Episode 226: Automotive Hall of Fame Induction
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Car
Mercedes-Benz 600
The Mercedes-Benz 600 is a very luxurious car that was made a long time ago. It was popular among rich people and famous figures because it was very comfortable and had many features.
Car
Mercedes-Benz Mercedesbenz 600
The Mercedes-Benz 600 is a very fancy car that was made a long time ago, and it was popular with famous people. It's known for being really comfortable and having a lot of cool features that were advanced for its time. People talk about it because it represents luxury and style.
Concept
personal freedom
Personal freedom means being able to go wherever you want, whenever you want. Cars help people feel free because they can drive to different places easily.
Term
V-12
A V-12 engine has twelve cylinders arranged in a V shape. It's known for being powerful and smooth, often used in expensive sports cars.
Car
Chevrolet Corvette
The Corvette is a famous American sports car made by Chevrolet. It's known for being fast and stylish, often compared to European cars like Ferraris.
Car
Ferrari
Ferrari is a famous Italian car brand that makes very fast and expensive sports cars. They are known for their racing heritage and stylish designs.
Car
BMW 2002
The BMW 2002 is a small, sporty car that helped make BMW popular in America. It's known for being fun to drive and has a classic design.
Term
performance numbers
Performance numbers are statistics that show how fast or powerful a car is. They help people understand how well a car can drive compared to others.
Concept
Daytona Speed Week
Daytona Speed Week is a week-long series of races at a famous racetrack in Florida. It's known for exciting events and draws a lot of attention from racing fans.
Concept
Bonneville Salt Flats
The Bonneville Salt Flats are a flat area in Utah where people go to see how fast cars can go. It's a famous spot for speed records.
Term
jet engine dragster
A jet engine dragster is a super-fast racing car that uses a jet engine instead of a regular engine. It can go really fast in a straight line.
Term
land speed records
Land speed records are the fastest speeds that cars or vehicles have gone on land. They are usually measured over a specific distance.
Term
jet-powered dragster
A jet-powered dragster is a super-fast car that uses a jet engine, like those in airplanes, to go really fast in a straight line. They're built for racing and can reach incredible speeds quickly.
Term
Formula 1
Formula 1 is a type of car racing that features very fast cars and is held in different locations around the world. It's known for its exciting races and skilled drivers.
Term
world champion
A world champion is a title given to a driver who wins the most races or points in a racing season, showing they are the best in that sport for that year.
Concept
Formula One
Formula One is a top-level car racing series where teams compete to see who can go the fastest. It's famous for its exciting races and high-tech cars.
Company
McLaren Honda
McLaren Honda is a famous racing team that worked together in Formula 1, achieving great success with their cars in the past.
Company
Daimler AG
Daimler AG is a big company in Germany that makes cars, including the Mercedes-Benz brand. They are important in the car industry.
Company
Daimler Chrysler
Daimler Chrysler was a big car company created when two companies, Daimler-Benz and Chrysler, joined together. They made many different cars and trucks before changing back to separate companies.
Concept
luxury sales crown
The 'luxury sales crown' means being the best-selling luxury car brand. It's a competition between brands like Mercedes-Benz and others to see who sells the most expensive cars.
Concept
stock block
A stock block is the basic engine part that comes with a car when you buy it. It's not changed or improved, so everyone has the same starting point in a race.
Term
horsepower
Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful an engine is. More horsepower means the car can go faster.
Term
pushrod design
A pushrod design is a way to make an engine work, using rods to open and close the valves. It's common in powerful engines like V8s.
Term
the beast
'The beast' is a nickname for a very powerful car, especially one that is fast and strong in racing.
Car
Chrysler 300C
The Chrysler 300C is a large, stylish car that offers luxury features and a strong engine. It's popular for its distinctive look and comfortable ride.
Car
Chrysler Crossfire
The Chrysler Crossfire is a sporty car that was made in the early 2000s, and it has a unique look that makes it stand out. It was built using parts from a German car, which gives it a special feel when you drive it. People mention it because it's different from other cars and has a fun driving experience.
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The automobile is one of the most important inventions that revolutionize the modern world.
In America, the rich history of car culture runs deep.
This technology continues to shape the future of the industry.
Jason Stein is here to share the stories of people passionate about cars,
from industry leaders and innovators to car-obsessed celebrities.
Buckle up as Jason takes you inside the boardroom, onto the track, and around the bend,
on Cars and Culture on SiriusXM Business Radio.
