Volvo developed the lever-less option but in practice, it also negates many of I-shift’s inherent attributes. Fortunately, the ‘Dual Clutch’ test truck had the standard lever arrangement and as the exercise moved into the hard haul up Toowoomba Range before dropping down Cunningham’s, it was in manual mode that the dual clutch system showed its most impressive traits. Before then, of course, came the dawdle out of Brisbane’s northern ’burbs, where it was difficult to recognise the difference between a standard I-shift and its dual clutch counterpart. Sure, there were occasional moments, such as the drag over the Gateway Bridge, when an almost imperceptibly fast single shift suggested what was to come, but for the most part, the run west through morning traffic was just another quiet stroll in another smooth Swede. Likewise, the 13-litre engine was making relatively easy work of its 55-tonne gross weight, cantering comfortably in auto mode. Then again, the I-shift dual clutch transmission is rated to gross weights up to 80 tonnes, so if you’re out to showcase a transmission to its peak ability, why limit the combination to 55 tonnes instead of a B-double’s maximum of 62 tonnes and more? The answer, apparently, is that the majority of linehaul B-double combinations hauling general freight rarely run at peak B-double weights anyway. So, given that a multitude of Volvo 13-litre B-double combinations haul general, 55 tonnes is probably an accurate indicator of real world operation. FLASHBACK In fact, a quick stroll into the recent archives revealed that Volvo’s thinking on its 13-litre model’s preferred place in the B-double business hasn’t changed at all over the past five years or so. For instance, a road test on a 13-litre FH540 B-double in late 2013 – just months after the Australian launch of the new generation FH range – was run at a pinch over 55 tonnes, with Volvo even then making the point that it’s perhaps a typical gross weight for a B-double on general freight. What’s more, the trucks then and now were run over much the same route, except the dual clutch version had a longer stint in the ‘burbs than the previous combination. Either way, the similarities were remarkable except, of course, for the dual clutch system with its different drivetrain and the fact that the earlier outfit at least had a few thousand more kilometres under its belt. Like the previous test unit, the dual clutch Volvo was equipped with a swag of safety and efficiency features including the I-roll function, which under certain conditions puts the transmission into neutral, allowing the engine to coast at idle. The aim, of course, is to save fuel and in the undulations between Brisbane and the foot of the Toowoomba Range, I-roll certainly delivered many bouts of idle time … pardon the pun! On a number of occasions, however, there was a slight ‘bump’ as the transmission re-engaged when the foot went back on the ‘go’ pedal. It wasn’t severe but it was definitely noticeable, at least to this nut behind the wheel, and certainly the first time I can recall anything of this nature in I-shift. Anyway, through the village of Withcott as the range rears up, with ‘Woody’ asserting the benefits of engaging cruise control at 80km/h and leaving the transmission in auto for at least the first half of the climb, the dual clutch system was soon strutting its stuff. Suddenly, it was obvious what all the dual clutch hype was about, with ‘power shifts’ kicking in and each step down the box coming quicker and slicker than anything I’ve ever experienced in an automated box of any kind. Still, as Volvo had already explained, the only exception in power shifting was in the range-change swap from 7th back to 6th. But seriously, the difference was negligible; such is the responsiveness of I-shift generally. Halfway up and onto the saddle between the two climbs, experience determined a move to manual mode to hold the transmission in 6th gear and avoid an untimely and short-lived upshift before the tougher second stage of the ascent. Beyond the saddle and with revs slowly peeling off as the grade grew, a manual swap to 5th went through in another silky smooth instant. Meantime, with engine speed dropping no lower than 1,550rpm on the sharpest pinch, it wasn’t long before an upshift to 6th went through with similarly spectacular speed while near the top, a manual move across the range-change to 7th might have been marginally less instant, but was nonetheless effortless. From here on it was back to auto mode, through Toowoomba’s busy main artery and across the undulating tableland to the top of Cunningham’s Gap before a move down to 5th gear in manual mode for the drop over the lip. Here again, the dual clutch system was every bit as impressive as it had been hauling up the range, delivering spectacularly fast, smooth single shifts, working in concert with flicks through the various stages of engine retardation to provide a safe, effortless descent of an historically difficult and dangerous grade. It just doesn’t get any easier. Then on the run-off, a move back to auto and let I-shift just do its thing for the last leg to Volvo headquarters in Wacol. Simple! CONCLUSION As stated at the start, "Volvo’s dual clutch system is clever technology. No question." In fact, if Volvo’s only goal with the system is to deliver the fastest, smoothest automated gear shifting transmission in the heavy-duty truck business, it has unequivocally succeeded. There is, however, more to it than that and with the move to the same drivetrain – overdrive transmission and 3.4:1 final drive ratio – used in the great majority of its 16-litre B-double combinations, Volvo is obviously aiming to enhance fuel efficiency of its 540hp 13-litre outfit in linehaul B-double duties. Similarly, perhaps, the characteristics of the dual clutch version of I-shift have the potential to at least partially reduce stress on the 13-litre engine in B-double combinations. Still, if enhanced fuel efficiency is indeed a prime goal, does the dual clutch system achieve a gain worthy of the increased cost and complexity? Probably not! Back in late 2013, our FH540 test unit running the standard direct-drive I-shift through a 3.09:1 rear axle ratio, at much the same weight over much the same highly demanding route, returned a fuel figure of 1.72km/litre, or 4.85mpg. By comparison, the overdrive dual clutch unit in this exercise returned a fuel figure of 1.64km/litre (4.63mpg), but given the severity of the route, neither figure is unacceptable. Yet even though the dual clutch truck had a couple of thousand fewer kilometres on the clock and travelled through marginally more traffic, it’s difficult to substantiate any fuel gain with the dual clutch transmission. Most perplexing of all, though, is Volvo’s promotion of the dual clutch option when it has a perfectly good alternative to its 540hp 13-litre model for linehaul B-double work. That option is a 540hp version of its 16-litre engine, which already runs an overdrive I-shift and 3.4:1 rear axle but, for whatever reason, remains a largely understated option in Volvo’s model menu. From the outside looking in, the bigger cubes will almost certainly enhance long-term durability, and doing the job with considerably less stress than its smaller sibling, it’s entirely possible the 16-litre 540 will be better on fuel. Finally, any consideration of the dual clutch option for B-double work should perhaps start with the simple fact that Volvo’s I-shift is still as good as it gets; a supremely successful and immensely intuitive automated shifter which from the moment of its release set a new standard in transmission technology. As for the operational and economic value of ‘Dual Clutch’ … well, maybe it should be contemplated alongside a thought which jumped into the brain as the test truck ran up on a struggling, slower vehicle on the first long pinch up Toowoomba Range: If circumstance decreed a stop on such a severe grade, what would be the better addition to I-shift for a heavily loaded B-double – the dual clutch system or the crawler gear option released late last year? For me, it’d be the crawler gear. Every time! .

