Our one-on-one interview with Ralph Gilles, the brother behind Chrysler's 300, first ran on
Tom Joyner’s website, BlackAmericaweb.com, on June 25, 2006. In case you missed it, here's an opportunity to see what was on the mind of Chrysler's current Group vice president of design.
When every auto critic questioned whether American
consumers would buy the bold, in-your-face, rear-wheel-drive Chrysler 300,
especially in snowy climates such as the Midwest and the Northeast, Chrysler
executives ignored the critics and continued on their path to build such a
vehicle.
Fortunately for Ralph Gilles, the 36-year-old, one-time
college dropout and lead designer of the ultra-popular 300 for the Chrysler
Group, the American buying public stood in line to snatch-up all of the
vehicles that were available and ignored the critics too. Prior to the launch
of this vehicle, Chrysler was bleeding red, with a $637 million loss in 2003.
Gilles’ design influence helped put the company back in the black. The company posted
a $1.9 billion profit in 2004 while many of their domestic competitors have
been struggling since to improve their designs and profitability.
Because of Gilles’ design, celebrities from radio and TV
personality Tavis Smiley to world renowned Atlanta-based prosperity minister
Creflo Dollar to rapper Snoop Dogg are all tooling around in the new American
icon. Gilles was also responsible for the Dodge Charger and making the station
wagon cool again with the Dodge Magnum. Obviously, Gilles has become a star in
his own right.
Maybe Chrysler’s advertising agency should consider
having Lee Iacocca, the former chairman of the Chrysler Corporation and one of
the key designers of the original Ford Mustang, and Gilles in a commercial
together. Both have been responsible for infusing life again into this company
(Lee saved the company from bankruptcy in the late seventies). This would have
probably been a better fit than the partnership we saw with Snoop and Iacocca
in TV ads during Chrysler’s employee pricing promotion last summer. Moreover, Gilles
has received numerous awards and accolades for his design influence.
Recently, Jeffcars.com caught up with one of the hottest
car designers in the world to pose a few questions.
J: Hey, Ralph, tell our readers how and at what age did you
become interested in the field of automotive design.
RG: Ever since I was a kid, I would modify pictures of
cars in ads or books. The vehicles of the 1980’s was, for the most part, in a
dire state, so my curiosity and love of vehicles helped me to sketch and change
things –at least where I could.
J: When you were charged with the task of designing the
300, were you expecting the vehicle to be a home run and revolutionize the
Chrysler Group?
RG: There was a very talented team that spent years
honing and refining what the 300 would ultimately become. Our motto and mantra
is to never let up, never accept tepid designs and to make bold decisions based
on “educated risks.” The 300 was one of these risks—understanding the rear-wheel-drive
creates a certain proportion that does not exist on front-wheel-drive; that
cars that look purely and unapologetically American are respected and finally,
that bold design that creates extreme love reactions can cause a strong passion
that makes a difference in the industry. We’re proud of the reaction but we are
never satisfied. More to come is all I can say!
J: At a time when the domestic automakers are suffering
with what some critics and industry analyst are calling stodgy designs and
financial woes, as a person of color, how does it feel knowing that your design
influence with the 300 has helped to revive the Chrysler Group?
RG: I am honored and humbled to have been told by so many
young people of all colors that I’m an inspiration to them. I sometimes don’t
know how to react to it because, really, I’m just doing something I love and
feel passionate about.
To check out part-two of our interview, click here.
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