We welcome you into episode 226 of Cars and Culture with Jason Stein here on SiriusXM Business Channel 132.
Great to have you along for The Ride Again this week.
This show is all about where passion meets performance, and where the people who shaped our industry take center stage.
And in today's episode, we've got something special.
We celebrate those who've driven the automotive world forward through innovation, inspiration, and impact.
Every story begins with a vision and the courage to chase it.
These individuals who were highlighting today did exactly that.
And at the recent Automotive Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Detroit, four additional individuals were placed in the hall.
Longtime car executive Dieter Zetsche, former GM test driver and marketing genius Betty Skelton,
formerly the one legend, Ayrton Senna, and car publisher David E. Davis.
Since its inception in 1939, the Automotive Hall of Fame has inducted over 300 deserving men and women worldwide.
This year, with these four, there was no exception.
These are the voices of innovation, determination, and timeless passion.
The people who remind us that cars aren't just machines.
They're stories, they're dreams, and they're the culture that drives us forward.
And now the excerpts of the Automotive Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Detroit on cars and culture with Jason Stein.
We start our program with the words of one of the great storytellers in automotive history, David E. Davis Jr.,
a man whose voice and vision changed how America talked about cars.
He redefined automotive storytelling, elevating car culture through his influential work at car and driver and automobile magazine.
In this tribute, journalist Eddie Alterman accepts on behalf of the legendary journalist who made car enthusiasm both poetic and personal.
We begin this episode with Eddie Alterman.
Before I get started, I'd like to thank the Davis family and the Automotive Hall of Fame for having me here in this magnificent new building.
It really has that new building smell.
I consider it one of the great, great honors of my life to induct my mentor, David E. Davis Jr., in front of this good-looking crowd.
David E. had one of the great offices of all time.
He ran automobile magazine from a tall tin-sealing diorama on the corner of 4th and Liberty Streets in Ann Arbor.
It was filled with pictures of him with Fangio, Gurney, Shelby, and many other one-word, one-name legends enshrined in the hall.
On one wall was the grill from a Mercedes-Benz 600, and on the other was a pink neon sign that read Animal X.
But the first thing you saw was the sign above the door.
It read, if we want the readers to think it's important, we have to treat it importantly.
This was David's battle cry, not just in the editorial sense, but for his whole life.
He knew it was important, and he treated it with proper ceremony. He did it with flair.
David was a romantic, a rock-on-tour, a hunter, of birds and deer, but also of the good life.
He came from the great storytelling tradition of the South, and he had an innate sense of what to leave in and what to leave out.
This served him well in his stints in the ad business and in publishing.
But David didn't think of himself as a copywriter or journalist.
He thought of himself as a sort of professional enthusiast, someone whose job it was to share his passions with the world.
His guiding passion was personal freedom, and he believed that the car was the best means of achieving it.
Words were important.
Unlike most automotive writers, like me, whose prose was loose and padded, David's words had weight and precision and pace.
They hurtled across the page like the V-12 powered GTs he loved so much.
During the decade I worked for David at automobile, I got to see his process up close.
He agonized over words, because he knew that the right words were the gateway to the imagination.
When David E. worked at Campbell E. Wald on the Corvette account in the 60s with Betty Skelton,
he told me he used to start off by writing ads for Ferraris and then substituted the word Corvette for Ferrari when he turned in his copy.
He wanted to capture the aspirations of the Corvette by summoning the spirit of those legendary Italian road racing cars.
And what do you know?
Here we are all these years later with Corvettes to stand tall against the cars from Maranello.
Now, David E. did not engineer the cars that got him there, let me be clear, but his words helped to set the path.
And a current driver, David E. conjured more brand-defined imagery, this time for BMW.
Here's David on the German two-door he made famous from his classic story, Turn Your Himmels to 2002.
Nobody believes it until I suck their headlights out.
But nobody doubts it once that nearly silent, unobtrusive little car has disappeared down the road and around the next bend,
still accelerating without a sign of the brake lights.
That story defined BMW and led to its rise in America because David captured what made those cars important.
It wasn't about the 2002's performance numbers, it was about the car's essence, the way it made you feel.
That's what his writing did, it puts you there.
Presentation was important too, both personal and on the page.
Automobile magazine, which he launched in 1986 after a second-story run at Car and Driver,
was the first four-color, perfect-bound car magazine in America.