Warren Aitken, Owner-Driver / July 4, 2019 Do you want to know the best thing about Roger Preston’s 1976 R700 Mack? It’s the people; the family that now own it again and the man who restored it. Actually, if I’m really honest, the best thing about it is the standard of work that’s gone into the restoration – it’s absolutely top shelf. Nope, sorry, let me change my mind again. It’s not the people or the quality of work; it’s the fact that a 43-year-old truck can still have that ‘new truck’ smell. That is incredibly impressive. Oh who am I kidding; the best thing about Roger Preston’s R700 is the unforgettable sound of the air start – every truck fan knows it, every Mack fan yearns to hear it and on the day I shot this beauty I unashamedly got Roger to move the truck more often than I should have, not to ‘chase the light’ or ‘get a better angle’ as I told him. It was just to hear that Mack-nificant air start whistle. So yes, the best thing is definitely the air start. For the record though, the people, the quality of work and the smell all make the top five. Enough about the reassuring resonance released every time an old Mack starts up (sorry but it really does do it for me). Let’s move onto the people behind this immaculate rig – the man who has restored it to a condition that defies the truck’s 43 years of hard living, Glen Beutel, and the family who’s trucking empire was built on the back of this 375hp (280kW) Trojan of a workhorse: the Prestons. If starting at the very beginning was good enough for Mary Poppins, it’s good enough for me. Roger Preston is the man behind Sydney-Darwin Heavy Haulage, a company he started back in 1974 when he found being a ‘copper’ in the ’70s just wasn’t challenging enough. Before the police force relocated him to Sydney, Roger had been keeping the folks in Dubbo under control. He supplemented his income in those days by driving trucks for local companies after hours, even using his holidays to run to Darwin occasionally in an old Deutz (you may want to Google those, they do not look comfortable). This little dose of the trucking life was enough for Roger to put some serious research into starting his own company when the decision was made to leave the police force. One of the factors behind Roger’s success over the years, and the Preston family in general, is preparation. Roger investigated everything about the industry, running a truck, running a business, running from Sydney to Darwin, everything. So when he went to the bank for a loan to purchase a brand-new Mack truck and 36-foot Fruehauf trailer, they had no problems fronting him the money. Adventurous spirit In 1974, with a brand-new 237hp (177kW) R600, a toolbox full of canned food and a single trailer stacked with timber, Roger headed for Darwin. "After I’d been at it for about three weeks," Roger says, "I realised honestly I knew f#@& all! So, I had to learn, really quick." And he did. Crediting the likes of Ray and Dudley Miller of Sydney-Mt Isa Transport, and Harry Daniels in Sydney, for helping him with lots of answers to his questions, Roger dove head first into his trucking dreams. The arrival in 1976 of the 375hp R700, named ‘Spirit of Adventure II’, came about because of Roger’s inability to count. Now I’m not trying to get anyone into trouble as there were a lot of people in the ’70s that couldn’t count, especially when it came to addition and the adding up of weights that were going on their trailers. Roger’s poor addition skills meant the 10-speed ’box behind the 275hp (205kW) engine was about two gears short of getting Roger over the hills between Katherine and Darwin. Mack got involved and said they would build a truck that would get the job done for Roger – and so the R700 arrived. It was this truck that Roger credits as the foundation on which he built his trucking empire and that would eventually lead to his induction into the Transport Hall of Fame. More than that though, it was a symbol of the strength of his family. When school holidays rolled around the first one in the truck was always Roger’s son, Rod. "It’s a symbol of a lot of things for our family," Rod tells me, 43 years after he first joined his dad in a two-week journey to Darwin. "He was the best provider, the best dad. We never went without because he worked bloody hard!" Rod adds that it’s not just what Roger did in that truck, but it’s what he taught the kids. "He taught us all a good work ethic. That’s a Preston trait. We all know how to make a mile." It was those school holiday trips where Rod learned the ropes and earned his stripes. He learned everything from exhaust brakes to maxi brakes, rolling tarps to tying ropes on his trips in the R700. He also admits his dad took every opportunity to stitch him up as well. "He would say, ‘on this trip all the tyres down the left-hand side of the road train are yours, I’ll look after the right-hand side’. I thought that’s a fair deal, trouble was all the potholes and shit were on the left side." A hearty laugh comes from Roger as Rod recalls this tale. It wasn’t all grunt work though; Rod also learnt to drive in the R700. Though that tale also evokes another burst of laughter from all of us. While Rod had his fair share of moving the truck around the yard in Sydney it was the seven lane-wide sand track out of Cunnamulla where Roger finally let Rod scratch the driving itch and get some road-train experience. Not old enough to drink and hardly able to see over the dash Rod got his chance and after cleaning a few teeth he had the V8 purring. All went well until Rod cried out, "shit dad, here comes a police car what do I do?" In typical Roger fashion he instructed Rod to give him a big wave. He did, so did the cop, and Rod relaxed! The next trip up, however, Roger ran into the local at Wyandra where the cop politely asked if Roger had had any issues with his air-ride seat on his last run. "Christ you’ve got good eyes," Roger replied, "yeah, the valve shit itself and I couldn’t pump it up." The cop’s reply was a knowing "yeah, I thought something like that must have happened." Beer-fuelled plan There were countless stories like these that flowed freely as we discussed the era that formed the Preston legacy, everything from the rolling apple and inconsiderate cow that resulted in ‘The Spirit of Adventure II’ being rebuilt in 1978 after a rollover, to Roger’s ingenious four-axle flattop that eventually got ordered off the road for being well ahead of its time. There are the MasterChef concoctions that were created after all Roger’s tinned food had their labels worn off bouncing around in the toolbox, and the tour of the transport office in the Northern Territory to show Roger his photo in the 10 ‘most wanted’ list. The stories are endless and the one thing that binds them all is the R700. The truck was eventually released from its hard life and headed off for more adventures. Its whereabouts changed as often as its configuration. In 2009 the hunt for the old girl began after a few beers on a Friday night. A bit of a nostalgic night ended up with a plan to find the R700. Like all beer-fuelled plans they sound easier than they are and it was another three years before a lead finally panned out and the truck was located in Alpha, Queensland. Due to unforeseen circumstances it was another year before Roger and Rod made it up there to check out their old ‘Spirit of Adventure.’ As expected, plans went awry again. When the Prestons arrived they found it had been sold to a chap in Toowoomba. That chap was Glen Beutel. While originally disappointed, Rod quickly informs me, "it turned out for the better because Glen is the best restorer that I’ve ever seen". And so we introduce the main instigator in the resurrection of this stunning R700: Glen Beutel. Glen was bitten by the Bulldog passion at a very young age and thankfully never recovered. His dad had Macks, his brothers and uncles all had Macks. With his road train he drove his share as well. At a young age he applied for an apprentice role at Mack in Brisbane but missed out as they’d already filled their quota, so instead Glen opted for a carpentry apprenticeship. With a knack for, and an interest in, restoration Glen was always on the hunt for projects. His self-taught skills grew with every project he undertook. Starting with the rebuild of a genuine Flintstone Mack and working his way through to the restoration of an original Bicentennial Mack. It was this truck that began the rapid interest in Glen’s skills, and it wasn’t long before he was called on for more customer restorations. In fact, three Bicentennials later, including one for Mack Trucks itself, Glen was the go-to man for Mack restorations. His love of the bulldog breed translated into a meticulous job on every build, with an eye for detail and passion for perfection resulting in some outstanding builds. You now understand why Rod was pleased to hear the old family truck had been bought by Glen. Glen’s purchase of the R700 was a must for him, he’d always wanted to restore one but they’re harder to find than a straight banana. When he finally tracked one down, he confirmed that the build number and chassis was the same one that had rolled off the assembly line in 1976 and had been delivered to Roger Preston. Glen was sold, actually the truck was sold, but you get the point. It came to be that not long after Roger and Rod Preston found out they’d been beaten to the post at Alpha they received a phone call from Glen, introducing himself and informing them of his desire to restore their old truck. The Prestons were stoked to say the least and offered to assist Glen anyway they could as Roger still retained all the paperwork associated with the truck since its purchase. Build sheets, purchase orders, parts information, it was all there for Glen to borrow and use to make the restoration accurate. Bear in mind, this was a mammoth effort. In fact, the project took close to three years. The poor ‘Spirit of Adventure II’ was a bit more like ‘Epitaph of the Overworked’ when Glen bought it. The colour was gone, the sleeper was gone, the cab had more rust than walls in some parts. Even the trusty 866 375hp engine had been removed and replaced with a Cat motor. Sheer dedication To see the photos now you have to admire the enormity of what Glen was able to achieve. The big jobs included having to replace the big yellow engine with a rebuilt 866 that Rod had managed to track down. The cab was so far gone it had to be replaced, as well as a new sleeper sourced out of Windora. The R700 still had the two original front fuel tanks but Glen had to find the others. The original bull-bar, bonnet and dash were used so were the original chassis rails, gearbox and diffs. Glen had the truck repainted in Roger’s GMH Eden blue and had it all reupholstered as new. At Roger’s request the interior was repainted gloss just to make it easier to clean and aside from Glen’s personal touch of fitting a Pearl craft steering wheel the truck looks the same as the day Roger picked it up. Not to hammer on about the perfectionist touch in Glen’s work, because the dressed bolts right around speak for that, but I would like to point out a special interior feature of Roger’s R700. It was the first to come out with a vertical Mack stereo, a feature that Glen searched around the world to replace. That, my friends, is dedication to a task. When Glen finished the truck in early 2018, Roger and Rod came up for its unveiling. The result left Roger, a man with more stories than a tabloid newspaper, speechless. He was awestruck. It was a great privilege for me to be there when Rod brought his father up to Toowoomba again. This time more reluctantly, as Roger was there to drive the truck one last time and deliver it down south to the customer that had bought it from Glen. Little did he know that the customer was his son Rod! When Rod handed him the keys it was a true privilege to see the emotion that a 43 year-old 375hp truck can evoke from a man who’s seen and done nearly everything. The smile on Rod’s face as well as the fact that he finally got one over his old man was summed up with his comments when he passed the keys over: "Gotcha!" .

