On May 18, 1990, Chrysler brought a trio of heavyweights to the stage for the official introduction of the Dodge Viper: Lee Iacocca, Bob Lutz, and Carroll Shelby. Here’s their presentation. 

First unveiled in concept form at the 1989 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Dodge Viper was an instant hit with enthusiasts and the motoring press. The two-seat sports car was soon up and running in prototype mule form, and on May 18, 1990, barely 15 months after the debut in Detroit, Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca announced that the Viper would go into production. There to assist him in the presentation, keyed into the automaker’s aggressive “Advantage: Chrysler” campaign, were two more legends: Bob Lutz, then Chrysler’s head of product development, and Carroll Shelby, creator of the Shelby Cobra. the Viper’s spiritual antecedent.

The raw-boned Viper is a fascinating tale in Chrysler lore, but the star of this five-minute video is Iacocca, one of the more talented figures in the modern history of the automobile industry, and one of the most colorful. Trained as an engineer but a master salesman if ever there was, Iacocca was in top form here, plain-spoken and confident. As we often say here at Mac’s Motor City Garage, original clips like these provide wonderful insights into the great personalities of the car biz. Video below.