He wanted a format that would treat the car with the importance it deserved.
They say you judge an editor by the writers they attract, and David E. attracted the best.
Bruce McCall, Jamie Kittman, who's sitting right here, P.J. O'Rourke, Jim Harrison, the list goes on and on.
They wanted to write for David because his magazines were pure reflections of his own charisma, philosophy, and style.
Car and Driver and Automobile were basically David E. in printed form.
And his personal presentation was no less legendary.
It was not uncommon for David E. to show up to the office wearing a tweed cape from his favorite,
Savile Rowe Taylor, Anderson and Shepard.
And at one corporate function, he came wearing a pith helmet.
Yes, a pith helmet. Everybody pulled it off.
I am, he announced, an adventurer, a risk taker, a man who shuns conformity.
Ultimately, because he treated the important things importantly, he himself became important.
There is no legacy in automotive journalism like David's.
He knew that if you dramatized the driving experience and put your whole self on the page, people would pay attention.
You would connect with the audience in a profound and lasting way.
Car enthusiast, red car and driver in automobile wanting to be the ones driving the cars, traveling the world,
and experiencing the good life the way David E. depicted it.
Swashbuckling Adventures, all enabled by the automobile.
In doing so, he inspired many of us car enthusiasts to become car journalists.
Everyone from grizzled magazine editors to fresh-faced YouTubers owe David E. a huge debt of gratitude.
He was the spark.
Welcome, David E. Davis Jr., to the automotive hall of fame.
From racing to reinvention, few names embody progress like Betty Skelton,
a true pioneer who broke barriers in the air and on the ground.
She also revolutionized automotive marketing, becoming the face of major brands.
Her story from the automotive hall of fame induction ceremony is told by Mark Royce, president of General Motors.
He honors a woman who never accepted limits.
Wow, what a video and what a tribute.
I'm honored, number one, and I'm going to enjoy this because I saw Roger Penske here today,
and this is probably going to be the first time that I can actually start and finish before Roger Penske.
It's a pretty good feeling here tonight.
It's an honor and a privilege tonight to help induct Betty Skelton into the hall of fame.
If you know who Betty Skelton is, you're probably wondering why she isn't already into the hall of fame.
And if you don't know who she is, you're probably going to think I'm describing a character out of a Marvel movie.
But Betty was a real person who had a real positive effect on aviation and automobiles,
on General Motors and Corvette, and on American culture and women's role in it.
As you heard in the video, Betty is known as the first lady of firsts.
The ones mentioned in the video only scratched the surface.
Let me give you a few more of her very long list of superlatives.
She became the youngest American to fly solo at age 12.
Think about that for a moment.
The youngest American to receive a pilot's license at 16.
In various airplanes, she set world speed and altitude records by the time she was just in her early 20s.
Yeah, wow.
She won the Feminine International Aerobatic Championship three years in a row from 1949 to 51, the first and only one ever to do so.
She was the first woman ever to compete in the stock car flying mile at Daytona in 1954.
The first woman ever to drive an Indy car.
Think about that for a moment.
Yeah, very nice.
Yeah, yeah, I know, right?
Unbelievable.
At Daytona Speed Week in 1956, she set nine sports car records for speed and acceleration in a Corvette, along with Zora Arcus Duntof and John Fitch.
Yeah, and she set four different land speed records for women at Bonneville Salt Flats, including driving a jet engine dragster,
315 miles an hour in a flying mile in 1965, where she averaged 277 miles an hour in a two-way run.
You have to do that both ways there.
Also, a record.
It wasn't just that Betty did all these things.
It was how she did them.
She had absolutely no fear, or more accurately, no time for fear.
For instance, as she completed her record-setting run at Bonneville, her jet-powered dragster got airborne.
Now that's not optimal at any time, let alone at 300 miles per hour.
Can you imagine?
But she managed to get the car down under control and bring it home intact with the record.
Yeah, unbelievable.
When I asked if she was scared, she said, I was too busy.
That's pretty awesome.
Another time, early in her flying career, she was performing a stunt called, to get this, the inverted ribbon cut.
Where you fly upside down, very low, and cut a handheld ribbon with your wing or your wheels.
At just a few feet off the ground, the plane's engine cut out.
Somehow Betty managed to snap the aircraft right side up just before her wheels touch the ground.
Today, her plane, affectionately known as Little Stinker, isn't that awesome too,
hangs in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Yeah, yeah, that's pretty amazing.
