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Bunkie was the guy behind the remake of Pontiac into a performance brand and the Chevrolet boss (later GM VP) at the helm when the "mystery motor" which became the BBC was developed, when Camaro replaced Corvair as the sporty compact, and who approved a whole slew of Vince Piggins's and Zora's clandestine racing antics and high-performance parts operations (setting the stage for 50+ years of Chevrolet domination in grassroots motorsports, BTW) . .. .
He was hired as president of Ford in February 1968.
Knudsen was then all over the belated decisions that pulled Ford'a street machine fat out of the fire at the end of the muscle car era. Before Bunkie, Ford was too focused on professional racing and not doing enough for the street rats on the boulevard. But virtually everything you remember that was good about Ford's muscle has Bunkie's fingerprints on it.
Rival Lee Iacocca dismissed Bunkie as "a racing nut."
September '69 . . . Bunkie gets canned. He never has much influence in the auto industry ever again. Iacocca then systematically destroys Ford's domestic racing and high-performance operations for a generation.
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Now Megyn is no Bunkie. But there's an interesting theory on the implosion of her career at NBC.
The author draws parallels to how Warren Beatty destroyed film critic Pauline Kael by giving her a job, and how Disney chairman Michael Eisner destroyed super-agent Michael Ovitz by hiring him.
So, did the same thing happen to Bunkie? Hired then fired just to destroy him? It's an interesting theory.
He was hired as president of Ford in February 1968.
Knudsen was then all over the belated decisions that pulled Ford'a street machine fat out of the fire at the end of the muscle car era. Before Bunkie, Ford was too focused on professional racing and not doing enough for the street rats on the boulevard. But virtually everything you remember that was good about Ford's muscle has Bunkie's fingerprints on it.
Rival Lee Iacocca dismissed Bunkie as "a racing nut."
September '69 . . . Bunkie gets canned. He never has much influence in the auto industry ever again. Iacocca then systematically destroys Ford's domestic racing and high-performance operations for a generation.
****
Now Megyn is no Bunkie. But there's an interesting theory on the implosion of her career at NBC.
After 12 years as a superstar at Fox News and a disastrous, calamitous, dumpster fire two (give or take) years at NBC, Kelly is about to go kicking and screaming as she exits stage left, but exit stage left she will because she has no place left to go… Which I think was always NBC’s plan…
Luring Megyn Kelly to NBC was never about anything other than destroying Megyn Kelly.
Luring Megyn Kelly to NBC was never about anything other than destroying Megyn Kelly.
So, did the same thing happen to Bunkie? Hired then fired just to destroy him? It's an interesting theory.
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