Lewis D. Crusoe was an
automobile executive for
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...
in the 1950s.
Crusoe had been an executive for
General Motors
General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...
, and was recruited to come to Ford by
Ernie Breech, a GM executive brought in by
Henry Ford II
Henry Ford II (September 4, 1917 – September 29, 1987), commonly known as Hank the Deuce, was an American businessman in the automotive industry. He was the oldest son of Edsel Ford I and oldest grandson of Henry Ford. He served as president ...
. He became the vice-president in charge of Ford Division, then the head of the Car and Truck Divisions.
He was the primary inspiration for the introduction of the original
Ford Thunderbird
The Ford Thunderbird is a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company for model years 1955 to 2005, with a hiatus from 1998 to 2001.
Ultimately gaining a broadly used colloquial nickname, the ''T-Bird'', Ford Introduce ...
, along with designer
George W. Walker Inspiration for the Ford Thunderbird came when Crusoe and Walker were viewing European car models at the Grand Palais car show in Paris.
Crusoe died on November 25, 1973, at the age of 78.
References
Ford executives
Year of birth missing
1973 deaths
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