So, speaking of space, it was a place she always wanted to go.
But when NASA trained its first astronauts, the Mercury 7, military test pilot experience was a strict requirement.
Betty knew this, and yet when Look Magazine, remember Look Magazine,
pitched a story that would put Betty through the rigorous NASA testing and training program,
she went along with it for the experience.
Now, she passed all the tests with flying colors, and when the new issue of Look came out on February 2nd, 1960,
there was Betty on the cover in full astronaut gear.
She was known as Mercury 7.5.
Yeah, that's amazing.
But beyond being a fearless and highly skilled speed addict, Betty was also blessed with an innate understanding
of how to project and market herself, and you saw a little bit in the video.
She was a great communicator, a talented writer for multiple magazines, did a radio show,
and appeared on many TV shows, including the Dinah Shore show.
She was also the face of Corvette and Chevrolet.
She worked as a Corvette test driver and was closely involved in the car's development.
Zora and his engineering team took her input as the expert advice it was.
Betty also worked at Campbell-Dewald Chevy's long-time advertising agency,
where she became the first female vice president at a major ad agency, truly breaking the glass ceiling.
In fact, when she returned to work after her NASA training,
Betty's great idea for Chevy to put all of the Mercury astronauts into new Corvettes.
Remember those pictures? They were truly inspiring for our country, for Corvette, and for Chevrolet.
She helped develop and frame the brand's messages and organized and led many driving events
around the world year after year, all while opening doors for women along the way.
In fact, in the mid-60s, she once wrote an essay called,
advantages and disadvantages of women working with men in business.
Pretty much covers it all.
It's real mad men stuff, right?
Now, she included in this another advertising vice president confided to me
that no ambitious man will ever be able to stand the idea of working for a woman.
I can tell you firsthand that ad exact was dead wrong,
and I think Betty knew he was wrong too.
It's very wrong. Very wrong.
She was way ahead of her time in countless ways,
and it's hard to imagine we'll ever see anyone else quite like her regardless of gender.
She accomplished all these things at a time when women didn't
or could not do many of the things that she did or are not given that opportunity.
In many of her endeavors, she would find that records or even categories for women
simply didn't exist.
She was an inspiration then, especially for women,
and should be still one today for all of us.
In 2010, Betty was honored in Daytona by the Women of the Winners Circle Foundation
and was presented with its pioneer award by race car driver Lynn St. James,
who is also in this hall of fame.
Yes, that was a big deal.
Upon receiving the award, Betty said,
Thank you so much.
I thought people had forgotten.
About six months later, she passed away at the age of 85.
Tonight, we're here to make sure that Betty, her amazing life,
her remarkable contributions to the world are always remembered.
And I'm grateful to the Automotive Hall of Fame for making this happen
and having the honor of presenting this for her tonight.
So thank you very much for coming and being here and listening.
And I hope you enjoyed hearing about her.
She was just a remarkable person for this industry and for our company.
Thank you.
Next, a family name synonymous with both speed and spirit.
Bianca Senna shares the legacy of her uncle, Eriton Senna,
a driver who transcended the sport to become a symbol of excellence
and humanity worldwide.
He was a three-time F1 world champion and his passion and precision
made him one of the greatest drivers of all time.
Now, Bianca Senna.
It's a pleasure to be here.
We as a family and myself being here is an honor, a real honor.
Thank you.
On behalf of the Senna family, I would like to thank you.
Thank you and the Automotive Hall of Fame for the incredible honor
of recognizing and making my uncle and his remarkable journey
being ducted here today.
It is such a special moment for us as a family
and for Brazil that is watching us.
And obviously, we want to congratulate all the other entities
and its representatives.
And it's a true honor to be here and share this moment with you.
Eriton's induction comes at a really interesting time
because F1 is becoming such an important event here for the US.
And we just made a survey about, you know,
what Eriton represents for the new generation here.
And we found out that from every six people from 10
that knows Eriton from the documentary
or from the series become fans.
So, you know, what means is that he's still inspired people
and not only the ones that have seen him race
but also the ones that haven't seen him race.
So, it's a true honor to see, you know,
how he's able to really inspire people to be their best version.
Senna was much more than just a racing champion.
He embodied passion, excellence,
and the powerful human drive to never give up
no matter how hard things get.
For us Brazilians, he's a national hero.
