Philip T. Clark

He was interested in music early in life, and later received a scholarship to Vanderbilt University to begin a medical career, which he abandoned due to the extreme hours required and the worsening of an unknown illness.

Clark had been training as an engineer for Avco before he became ill with urological issues and decided that transportation design would be a better fit for his health.

[2] Spurred by a love of cars, engineering and art, Clark sent some of his drawings to Chrysler Corporation, and received a letter from them that told him to choose an auto design school, complete the course (with honors) and then come back to them.

[3] Clark was hired by a General Motors exec to work on the 1964 Futurama cars for the New York World Show.

The final decision on the name was left up to Lee Iacocca, the vice-president and general manager of the Ford Motor Company.