The city bus is a Scania.

Diesel News Australia / July 2019 It’s one of those jobs which can be back breaking, but a display Diesel News came across at the Brisbane Truck Show demonstrated changing brake rotors made easy. The demo model on show made it clear removing hubs and rotors can be made easy with a specialised piece of equipment anyone can use. In a world where workplace health and safety is becoming ever more important and in an industry where a labour shortage is driving further diversification in people working on the floor in workshops, equipment like this are going to become more and more in demand. This system both improves efficiency and also enables a person of any size to be able to handle a heavy task. The BrakeMate system uses an air over hydraulics system to remove the heavy, hard to shift, components from the vehicle. Those same hydraulics can then be used to separate hub and rotor. The equipment also includes a gadget for removing the calliper before removal. Using air over hydraulics, the system virtually eliminates the physical effort involved in an often difficult job. Workshops using the system already are reporting a time saving of 50 per cent as well as the reduced risk of injury and the fact any workshop technician can handle the task. Each stage of the process has been catered for with specific equipment included for each stage in the process, including swapping the discs out. The system is designed and manufactured in Melbourne. It is being manufactured and distributed by Tulip Corporation under license from the original inventor. .

Prime Mover Magazine / July 4, 2019 Volvo Trucks Australia this week confirmed it will introduce new functions to help drivers save fuel even when cruise control is not activated. The launch of an upgraded D13 Euro 5 engine, together with new software, enables fuel savings of up to 3 per cent the company announced. Recent hardware upgrades in Euro 6 Step D technology for the D13 engine by Volvo Trucks globally have been platformed to raise the standards of Euro 5 compliant engines. The process has yielded reductions in internal friction thanks to new cylinder liners and a new V-shaped oil scraper rings. The turbo efficiency has also been improved with the engine management system upgraded to a newer version with better computing capacity. Volvo Torque Assist, a new function added to reduce fuel consumption for long haul transit provides efficient driving during intervals when cruise control has been disabled. Fuel efficiency remained one of the most pressing issues in road transport according to Tony O’Connell Volvo Trucks Australia Vice President of Sales . “Because of this, we want to maximise fuel saving measures, especially when cruise control is not applicable," he said. "I-See, our topography predictive cruise control, is still the best method for optimising fuel use, but it is not always suitable for all specific traffic and weather conditions," said O'Connell. "With Volvo Torque Assist we can still support drivers in such situations." Volvo Torque Assist facilitates greater fuel-efficient driving by automatically adapting the truck’s torque and acceleration in accordance to road topography, the load hauled and speed changes. The function is only active when driving without using cruise control as a complement to I-See. Another supporting function keeps the amount of injected fuel constant after the engine’s ‘green range’ has been passed. Improved fuel economy offsets the slightly compromised performance. A less sensitive pedal, which has been recalibrated, creates a smoother torque development, which, in turn, makes the truck easier to control. “Drivers that are less skilled in economical driving will benefit more than those who already have that driving style,” said O’Connell. “The new software also gives a significant result with heavy loads, many slope changes or large speed variations, while drivers transporting lighter loads with constant speed on flat roads will save less fuel. Our extensive global field tests have actually seen examples of larger potential for fuel savings, than the 3 per cent.” .

Peterbilt Motors Co. Press Release / July 1, 2019 .

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I've been telling everyone to buy as many as you can, while you still can.

What I'd Do Differently: Lee Iacocca John Phillips, Car & Driver / December 10, 2013 Former president of Ford and former chairman of Chrysler, Lee Iacocca, 89, was the mastermind of his own car-company bailout and a hell of a pitchman. From the January 2014 Issue of Car and Driver C/D: What's in your garage these days? LI: Carroll Shelby used to tease me with, I have the first Shelby in my garage." I'd respond, "Well, I have the first Viper in my garage," and I still do. It's red, by the way. I also have a 1982 woody convertible K-car that I use to drive around locally. I have the very first of only 45 of the Iacocca Silver 45th Anniversary Edition Mustangs, called the Iacocca. It's the only car I ever put my name on. Of course, I always have the most current Town & Country minivan. Plus I've got a Jeep and the "Yellow Banana"—a cute 1954 Ford truck. C/D: Among carmakers these days, do you see one that is consistently getting it right? LI: Chrysler. It's made an amazing comeback under Fiat and the leadership of  Sergio Marchionne. The company is on a roll with both its car and truck lines. C/D: Who most influenced your life? LI :I have my mentors in business: Robert McNamara [a Ford "Whiz Kid" who became the company's first non-family president, then U.S. secretary of defense] and Charlie Beacham [former Ford marketing vice president]. They taught me advanced business principles, which I applied to my daily executive decisions. But the person who influenced my life most was my dad, Nicola Iacocca. He was the classic example of the way God gives some people more common sense and street smarts than others. I never knew the meaning of the word "impossible." It wasn't spoken in our home. C/D: Any thoughts on Chrysler's years under Daimler-Benz? LI: A disaster. That association should never have happened. C/D: And under Cerberus's control? LI: I met Bob Nardelli a couple of times and was always curious why a VC firm would be interested in owning a car company. C/D: In 1979, you asked the government to guarantee loans to Chrysler while you turned the company around. Did you take a lot of flak for that? LI: Congress hated the idea. It was a tough sell. But we used those guarantees for three years, paid back the entire loan package seven years early, and paid a quarter-billion dollars in profits to the lenders. C/D: What was your first thought when you heard that the Obama administration would bail out Chrysler and GM? LI: The economy was in trouble, and something had to be done. We couldn't afford to lose more jobs. Today, Chrysler's payments back to the government have been completed. C/D: In your book Where Have All the Leaders Gone? you asked, "Where the hell is our outrage?" Has this most recent administration assuaged or intensified your anger? LI: There is little leadership in Washington, even today. Look at Congress. What I said in my book stands up nearly eight years later. Outrage has not manifested to put new leadership in government. C/D: Do you have any more ventures up your sleeve? LI: I was involved in a few business ventures after I retired from Chrysler, but those days are over. After writing three books, I don't have plans to write any more. Philanthropy is now a big part of my life, with the Iacocca Foundation funding cutting-edge research to find a cure for diabetes. In 1984, I set up the foundation after my  wife, Mary, died from complications from diabetes. We search the country for new ideas, new research, and bright new researchers to work on finding a cure. We even further the cause by bestowing the Lee Iacocca Award at a number of classic-car shows every year. It honors the person behind the car for what they've done for the car enthusiast as well as their own personal philanthropy. C/D: Right now, what gives you the most pleasure in life? LI: My family. I have two daughters, and spending time with them, their husbands, and my eight grandchildren, I'm able to enjoy what families are about. Italian families are close. C/D: Anything you would have done differently? LI: I was raised to give back. I was born to immigrant parents and was fortunate to become successful at an early age. I've always felt a strong sense of national service to my country, and I may have been able to provide leadership in the political arena. My friend [and former speaker of the House] Tip O'Neill advised against it, and although I don't regret the decision not to enter politics, I just wonder sometimes if I could have changed anything. .