He represented a source of pride and hope for all the entire country.
On race days it felt like we were racing with him in the car.
He became a symbol of hope that it was possible to win
despite the economical and the political difficulties
that we had our country facing at the time.
We are also deeply proud to know that Senna is admired beyond Brazil,
from Japan to Middle East, from Latin America to Europe.
There are millions of fans who know his history
and find inspiration in his life.
It's not uncommon to hear current Formula One drivers say
that Ayrton is their greatest reference and source of inspiration.
The sport itself continues to celebrate his immense legacy.
It is undeniable that Ayrton left a unique contribution to the sport.
He played a negative role in pushing better safety conditions
for the drivers and, of course, on the track,
he delivered unforgettable races through lessons of courage,
determination and racing mastery.
Who could forget his iconic wins in Monaco?
Or the moment that we saw in the video when he rescued Eric Cuamas
when he passed away during a crash in Belgium?
However, as we used to say, his achievements were only possible
because he had an incredible team working hard
to provide him with the best car.
And I'd like to take this moment to say thanks to some of the people
that were part of this journey and are here tonight.
McLaren Honda, that are represented by Dr. Davis Salters,
John Iquida and Toyoharu Tanube,
who was Ayrton's race engineer.
And Lauren Gordon, VP of Marketing and Communication
at McLaren IndyCar.
Your contribution has been fundamental for Ayrton's career
and we are truly grateful to be united here with you today
to pay this tribute to Ayrton.
I'd like to also highlight Ayrton's legacy
outside of the motorsport.
His dream to help the new generations in Brazil
to have opportunity to dream and become successful in their lives
turned into one of the Brazilian's largest
and most successful social enterprises.
The Ayrton Senna Foundation, the institute was created in 1994
and since then it had reached over 39 million children
in Brazil through education.
We firmly believe that investing in raising the quality
of public education in Brazil means creating opportunities
for the millions of children and young people
in the vulnerable situations to develop their full potential.
And that's what we have been doing for the last 30 years.
Today I serve as the CEO of Senna Brands,
the company that manages Ayrton's image, story and Senna brand
and the Senna brand and the Senian cartoon,
a children's cartoon created by Ayrton himself
to teach values to children.
Our mission is to carry Ayrton's legacy forward,
to use his life's journey to inspire people
to become the best version of themselves
and to never give up on their dreams
Ayrton is the ultimate symbol of that message
and his brand is the vehicle through which
we share this inspiration.
For products, experiences, entertainment
such as the Netflix series that reminds people
that each one of us has the inner hero
capable of achieving greatness
and that's what we saw here with the other
inductees and so many that has already been
inducted during this time.
This is the past inductees.
We work with over 65 partners
and are presented in more than 70 countries
and of course a portion of the revenue
generated by the Senna brand
goes to fund the incredible work of the foundation.
This induction into the automotive hall of fame
will surely bring joy to fans all over the world
and reinforces how relevant Senna's legacy
remains in today's world.
It's very common for people to recall exactly
where they were when the accident happened in 1994
but tonight I'd like to propose a shift of perspective
and that's when I get emotional.
Instead of asking where you were that day
how about we ask how does Ayrton inspire you
to be the best version of yourself
and to transform your life and the lives of others
to those around you.
Today my uncle inspired me to be here
to stand before you watching
before everyone watching around the world
and celebrating his legacy for the next generation.
Thank you so much for bringing so much joy to my family
and to millions of fans around the world.
Together we can do greatness.
Thank you.
And finally speaking of leaders who define excellence
Roger Penske introduced Dieter Zetschia
at the Automotive Hall of Fame induction ceremony
Dieter Zetschia was a visionary
as the former CEO of Daimler AG
his influence continues to shape the global road ahead
and now former guest Roger Penske.
Well good evening everyone
and certainly before I start
I want to tell Mark Royce
I never mind being in your draft
but also to John and to Sarah
keeping this legacy intact
and keeping it in Detroit
is special for me and everyone else here tonight
so let's give them a big hand.
Obviously it's a pleasure for me to be here tonight
and to celebrate the automotive industry
and the honor the new Hall of Fame inductees.
I'd like to add my congratulations to Betty Skelton
to David E. Davis to Atron Senna
for their amazing and remarkable careers
and contributions to the automotive industry.
It's a pleasure to welcome them into this year's Hall of Fame.
