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.