Lee Iacocca, Chrysler's Onetime Savior, Has Died at Age 94 John Pearley Huffman, Car & Driver / July 2, 2019 Whether it was a Mustang or a K-car, Lido Anthony Iacocca could, and did, sell it to America. Lee Iacocca was a salesman. He sold Fords, he sold Chryslers, he sold Chrysler Corporation, and he sold himself. He was the face of American capitalism who, in the great tradition of American capitalism, put the touch on the American government to keep his enterprise going. He was a celebrity CEO when CEOs weren't supposed to be celebrities. Lee Iacocca passed away today at age 94. "You can have brilliant ideas," he wrote in his best-selling Iacocca: An Autobiography, "but if you can't get them across, your brains won't get you anywhere." Lido Anthony Iacocca could most certainly get an idea across. He was born in 1924 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to Nicola Iacocca and his wife, the former Antoinette Perrotta. Allentown was a thriving steel town then, mostly Pennsylvania Dutch but the sort of place where Italian immigrants could find a community to support them and an opportunity to build a life. Nicola Iacocca found his niche running a hot-dog restaurant called the Orpheum Wiener House. "My father always drilled two things into me," Lee related in his autobiography: "Never get into a capital-intensive business, because the bankers will end up owning you. (I should have paid more attention to this particular piece of advice!) And when times are tough, be in the food business, because no matter how bad things get, people still have to eat. The Orpheum Wiener House stayed afloat all through the Great Depression." After graduating from Allentown High School, Iacocca earned a degree in industrial engineering from nearby Lehigh University and afterward was hired by Ford as an engineer. But instead of going to work for Ford right away, Iacocca won a Wallace Memorial Fellowship to study engineering at Princeton University for a year and earn a master's degree. So, it was off to New Jersey first. He finally went to work in Dearborn as a student engineer in August 1946. "The day I arrived, they had me designing a clutch spring," he wrote. "It had taken me an entire day to make a detailed drawing of it, and I said to myself: 'What on earth am I doing? Is this how I want to be spending the rest of my life?' " He wanted to get into sales. Starting in the Chester, Pennsylvania, regional sales office, Iacocca was soon a rising star at Ford. By 1949, he was a zone manager out of Wilkes-Barre, visiting dealers and learning the business at the retail level. "Learning the skills of salesmanship takes time and effort," he wrote in his autobiography. "You have to practice them over and over again until they become second nature." Ford had decided that it would sell the 1956 Fords using safety as a hook despite the fact that, at the time, customers couldn't have cared less about safety, and Ford was facing a sales disaster. That opened the door for Iacocca's first legendary sales push. Working out of Philadelphia, he conjured up the idea that any customer should be able to buy a new '56 Ford for 20 percent down and $56 a month for three years. His "56 for '56" was an instant success, and it got him noticed back at Ford's mother ship. Also in 1956, he married Mary McLeary, who had been a receptionist at the Ford plant in Chester. They'd have two daughters together before she passed away from complications of diabetes in 1983. He would have two subsequent marriages that didn't stick. Ford pushed the "56 for '56" campaign nationally, and by 1960 Iacocca had been named vice president and general manager of the Ford Division. Soon after that, his product instincts kicked in with vehicles like the original Mustang—a rebodied Falcon with sex appeal. He had an almost unerring sense of what would sell and how to sell it. By 1967 he was an executive vice president and conjuring up vehicles such as the 1969 Lincoln Continental Mark III. "One night I was in Canada for a meeting," Iacocca wrote about the Mark III's creation. "I was lying in bed and unable to sleep. Suddenly I had an idea. I put through a call to Gene Bordinat, our chief stylist. 'I want to put a Rolls-Royce grille on the front of a Thunderbird.' " It worked so well that, at the tail end of 1970, Iacocca succeeded the miscast Bunkie Knudsen as president of the Ford Motor Company. Ford, however, was a family company. And at the top was the chairman of the board, Henry Ford II, the Deuce, with an ego and personality that were maybe larger than even Iacocca's. A clash between them was almost inevitable. After reviving the Mustang with the Pinto-based 1974 Mustang II, pioneering a vast new market with the blatant Mercedes ripoff that was the 1975 Granada, and launching the successful front-drive Fiesta in Europe, Iacocca's star was a burning a bit too bright for the Deuce's taste. Maybe it was Iacocca's plan to counter the competitive threat of GM's imminent X-cars with a new front-drive car built around a Honda-made engine and transmission. Maybe it was the clash over financing and developing Detroit's Renaissance Center. Or it could have been the disaster that came from recalling more than a million Pintos in June 1978 because of vulnerable fuel tanks that could explode in a collision. But something was the final straw for the Deuce. On July 13, 1978, he fired Lee Iacocca. The firing was well documented and ugly, and it's now legendary. But Iacocca was still only 54 years old. And his second act would be staggering. It's hard to overstate what a basket case Chrysler Corporation had become by the late 1970s. "Chrysler Corporation's 1978 annual report reads like a threnody," reported the New York Times in 1979. “The company's share of the total United States auto market was down again, it lost $204.6 million after a $163.2 million profit the year before, earnings per share were down, and the cash dividend was cut. In retrospect, however, that shapes up as the good news—at least in comparison with Chrysler's woeful performance during the first six months of 1979, in which it has lost almost $260 million." Chrysler was adrift and taking on water, and Lee Iacocca needed a job. He joined the company as president, pretty much on terms he set, in September 1979. On January 1, 1980, he became CEO and chairman of the board. Chrysler, at that time, couldn't seem to do anything right. It was still reeling from the introduction of the 1976 Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare twins, cars that were ordinary but nevertheless plagued by awful quality and a seemingly endless series of recalls. The front-drive Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon were running VW powertrains, and Consumer Reports was hammering them with an accusation of dangerous handling. The rest of the products were archaic and easily ignored by buyers. Beyond that, warranty costs were astronomical. Even NASCAR's Richard Petty had stopped driving Chrysler products. "Chrysler in 1978 was like Italy in the 1860s," Iacocca wrote. "The company was a cluster of little duchies, each one run by a prima donna." But an even bigger problem loomed: The company was running out of cash, and there wasn't an obvious way to get enough to keep the company solvent. Iacocca could bring the managerial and financial discipline Chrysler needed. He recruited solid managers, among them Gerald Greenwald, to fortify those decisions and build some quality back into the products. But to get the cash needed for the turnaround, Iacocca needed to do the greatest sales job of his life. Borrowing from banks was nearly impossible. The banks needed a guarantee that their money would be recoverable. After exhausting the alternatives, what was left was asking the United States government for help—in the form of guaranteeing more than $1 billion in loans. It was while he cajoled, arm-twisted, and seduced Congress to get those loan guarantees that Iacocca went from being a relatively obscure executive to the face of American capitalism. After all, he had to convince the government that Chrysler was worth saving, that it could be saved, and most of all, that he was the right man to lead it back. Playing to his strengths, Iacocca started his lobbying dazzle with an ethnic appeal. "Almost all 28 members of the informal Italian-American Congressional caucus turned out last Thursday morning for a coffee-and-doughnuts breakfast organized by Representative Frank Annunzio, Democrat of Illinois, and Representative Peter W. Rodino Jr., Democrat of New Jersey," the New York Times reported in December 1979. "The guest of honor was Lee A. Iacocca, chairman of the Chrysler Corporation and Mr. Rodino's old friend. The purpose: to rally support for legislation to provide federal loan guarantees to keep the nation’s third-largest auto company in business." More challenging was getting the public's support. Suddenly Iacocca was everywhere, showing up on news shows to plead his legislative case and becoming the public face of Chrysler ads to move the metal. Iacocca was great on camera. Even before Chrysler could shove new product onto the market, there was Iacocca delivering sharply written, clipped sound bites touting confidence, value, and the sheer American-ness of buying a new Chrysler, Dodge, or Plymouth. "If you can find a better car," Iacocca’s signature tag line went, "buy it." Almost through the sheer strength of Iacocca’s will, along with the promise that the upcoming new K-cars would be world-beaters, enrolling the Congress to save Chrysler was straightforward. After some concessions to labor unions and imposed reforms, Chrysler got its guaranteed money. And by the skin of its corporate teeth, it survived to launch those square-cut front-drivers in late 1980. While the 1981 Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant could hardly have been more plain and uninteresting, Iacocca’s crew was soon slicing, dicing, and redecorating them into dozens of variations. During the 1981 model year, the plain Ks accounted for nearly 36 percent of Chrysler’s total car sales. In '82, tweaked to include the slightly more luxurious Dodge 400 and Chrysler LeBaron, the K derivatives made up 48 percent of sales. There was even a convertible LeBaron offered for the '82 model year. Chrysler was selling so many variations on the K-car that it effectively constituted its entire car lineup in the mid-1980s except for the marginal Omni and Horizon L-cars and the ancient rear-drive M-cars that were sold largely into police fleets. Iacocca knew how to make the K-car pay. But the greatest K-car derivative of the all was the T115 minivan, sold as the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager upon its introduction in 1984. It literally revolutionized family transportation in North America, and Chrysler returned to profitability. In fact, Chrysler turned a $10 million profit in October 1980, just after Iacocca completed his first year as company leader. Iacocca wasn't just an automotive icon by the mid-Eighties but a big presence in the culture at large. Some urged him to run for president of the United States, Johnny Carson cracked jokes about him on the Tonight Show, and he did a guest cameo on Miami Vice as "Parks Commissioner Lido." His 1984 autobiography, co-written with William Novak, was an instant best-seller and so popular that it was the New York Times's best-selling nonfiction hardcover book in both 1984 and 1985 and sold almost 2.6 million copies before being issued in paperback. In a sense, he elevated the role of corporate CEO into that of celebrity. Iacocca's revival of Chrysler was complete when the company repaid its guaranteed loans in 1985—five years early. From there, Iacocca's Chrysler would acquire AMC and its valuable Jeep brand in 1987 and occasionally pursue quixotic ideas like the misbegotten Chrysler TC by Maserati. For a while, Chrysler even owned Lamborghini. Lee Iacocca retired from Chrysler in 1992 and would go on to lead other projects like the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. He even teamed up with Kirk Kerkorian in 1995 to take a run at once again controlling Chrysler (it didn't work). He was a part of automotive culture, but he was more than that: Lee Iacocca transcended his industry to become an American icon. "I was raised to give back," he told C/D’s John Phillips in 2013. "I was born to immigrant parents and was fortunate to become successful at an early age. I've always felt a strong sense of national service to my country, and I may have been able to provide leadership in the political arena. My friend [and former Speaker of the House] Tip O'Neill advised against it, and although I don't regret the decision not to enter politics, I just wonder sometimes if I could have changed anything." He changed plenty. . .