What an honor and a privilege it is for me tonight
to stand before all of you
and introduce a leader
and a colleague
and most importantly
my friend Dieter Zetschia.
My first connection with Dieter was back in 1991
he was moving to the United States of America
to become president of Freightliner trucks.
Guess what we met at the Detroit airport
to discuss the Penske relationship
with Freightliner
and obviously our business at Detroit Diesel.
That meeting for me and for Dieter
turned out to be a pivotal moment for us.
Throughout Dieter's remarkable career
Dieter has always, as was said in the video
shown a relentless pursuit of excellence.
From his early days as an electrical engineer
and his chairman of Daimler AG
and a head of Mercedes-Benz cars
few people have had as much influence
on the automotive industry as Dieter.
If you asked him what he liked most about his career
he would probably say something like this
products, technology
and certainly motorsports.
Dieter is a hands-on guy
he preferred to spend time in a design studio
perform test drives in the pursuit of perfection
and also many many times
help his team win on the racetrack.
How could we ever forget tonight
the marketing campaign called
actdoctorz.com
where Dieter had his picture
on the front of the Chrysler headquarters
in Auburn Hills.
You know something I never asked him
how many cars and trucks he sold.
He can be credited with so many accomplishments
however there are a couple tonight
I'd like to highlight.
When Dieter took control of Daimler Chrysler
back in the early 2000s
Mercedes was struggling
he had lost the luxury sales crown
to his chief rival
and he was working through a merger
with Chrysler.
He was determined
to reshape Mercedes
and bring it back to prominence.
Under his leadership
Mercedes-Benz reaffirmed
its reputation
for engineering
excellence embraced
by its future
by modernizing
the Mercedes-Benz brand.
He introduced new models
advanced aerodynamics
improved safety
and always brought a hybrid vehicle
option to the brand.
Think about that.
All of these were big steps
designed to bring Mercedes back
to prominence.
Guess what?
Under his leadership
Mercedes-Benz won
Formula 1 championships
in consecutive years
through 2014
and 2020.
He also recaptured
the luxury car crown
in 2016
the first
in over a decade.
At the same time Dieter can be credited
with restructuring
the larger Daimler organization
by transferring the company
from a complex conglomerate
to one focused
on passenger cars
and commercial vehicles.
Speaking about engineering
many of you remember the engine
Dieter's team developed at Indy
for the 500.
Let's go back to 1994
when Penske Racing
and Mercedes-Benz
unveiled something
the racing world
had never seen before
a powerful stock block
V8 racing engines
and it was built in total secrecy
and it was known
as the 500i
Mercedes-Benz engine.
It had raw power
more than a thousand horsepower
packed into this pushrod design.
Maybe you don't know
but they called it the beast
when it finally roared
onto the track at Indianapolis
it didn't just compete
it dominated
it captured the pole
and let every lap but seven
in the 1994
Indianapolis 500
the entire racing world
saw what happens
when technical brilliance
meets visionary leadership
that story
is just about a single engine
it's about understanding capabilities
embracing innovation
and pushing those capabilities
to outthink the competition
that's Dieter
while his accomplishments are endless
perhaps the thing I respect most
about Dieter
is his character
he's authentic
he's honest
and he's engaging
whether it's the employees on the factory floor
or speaking to the next generation
of engineers
he leaves with humility
and a genuine passion
for people
that's rare combinations of technical brilliance
and human touch
which makes him
so respected
as we celebrate Dieter's
induction into the automotive hall of fame
his career has been defined by vision
and ingenuity
that will never be forgotten
tonight we welcome him into the automotive hall of fame
we celebrate not only what he has accomplished
but also the information
that he has provided so many of us in this room
and around the world
everyone please join me in congratulating Dieter Zetsche
on his well-deserved induction
into the hall of fame
Roger you're leaving me only almost speechless
because when Roger Penske says
nice things about you
you know you've arrived
thanks Roger for your very very nice words
I appreciate them as well as our long association
and our true friendship
and I'm honored to join you
and my fellow inductees tonight
in the automotive hall of fame
it's great to see so many familiar faces here tonight
colleagues with whom I worked
and counterparts against whom I competed
that competition that made us all better
I want to express my appreciation
to the hall of fame for this recognition
to have one's name
and story added to the pantheon
of innovative and hard-working people
who built this industry
over a century and a half
is very humbling
when I was notified of my selection some months ago
my first thought was how we wildered
my 11 or 12 year old self
would have been about my future self
going into a hall of fame
because at that young age
I had already come to the set conclusion
