Sperlich worked first for Ford, then for Chrysler, and he radically changed the automotive market at both. He died this week at age 95.

What Happened: Sperlich is best known as the chief architect behind the Ford Mustang and the Chrysler minivan. A Detroit and Saginaw native, Sperlich trained to be an engineer at the University of Michigan. He joined Ford in 1957 as a product planner and went on to develop the Mustang.

Sperlich died Jan. 20 at age 95, according to his wife of 11 years, Dr. D’Anne Kleinsmith, a dermatologist in West Bloomfield Township. Sperlich arrived at Ford in 1957 armed with a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan.

He made major contributions to projects such as the original Ford Mustang, Chrysler minivans, and other iconic vehicles. Sperlich passed away on January 20, 2005, at age 95. Choosing the best Mustangs of all time is kind of like ranking God's miracles,

Sperlich was the father of the Ford Mustang and Chrysler minivan, and was credited with being one of America's greatest product developers.

Ask the average automotive enthusiast who led the development of the Ford Mustang and Chrysler minivan, and the likely answer they’ll give you is Lee Iacocca. Which isn’t incorrect. Iacocca, as the eventual president of Ford and then the chairman of Chrysler,