"If we're in a political environment where the American flag has become controversial to Americans, I think we've got a problem." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky)

A great man, wonderful human being and Allentown, Pennsylvania native has gone to heaven.

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https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/31209-when-the-dodge-boys-sold-trucks-down-under/

David Phillips, Automotive News / July 2, 2019 Lee Iacocca, the mastermind behind the Ford Mustang and the straight-talking captain of Chrysler’s historic U.S. rescue and 1980s turnaround that brought him acclaim as America’s most famous CEO and car salesman, died on Tuesday at home in Bel Air, Calif., a neighborhood in western Los Angeles. He was 94. The death was reported by The Washington Post, which cited Iacocca's family. The cause was complications from Parkinson’s disease. Iacocca, a natural huckster and tireless competitor with Italian roots and a penchant for cigars, vinyl car roofs and Greek-temple grilles, defined the role of the imperial American executive -- first as president of Ford Motor Co., then as chairman and CEO of Chrysler -- for much of the last quarter of the 20th century. With a sometimes brash, no-nonsense style and fiery tongue, he was the towering public face, corporate pitchman and voice for the American auto industry’s triumphs and challenges. “I think America is getting an inferiority complex about Japan,” Iacocca lamented before a group of Chrysler executives in one late 1980s TV commercial. “Everything from Japan is perfect. Everything from America is lousy ... now that’s got to stop.” Doug Fraser, the late UAW president and Chrysler director, once pegged Iacocca “a hip shooter deluxe.” Newsweek, in a 1963 profile, said he could be as “direct as the thrust of a piston.” Playboy called him "a businessman of the old school, a guy who smells the territory and goes with his gut." Fierce competitor In the early 1980s, with the U.S. auto industry on its heels amid soaring gasoline prices, inflation and rising Japanese imports, Iacocca’s optimism and fierce competitive spirit helped revive Chrysler and renew Detroit’s fortunes. “The most amazing thing about the guy is that he just never gives up,” the late Ben Bidwell, a longtime Ford executive and later Chrysler vice chairman, once said of Iacocca. “Every day he gets up and every day he attacks. You get discouraged yourself. But he just never, never, never gives up on the company, on its products, on whatever.” Iacocca was hailed as “Detroit’s comeback kid” in a March 1983 cover story in Time. Two years later, when asked to name the person they most admired for a 1985 Gallup Poll, Americans ranked Iacocca third -- behind President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II. The next year, Iacocca placed second in the survey, behind Reagan and ahead of the pope. At the end of his storied automotive career, spanning the late 1940s to the early 1990s, Iacocca admitted what many colleagues had already discovered: He was better at managing and leading during turbulent times than good. “I’m built that way,” Iacocca told the Associated Press in December 1992, the month he retired from Chrysler. “Some guys fight better with real ammunition … on maneuvers they goof off. My adrenaline flows when you’re really in the trenches and things are tough.” Risky gamble on pony car Iacocca’s keen product planning skills were behind Ford’s risky gamble, soon after the Edsel flop, to bring the Mustang to market in 1964. The first so-called pony car, with its low price and sleek styling, was an instant sensation and gave a new generation of young Americans another reason to fall in love with Detroit metal. With just $45 million to develop and build -- what he called "an unheard of low amount at the time to design and push a new car line through to production" -- the overnight success of the Mustang put Iacocca on the fast track at Ford. “Few people understood the sizzle that existed between the car and a driver better than Lee Iacocca,” historian and author Douglas Brinkley observed in his 2003 book, Wheels for the World: Henry Ford, His Company, and a Century of Progress. Iacocca’s second home run, the minivan, was an innovative people hauler that spawned a new segment in the 1980s, became one of the most profitable consumer products ever created, inspired a raft of copycats and helped Chrysler reap billions of dollars in sales for decades. The design was inspired by a former colleague at Ford, Hal Sperlich. “He could sell you anything and back it up with his sales talk, logic and facts,” the late William Clay Ford Sr., grandson of Ford founder Henry Ford and a longtime Ford executive and director, once said of Iacocca. “He is an extraordinary salesman, an extraordinary talent.” The Chrysler years Chrysler was hemorrhaging cash and careening toward bankruptcy when Chrysler Chairman and CEO John Riccardo hired Iacocca to become president and COO of the company on Nov. 2, 1978. The same day, Chrysler reported nearly $160 million in third-quarter losses -- a staggering pile of red ink for an automaker and a company record at the time. While he had just been fired months earlier as president of Ford Motor Co. by Henry Ford II, in one of the Motor City’s most acrimonious splits, Iacocca was quickly embraced as Chrysler’s savior. “It’s a coup, and a good one, and we thank Henry Ford II for it,” a dealer told Automotive News the week Iacocca joined Chrysler. Less than a year later, Riccardo, exhausted by efforts to secure a government bailout, abruptly retired and Iacocca became chairman and CEO of Chrysler on Sept. 20, 1979. In a 1992 interview with Automotive News, Iacocca said the situation when he arrived at Chrysler was far worse than he had expected. “I knew it was bad, but I didn’t know that bad,” he said at the time. “What I didn’t know was how rotten the system was. How bad purchasing was. How many guys were on the take. How rotten it was to the core. That stunned me.” U.S. loan guarantees With Chrysler’s financial woes mounting and bankruptcy looming, Iacocca successfully lobbied President Jimmy Carter and Congress in late 1979 and early 1980 to obtain a $1.5 billion loan guarantee from the federal government. In return, Chrysler came up with $2 billion in cost reductions. The controversial rescue backed by the federal government was unprecedented for the auto industry and American business at the time. Iacocca worked tirelessly to secure it. He enlisted Chrysler dealers from around the country to lobby their local representatives. “We set up a war room and had every [congressional] district in the 50 states covered,” Iacocca recalled in 2006. “We got the leading dealer in each district” to organize the effort. To secure the loan guarantee, the company needed to raise $1.4 billion. Iacocca oversaw a series of drastic cost-saving measures -- “equality of sacrifice,” he called it. On Oct. 25, 1979, Chrysler and the UAW reached a tentative contract agreement that gave the union a seat on the company’s board of directors. In return, Chrysler was granted $203 million in concessions by the union. Altogether, nonunion Chrysler employees swallowed $125 million in pay cuts; suppliers and dealers threw in $180 million; states and cities with Chrysler plants chipped in $250 million and the UAW accepted $462.2 million in concessions. Iacocca, setting an early example of sacrifice, had reduced his salary to $1 a year. Pitchman supreme Over time Iacocca gutted Chrysler’s senior management team, recruited former Ford colleagues and hired a few star outsiders to remake the company. He scuttled the company’s archaic sales bank that saddled dealers with unwanted inventory and instituted dealer and consumer rebates. Iacocca’s first commercial plug for Chrysler came in a 1979 print ad. It featured Iacocca’s signature below a 1,052-word statement in which he presented the company's sweeping case for federal loan guarantees. His commercial TV debut came later that year in an appearance at the end of conventional spots that pitched models such as the Plymouth Horizon. “I'm not asking you to buy any car on faith,” he said. “I'm asking you to compare.” After Chrysler secured the loan guarantees, Iacocca moved into a starring role in the company’s marketing. America had given Chrysler some “breathing space,” he bellowed in one commercial, adding: “Now watch us go.” The introduction of the front-wheel-drive, four-cylinder K cars in 1980 fueled the automaker’s rebound, eventually generating billions in revenue and profits. Iacocca had first tried to market such cars in the 1970s while at Ford. It was a high-stakes gamble. Iacocca played a minor role in the development of the K cars but he was charged with making sure they were a success. “At Chrysler, the K-car was the last train in the station,” Iacocca wrote in his 1984 autobiography, Iacocca: An Autobiography. “If we failed here, it was all over.” He took to the airwaves again in 1981 to tout the K cars’ fuel economy, value and roominess. After a slow start, the