Chrysler

Founded in 1925 by Walter P. Chrysler, the Chrysler Corporation quickly became one of the Big Three automakers, known for innovation and, later, for teetering on the brink of collapse more times than a soap opera character. The 1980s bailout, under the leadership of Lee Iacocca, turned the K-car into a symbol of American resilience, even if the cars themselves were anything but inspiring. The company’s rocky marriage to Daimler in 1998 was touted as a “merger of equals,” though it ended in a messy divorce that left Chrysler looking like the jilted bride. More recently, the Fiat-Chrysler merger, orchestrated by the late Sergio Marchionne, gave the brand new life—though some might argue that life was on life support. Despite the twists and turns, Chrysler remains an enduring icon of American manufacturing, a brand that somehow manages to survive, even if it’s never quite thrived. The legacy? Proof that in the auto industry, being a survivor might just be enough.