as to many kids in Germany
that I was no great talent in soccer
and I only associated institutions
such as this with sports
there would be no Bundesliga for me
instead I went into engineering
and that turned out to be a wise second choice
because it led me directly to the art industry
in my mind as likely in many of yours
there's no better place to work and make a career
that's a message I continue to share
with young people today
long ago the great Austrian economist Dieter Tricker
referred to the art industry
as the mother of all industries
he was right then
and he's still right today
despite all the current challenges
the art industry touches everything
manufacturing, global trade
technology, marketing, labour, transportation
you name it
it remains the primary driver of many national economies and GDPs
better still cars and trucks can be sexy
they are equal parts art and science
if you don't deliver a good product
the market finds you out fast
and the automotive journalists among you
won't pull any punches
now other industries certainly produce
significant goods as well
that we need all
but in this business you have those wonderful days
when you're driving a performance car
on a test track in the morning
and then driving a highly capable SUV
through the market in the afternoon
and you get paid for it
there are also tremendous global opportunities
in which I was a great beneficiary
the years I spent in Brazil and Argentina
earlier in my career with Mercedes
were tremendous for my personal and professional growth
leaving Brazil as a chief engineer
to run our company in Argentina
was my final step into general management
the company offered me some time in the business school
to prepare as I was only a simple engineer
I declined
years later under Menem's presidency
I had gone through four central bank presidents
five ministers of economy
six economic plans
a new currency and hyperinflation
peaking at 20,000%
now that was a business bootcamp
and it was better training than
20 years of business classes
in preparing me for the years ahead
I think very fondly
of my time here in Detroit
heading up Chrysler
it wasn't easy in the beginning
Lee Iacocca's American icon
in the hands of a young German engineer
was a shock to some
so I was amazed by the support and friendship
I received in the following years
reviving morale
or getting our mojo back as we said
launching the 300C with Snoop Dogg
as its biggest fan
and the crossfire were all highlights
Chrysler was a very special place
we worked and we played hard
even our press conferences back then
were performance art
although I was never 100% comfortable
being for example on stage with dancing girls
during a new minivan launch
working with the Detroit community
the Detroit Economic Club
the United Way
and so many other institutions
and local causes was extremely rewarding
the toughest moment in my career
came when I had to fly
from Stuttgart to Detroit
to tell my colleagues and friends
that I decided to sell Chrysler
still I will forever remain
a fan of Motown
in the end I owe my biggest debt
of credit to Mercedes
the company that gave me my start
it was the opportunity of a lifetime
to lead Daimler and Mercedes
for 13 years
reorganizing and revitalizing that company
when a return to Stuttgart
is something of which I'll always be proud
my two top priorities as CO
were always to satisfy the interests
of all my stakeholders
but much more importantly
to be worthy of Gottlieb Daimler
and Karl Benz
our founders and inventors of the automobile
by making the Mercedes star shine
now there's not to say
everything my 45 year career was always fun
but nothing worth doing is ever easy
and nothing done easily is ever rewarding
I feel my career was truly rewarding
closing
I'd really like to thank the countless people
I worked and sweated with
argued and laughed with
with whom I've shared the ups and downs
and of course my family
for always supporting me
in some
it was one hell of a ride
and it's incredible that
Wright led me here
to this place
and to sharing this evening with all of you
I'm truly honored
thanks again
thanks again to the Automotive Hall of Fame
for these recordings from the recent induction ceremony
to see the moments from the stage
visit the Cars and Culture YouTube channel
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it's where the road always leads
to the people who shape the ride
that's episode 226
I'm your host Jason Stein
we'll see you down the road
About this episode
Celebrating the latest inductees into the Automotive Hall of Fame, this episode highlights the remarkable contributions of Dieter Zetsche, Betty Skelton, Ayrton Senna, and David E. Davis Jr. Through heartfelt tributes, listeners hear about their groundbreaking achievements in the automotive industry and beyond. From Skelton's pioneering role in marketing and motorsports to Senna's legacy as a three-time F1 champion, the episode showcases how these figures shaped car culture and inspired future generations. Engaging stories and personal anecdotes bring their legacies to life, making this a compelling tribute to automotive excellence.
Original notes
Automotive Hall of Fame Induction
Cars & Culture with Jason Stein
SiriusXM
0:00
42:36