company sold more than a million Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant cars in the first few years -- enough to generate cash to develop other models. Chrysler repaid its loans in August 1983 -- seven years ahead of schedule -- in a feat celebrated by Iacocca at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York. A year later, Iacocca was behind the lectern again to introduce a radical vehicle that would define the company for decades. The minivan In the early 1970s, Sperlich, then a vice president at Ford, proposed the minivan, but was spurned by Ford CEO Henry Ford II. After Sperlich left for Chrysler in 1977, soon to be followed by Iacocca, the idea for a minivan finally took off. Iacocca, recognizing the American family’s need for fuel economy, roominess, comfort and function at a modest price, had long believed the minivan would be a success. “You can say what you want about Iacocca, but he has very good marketing instincts, and he could see the potential for this kind of vehicle,” Sperlich said in a 1999 interview with Automotive News. “We had done extensive market research and found out there were people who liked it from all walks of the automobile kingdom.” Advanced engineering on the minivan started the week Iacocca joined Chrysler, Sperlich said. The success of the Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan minivans was built on the earlier triumph of the K-car platform with fwd and a four-cylinder engine. The vehicles were fuel efficient and big enough to seat six people. Iacocca was convinced there was a market for such a van with a low step-in height and what he called “garageability.” The Voyager and Caravan, introduced in 1984, became two of the hottest new products of the 1980s. Household name By the mid-1980s, Iacocca was a household name, appearing regularly in commercials to tout Chrysler’s lineup, often taking shots at Japanese rivals and daring U.S. consumers to buy a rival car if they could land a better deal. With the 1982 Chrysler LeBaron, Iacocca hatched what became a signature pitch: “If you can find a better car, buy it.” In another 1982 ad, Iacocca argued that if everyone drove a fuel-efficient K car, “we wouldn’t have to import a single drop of OPEC oil for gasoline.” Iacocca’s 30-second spots reached 97 percent of American households an average of 63 times apiece, Time magazine reported in 1985. He was lampooned by comedian Phil Hartman on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and became a frequent cartoon subject in comic strips and the editorial pages of the nation’s newspapers. People magazine anointed him the new Italian Stallion -- a sex symbol for the Corporate Age. His name was tossed around as a possible presidential candidate. At one point, Iacocca tried to dampen the speculation by suggesting noted sex counselor Dr. Ruth Westheimer would be an ideal running mate. “We’d make a terrific ticket,” Iacocca quipped in 1987. “I’d tell them what to do and she’d tell them how to do it.” He turned down an appointment to a U.S. Senate seat for Pennsylvania and was courted to become Major League Baseball commissioner by George Steinbrenner, the late owner of the New York Yankees. Best-selling author President Reagan in 1982 appointed Iacocca head of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation created to help raise funds for the renovation and restoration of the landmark statue in New York Harbor. Iacocca: An Autobiography, lived on The New York Times bestseller list for 88 weeks. The book was an overnight sensation and proved popular in all social strata and in all regions of the country. Sales topped 200,000 copies per month in Japan and it became a must-read among “the Saudi technocratic elite,” Time magazine said. In its review of the book, The Wall Street Journal called Iacocca the “Motor City’s most famous motor mouth.” Iacocca would write two more books: Talking Straight in 1988, and 2007’s Where Have All the Leaders Gone?, in which he railed against excessive executive compensation, political gridlock in Washington, the competitiveness of the Detroit 3, why America couldn’t build a competitive hybrid and other hot topics of the day. Spending spree With Chrysler on the mend -- it posted record profits of $2.38 billion in 1984 and $1.64 billion in 1985 -- Iacocca hatched plans to build a modern technology center 30 miles north of Detroit, in Auburn Hills. The $1 billion project opened in 1991. Chrysler also went on a spending spree, snapping up Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., FinanceAmerica, Electrospace Systems, Lamborghini and a major prize, American Motors -- including AMC’s profitable Jeep brand -- for a combined $2 billion. Iacocca aimed to diversify Chrysler’s revenue sources and help shield the company from future economic downturns. But the acquisitions raised the automaker’s breakeven point and, combined with several poor product calls, produced another period of losses for Chrysler. With the company back on the ropes, Iacocca was forced to sell assets to raise cash and focus on Chrysler’s core automotive operations. In a 1995 speech, Chrysler President Bob Lutz said Chrysler’s crisis in the late 1980s was almost as dire as the one that required Iacocca to secure the government-backed loans a decade earlier. “We had sort of put our product development on autopilot, which resulted, as you know, in a string of bland, look-alike cars and trucks,” Lutz said. Bashing Japan Fresh models such as the compact Neon, revamped minivans, a redesigned Ram pickup and the new Jeep Grand Cherokee helped right Chrysler once more and the profits started flowing again in the early 1990s. Still, Detroit automakers continued to battle Japanese automakers and lose U.S. market share, and Iacocca never passed up a chance to champion Detroit’s cause. He was particularly vocal in a speech after returning from a historic trade mission to Japan with President George H. W. Bush and U.S. business leaders in January 1992. “I for one am fed up hearing from the Japanese, and I might say some Americans, too, that all our problems in this industry, all our problems, are our own damn fault,” a vitriolic Iacocca told the Detroit Economic Club. “We do not have idiots running General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, or our suppliers. And our workers are not lazy and stupid.” Time to go A few months later, with Iacocca’s reign at Chrysler winding down -- he had turned 65 in 1989 -- he faced mounting pressure from some company directors to identify a successor. Iacocca stayed on longer than Chrysler’s traditional retirement date to, as he put it, finish the job when the company’s fortunes soured again in the late 1980s. Chrysler had begun to lose top executives such as Gerald Greenwald and Steve Miller when directors realized Iacocca had no plans to step down. The board, worried about Wall Street’s growing concern with Chrysler’s succession plans, began to realize that Iacocca really didn’t want to retire, Newsweek reported in March 1992. After considering insiders and outsiders, including Roger Penske, Iacocca personally chose veteran GM executive Robert Eaton to succeed him, a selection Iacocca later regretted in his 2007 book on leadership. Iacocca retired as chairman and CEO of Chrysler at the end of 1992 at age 68. In typical Iacocca fashion, his retirement became an extravagant road show -- a monthslong affair, with farewell parties in Washington, Las Vegas, Paris, New York, Detroit and Palm Springs, Calif. The guests in Vegas at the University of Nevada arena included former U.S. House Speaker Tip O’Neill and entertainers Frank Sinatra, Vic Damone and Wayne Newton. For a farewell dinner at the Greenbrier resort in West Virginia, gold-lame napkins were flown in from Illinois. Guests received a crystal paperweight in the shape of the Chrysler pentastar and engraved with Iacocca’s autograph. In one of his last TV spots as chairman, Iacocca introduced Americans to another new styling concept -- what Chrysler called “cab forward,” in which the wheels of a car are pushed out to the corners of the vehicle and the cabin is expanded. It was featured prominently on a new generation of large sedans: the Chrysler Concorde, Dodge Intrepid and Eagle Vision. “Well, it’s here. ... It’s time for me to step down and retire as chairman of Chrysler … ” Iacocca boasted in the ad. “You know, I’ll tell you, when it’s your last turn at bat, it sure is nice to hit a home run.” Italian roots Lido Anthony Iacocca was born on Oct. 15, 1924, in Allentown, Pa. His parents were Italian immigrants who helped operate a hot dog restaurant, Yocco’s Hot Dogs. Iacocca’s father, Nicola, made and lost a fortune more than once while starting a car rental agency and investing in real estate, a movie house and fast-food restaurants. In school, Iacocca was popular and smart, but could also be brash and quick-tongued. In third grade, he walked onto the stage in a play in the lead role as king while chewing stick gum that a girl had handed to him offstage. He received a lowered grade on a report card as a result of the