DIETER ZETSCHE'S FACIAL SHRUBBERY: A 31-YEAR PROJECT STARTED AS A LAD

Dieter Zetsche arrived in the U.S. with the tough task of blotting up the red ink at Chrysler. The German auto executive has been subsequently vilified for overseeing thousands of Chrysler job cuts.

That's prompted a lot of questions about the transplanted Chrysler president. Like “Who is this guy?” and “What makes him tick?”

A different line of questioning: “Where'd he get that wild and bushy mustache, the one that looks like he planted a hedge-row under his nose?”

Well, Mr. Zetsche says he's been nurturing it since he was a lad of 16. The facial shrubbery has been growing ever since. Asked if he grew it as a teen to look older, Mr. Zetsche, who is 47 years old, replied, “Yes, and now it's working.”