Sales are one thing, but what Kranz is really touting is the company's turnaround. In 1998, Hyundai sold a dismal 90,000 vehicles during the entire year. It was plagued by myriad quality issues and the dismal reputation that comes with them. It was seen as a second-, maybe third-class purveyor of cheap econoboxes. Twelve years later, it's seen as a leader in both quality and value -- and even is competitive in the luxury and near-luxury segments, with the well-received and critically popular Equus and Genesis models. Not to mention that production had to be ramped up to keep pace with demand for the design-forward Sonata sedan.

Twelve years. That's a pretty impressive rags-to-riches story in a short amount of time. Are you paying attention, Chrysler?