incident and was punished severely by his father. In 10th grade, Iacocca contracted rheumatic fever and was forced to give up sports and instead embraced reading and joined the debate team. He graduated from Allentown High School in 1942 and went on to graduate from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., with a degree in industrial engineering in 1945. He earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Princeton University in 1946 and joined Ford as an engineering trainee that same year. Iacocca lasted only nine months as an engineer; he became disenchanted during Ford’s tough “Rouge Loop Course,” in which trainees learn the basics of car manufacturing. He was assigned a job as an automatic transmission engineer but turned it down. “I learned at Princeton that pure research did not fascinate me,” he told Time magazine in 1964. He left engineering and began his career in sales and marketing at Ford’s Chester, Pa., district sales office. “I was eager to be where the real action was -- marketing or sales,” Iacocca wrote in his autobiography. “I liked working with people more than machines.” He became a Ford zone manager in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., in 1949. Iacocca met his first wife, Mary, then a receptionist at Ford’s Philadelphia office, in 1948. They married in 1956 and had two daughters, Kathryn and Lia. Mary died of diabetes in 1983. Iacocca would marry two more times. He wed publicist Peggy Johnson in 1986, but the couple divorced eight months later. Johnson died in 2000 of a heart attack. Restaurateur Darrien Earle became Iacocca’s third wife in 1991. The couple divorced in 1995. Young Turk at Ford Iacocca began his meteoric rise to the top of Ford in 1956 when he introduced the “56 for ’56” campaign. With a 20 percent down payment, customers could purchase a 1956 model Ford for $56 per month for three years. The marketing concept was a success, and by 1960 Iacocca was elected a vice president and chosen general manager of the Ford Division. He was just 36 at the time and the youngest person ever to oversee the giant Ford Division. Only Henry Ford II, it was often said, advanced faster through the ranks at Ford. Iacocca later described his years heading the Ford Division as one of the happiest periods of his career. He was eager to develop a sporty, moderately priced vehicle to tap into the youth-oriented culture that was beginning to flourish after the somnolent 1950s. The Baby Boomers were moving into prime car-buying age. When the Edsel was dropped in 1960 after just its third model year, and $250 million in losses, many Ford officials, notably chairman and CEO Henry Ford II, were reluctant to approve the Mustang project. But Iacocca -- who didn’t design or style the car -- pressed on and eventually won approval for the project with an original price tag of $75 million that was whittled down to $45 million. Iacocca created a clandestine group of engineers -- dubbed The Fairlane Committee after the Dearborn, Mich., inn where they met secretly -- that set several broad goals for the car. It had to seat four passengers. It needed a generous-sized trunk. The hood had to be long to suggest a powerful engine, while the rear deck should be short – to underscore lithe and speed. The Mustang proved a revolutionary vehicle when it debuted in April 1964. In a marketing coup, Iacocca appeared on the cover of both Time and Newsweek the week the car came out. “Lee sensed how big the Mustang’s potential could be sooner than anybody,” Donald Petersen, who worked as a liaison between the Mustang’s engineering and marketing teams, and who later became Ford chairman and CEO, told Automotive News in 2003. “He really went for it. He never gave up.” Some 1 million Mustangs were sold in the car’s first two years of production -- the quickest a new nameplate had ever achieved that milestone. In 1989, AutoWeek wrote that “the two cars that have most influenced the shape and design of products worldwide in the last half of this century have been the Mustang and the minivan.” The Mustang’s success won Iacocca one promotion after another in the 1960s, culminating in 1970 when he became president of Ford. Miscues, too In addition to the Mustang and minivan, Iacocca’s other hits include the Cougar (the Mustang’s cousin at Mercury), Lincoln Continental Mark III, Ford Maverick and Jeep. With a convertible version of the Chrysler LeBaron, Iacocca revived the soft-top market after it went dormant in the 1970s. Despite his reputation as a product genius, Iacocca also stewarded some of the industry’s biggest product flops, notably the TC by Maserati, a car marketed by Chrysler in the 1980s. He also missed an opportunity in the 1960s that would have made Ford the first Detroit automaker to sell a fwd car in the states -- ahead of GM and Chrysler -- when he scrapped plans to market the Cardinal, which Ford had developed in Germany and proved to be a big seller across Europe. Under Iacocca, Chrysler also created the Eagle brand -- a vestige of the AMC deal -- but it was dropped after the 1998 model year. In 1988, Chrysler and Fiat signed a pact that allowed Chrysler to sell Alfa Romeo vehicles in Canada and the United States. The distribution deal was scrapped in 1991. At Ford, Iacocca was an early and vocal opponent of passive safety systems such as airbags only to actively embrace them later to help distinguish Chrysler’s products. And in 1987 he was forced to apologize publicly to American consumers after Chrysler was indicted for odometer tampering. “The first thing was just dumb,” Iacocca said candidly in July 1987 after Chrysler admitted it had disconnected odometers as part of routine product testing near a St. Louis assembly plant. “We test-drove a small percentage of our cars with the odometers disengaged and didn't tell our customers. The second thing, I think, went beyond dumb, and reached all the way out to stupid -- a few cars were damaged in testing badly enough that they should never have been sold as new. Those are mistakes we will never make again. Period.” The company was fined $120 million. The Pinto: ‘Lee’s car’ Iacocca also was responsible for the ill-fated Ford Pinto. He rushed the Pinto through production because, he was convinced, Ford needed an inexpensive subcompact car to compete with the small imports making inroads in the U.S. in the early 1970s. The Pinto quickly became known as “Lee’s car.” He demanded that it weigh no more than 2,000 pounds and sell for $2,000. Ford, under pressure from safety advocates and facing numerous lawsuits, recalled the Pinto in 1978 because the design of the fuel tank made it vulnerable to explosion after a rear-end collision. Mother Jones, in a 1977 article, had first reported that Ford knew about the issue with the Pinto’s fuel tank but continued to produce the car anyway. In his autobiography, Iacocca denied negligence by Ford. “There’s absolutely no truth to the charge that we tried to save a few bucks and knowingly made a dangerous car,” Iacocca wrote. “The auto industry has often been arrogant, but it’s not that callous.” In the end, Ford recalled 1.5 million Pintos. The automaker was the subject of more than 100 lawsuits because of the Pinto and paid millions of dollars in restitution. Battles with the Deuce Iacocca was president of Ford from 1970 until he was fired on July 13, 1978, by Henry Ford II after 32 years at the company. He was just the latest to join a famous fraternity -- the long list of men such as Ernie Breech, John Dykstra, Arjay Miller and William "Bunkie"Knudsen -- who climbed to a top post at Ford only to be pushed aside by a mercurial Henry Ford II. Ford and Iacocca regularly clashed over product plans, executive appointments, spending priorities and other strategic matters. Iacocca spent years building a power base at Ford -- often keeping track of subordinates and product ideas in a little black book. He appointed executives he knew would support him and his programs. "In terms of everything that really counted," Iacocca wrote in his autobiography, "I was more important than Henry." “Personable and tough, fun but aggressive, Iacocca did not so much arrive at the president’s office at Ford as wrap it around himself,” historian Douglas Brinkley wrote in Wheels for the World. In 1975, Henry Ford II launched an investigation to determine if there was any wrongdoing on the part of Iacocca. And in one of his final moves to undercut Iacocca, Ford created a three-person office of the chief executive in 1977. Ford was chairman and chief executive; Iacocca was named president and COO; and Philip Caldwell, formerly head of Ford’s international operations, became vice chairman. But Ford, in a memo that riled Iacocca, decreed that the vice chairman would act as the chief executive in the absence of the chairman. “It was a real crack in the face,” Iacocca wrote in his autobiography. “Every time there was a dinner, Henry hosted table one, Caldwell hosted table two, and I was shoved down to three. It was public humiliation, like the guy in the stockade in the center of town.” Iacocca told Automotive