The American automobile industry has been called the favorite child of capitalism. Four decades of exceptional earnings allowed Henry Ford, William Durant and Alfred Sloan (both of General Motors), Walter Chrysler and their companies to make developments in production, design and marketing that have set the standard for consumer products and industrial firms. Four men, the subjects of this book, are primarily responsible for these concepts and for the formation of "the big three." New research lends important insight into the relationship of Walter Chrysler's business career to the careers of the other three. The first four parts detail the career histories and visions of each of the men. Part 5 discusses each man's commitment to and belief about the potential of the automobile market and the sheer luck that was such a factor for all of them.