News in July 1978 that he was canned because Henry Ford II didn’t “want strong guys around.” Ford dismissed Iacocca to prevent him from becoming the company’s CEO, Ford later said in an interview before his death in 1987. “I didn’t want him around simply because I didn’t want him to be chief executive of the Ford Motor Co.,” Ford said. “My standards are higher than that.” Ford added, “There are lots of reasons I let (Iacocca) go. One of them is he’s not really a good chief executive. Not from a broad viewpoint. Secondly, he’s too conceited, too self-centered to be able to see the broad picture.” ‘An audacious plan’ In his autobiography, Iacocca wrote that Ford fired him simply because he didn’t like him. “I wanted to force him to give me a reason because I knew he didn’t have a good one,” Iacocca wrote. “Finally, he just shrugged his shoulders and said: ‘Well, sometimes you just don’t like somebody.’” Iacocca crafted what authors Peter Collier and David Horowitz called in their 1987 book, The Fords: An American Epic, “an audacious plan not just to survive at the company but to prevail” that entailed lobbying outside directors to keep his job. In his 1990 book, Henry: A Life of Henry Ford II, Walter Hayes, the former vice chairman of Ford of Europe and one of Henry Ford II’s closest confidants, wrote that Iacocca tried to oust Henry Ford II by suggesting he was senile and no longer able to run the company. Iacocca denied the claims in Hayes’ book. Franklin Murphy, former chairman of Times Mirror Co. and a Ford director at the time, told The Los Angeles Times in 1990 that he was convinced Iacocca tried to make a pre-emptive strike against Henry Ford by going to the board to oust Ford. Corporate fat cat Over time, Iacocca -- once a symbol of self-sacrifice for accepting only $1 a year to help rescue Chrysler -- came to personify the trappings of corporate America and Detroit’s longtime excesses. Early in his career, he could be so stingy at times that he would bring light bulbs home from the office so his wife wouldn’t have to buy any. More than once during his high-profile career, Iacocca found himself defending his pay and stock options, notably among journalists from Japan, a frequent subject of Iacocca’s rants over trade policy and where executive compensation is far more modest. His reputation took a big hit in 1988 after Chrysler decided to close a longtime American Motors plant in Kenosha, Wis., eliminating more than 5,500 jobs. Every Democratic presidential candidate that year blasted the move. Sen. Al Gore Jr., D-Tenn., ahead of Wisconsin’s April 1988 primary, pointed out in an ad that featured a smiling Iacocca that the Chrysler CEO “made $20 million in 1986.” In a May 2, 1988, cover story, Business Week called Iacocca -- America’s highest paid executive in 1986 and second-highest the next year -- the most overpaid executive while delivering shareholders the least “bang for the buck” of any corporate leader in 1987. Iacocca's retirement package -- he dreamed of matching the power and status of Henry Ford II -- became the subject of intense negotiations with Chrysler's board of directors. Even as his retirement neared, Iacocca came under fire for the cash, company stock and other perks that Chrysler directors routinely dangled to entice him not to leave the company or retire early. At his last shareholder meeting as Chrysler CEO and chairman in May 1992, Iacocca defended his compensation when a Japanese shareholder, speaking through an interpreter, noted that Japanese executives average only $350,000 in annual pay, vs. $1 million or more in Detroit. “But that doesn’t count the $1.5 million in country club membership for the Japanese,” Iacocca said. “They think we’re all fat cats here, but I don’t see any monks over there where the perks aren’t as obvious.” Post-retirement After his retirement from Chrysler, Iacocca never really left the stage, still eager to speak out and cash in on the next big consumer product. He appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” in March 1993, began commanding $75,000 for 30-minute speeches and in 1995 became a director of Koo Koo Roo chicken, a California restaurant chain. Iacocca also shot back into the headlines in April 1995 by teaming with billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian, a leading Chrysler shareholder, in a bold bid to take the company private. But Eaton, Iacocca’s successor, viewed the takeover attempt as hostile. The ensuing fight, carried out in public for months, turned ugly and personal and singed Iacocca’s reputation. Iacocca blamed Eaton for failing to do enough to improve Chrysler’s quality ratings. Chrysler canceled some of Iacocca’s stock options. Plans to name Chrysler’s new headquarters tower in Auburn Hills in honor of Iacocca were scrapped. Chrysler sued Iacocca in December 1995, alleging the former chairman divulged confidential information to Kerkorian while Iacocca was still a consultant to Chrysler. As part of his retirement, Iacocca continued to be paid $500,000 a year as a consultant and received company perks until the end of 1994. Chrysler contended he violated the consulting pact and that he abrogated his duties as an officer and director. As part of a 1996 settlement that ended the takeover bid, Iacocca received $53 million -- $21 million from Chrysler and $32 million from Kerkorian’s firm. Iacocca also was prohibited for speaking publicly about Chrysler for five years after the settlement. Later in 1996, Iacocca told Fortune magazine in a cover story that he had “flunked retirement.” In 1998, Iacocca was back in Detroit, teaming with former GM Chairman Bob Stempel to announce their effort to create lightweight electric vehicles. Iacocca was chairman of EV Global Motors, a Los Angeles company aiming to design and market the vehicles, and Stempel was chairman of Energy Conversion Devices, a maker of nickel metal-hydride batteries under its subsidiary, Ovonic Battery Co., in Troy, Mich. “This is the changing of the guard,” Iacocca, then 73, said during the announcement with Stempel. “In the new millennium, for young people it’s going to be an electric world.” Iacocca branched out again with Lido Motors, a partnership that marketed neighborhood EVs for use in retirement communities. While Iacocca was convinced aging Americans would slowly embrace EVs -- “You’ve got to stay with your market,” he told The Detroit News in 2002 -- he eventually abandoned the market. In 2000, he founded Olivio Premium Products to sell an olive oil-based butter substitute. Iacocca donated all of the profits from the company to diabetes research, a cause he had supported for years because his first wife, Mary, died of complications from the disease. According to Olivio’s website, Iacocca has donated more that $25 million to diabetes research. By 2005, he was appearing with the rapper Snoop Dogg, actor Jason Alexander and others to pitch Chrysler’s employee-pricing deals in TV commercials. The four spots signaled the official end of the bitter feud between Chrysler and Iacocca over the 1995-96 takeover attempt. In June 2008, with Chrysler facing another dark hour, Iacocca was invited back to corporate headquarters at the request of then-Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli. Iacocca had been gone for 16 years but still showed some vigor at age 83. And ever the optimist, he offered another dose of encouragement as the company grappled with slumping SUV sales, rising gasoline prices and lingering scars from the scuttled DaimlerChrysler merger. “Don't get panicked,” Iacocca told about 1,000 workers at a meeting at the Chrysler Technical Center in Auburn Hills, The New York Times reported. “Things are going to be OK.” And they were, only after Chrysler was rescued again by the U.S. government and an Italian. This time, Fiat’s Sergio Marchionne. A Chrysler legacy In July 2010, just a year after Chrysler’s second federal bailout and bankruptcy, the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills honored Iacocca with one of four inaugural Walter P. Chrysler Legacy awards. It was one of Iacocca’s last visits to the sprawling tech center and corporate campus that he helped build. And with Chrysler on the cusp of another U.S. sales rebound, he sounded like the optimistic and determined Iacocca many Americans came to know in the 1980s. When he reached the lectern after Marchionne’s introduction, an 85-year-old Iacocca told the gathering he was “really honored” and personally touched by the familiar faces in the crowd -- Sperlich and Greenwald, among them -- who spent the “last 25 years trying to keep Chrysler afloat.” Then, in one of his final pep talks that echoed his commercials decades earlier, Iacocca said he was counting on Marchionne, who died in 2018, to “bring over the Fiat label, put it together over here” and help give Chrysler “a huge boost” in the small-car market. “The Big 3 is coming back … we’re in for a little bit of prosperity after a few, little rough time,” Iacocca told the homecominglike crowd. “Let’s count our blessings and let’s get together and make this work. OK?” .