Chrysler 300 Designer Will Head All Designs For The New FCA Group

FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) today announced that Ralph Gilles was named Head of Design and member of the FCA Group Executive Council (GEC). He currently leads the FCA North American Design Office as Senior Vice President, a position he was named to in June 2009. The GEC is the highest management-level decision making body within the FCA organization and is led by the FCA Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Gilles succeeds Lorenzo Ramaciotti, who is retiring after several years of dedicated service with the Company. Ramaciotti will continue to lend his expertise to the group serving as a Special Advisor to the CEO.

“We extend our sincere appreciation to Lorenzo for his unwavering dedication, service, leadership and many contributions to the organization,” said Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.

Tweet Of The Day: Inside A Car Design Studio

Walking about design office it often strikes me that as professional designers that there are so many… http://t.co/c5UeHt060J
— Ralph Gilles (@RalphGilles) February 20, 2015

Car Designer Ralph Gilles Honored By Hometown Paper For Being A Risk Taker

Gilles is the second highest ranking black in the field of automotive design. The first is Ed Welburn, the global design chief for General Motors.

Black History Moment: Ralph Gilles, The Highest Ranking Designer At The Chrysler Group

Ralph Gilles at the Chicago Auto Show with the editor, Jeff Fortson

Title: President and CEO of SRT Brand and Senior Vice President of Design

Age: 44

School: College for Creative Studies in Detroit

Career Highlight: When 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. 

Car Career Highlights: Gilles was responsible for putting swag in big cars again with vehicles like the Chrysler 300, the Dodge Charger and the Dodge Magnum. 

Car Designer Ralph Gilles Talks Race, Inspiration And Legacy (Part Two) --- Rewind Interview

Designer Ralph Gilles and Actor Terrence Howard

Here's part two of our interview with the current vice president of design for the Chrysler Group, Ralph Gilles, as he talks about race, inspiration and legacy. This interview was conducted with him in 2006, shortly after the gangster-like Chrysler 300 hit the scene. To view part-one of our interview click here.

J. What are you current vehicle projects? Are there any projects forthcoming with your sister division, Mercedes?

RG: I was recently promoted to vice president of the Jeep, truck and components studio, meaning I work with the design teams that create those vehicles, as well as the components (radios, vents, AC) that are in those and others. I can’t discuss future projects in any of those areas for competitive reasons, but I can say it’s very exciting to work in areas that have been so critical historically with our company’s success. Jeep is an icon; the Ram trucks, Durangos and Nitros are part of a change in how trucks are used and perceived. It’s a very exciting time. As to Mercedes, we throw ideals between brands back and forth, but we are very aware that brands must stay separated and pure. My primary work is always the Chrysler Group – Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler products.

J: Is there anything in particular that helps to influence you when you’re in the design studio: culture, music, video games, politics or sports?

RG: To a designer, you are a sponge of influence. You absorb everything from buildings to furniture to fashion to products. I’m a huge reader of all types of magazines, and you look at the ads, the products and use that – whether you do it knowing you are doing it or not!  -- to apply it to your work. We are constantly learning and constantly improving.

J: Like Tiger Woods has done for golf, you have exposed minorities to another field in the automotive industry.  With that said, what would you suggest to minorities that are interested in designing vehicles for a major automaker?

Rewind Interview: The Brother That Put Chrysler Back in the Black (Part One of Two)

Photo Credit: JeffCars.com

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.

Chrysler's Top Car Designer Puts 'The Donald' In Check

Using Twitter earlier this week, Chrysler's top design guy, put 'The Donald' in check over some misleading information he spread about Jeep and China. 'The Donald' is hoping to sway voters to jump on the Republican bandwagon.

This conversation appeared on Twitter recently:

Donald J. TrumpVerified‏@realDonaldTrump

Obama is a terrible negotiator. He bails out Chrysler and now Chrysler wants to send all Jeep manufacturing to China--and will!

Gilles‏@RalphGilles1 Nov
@realDonaldTrump you are full of shit! 

For Viper Enthusiasts: Autoline Detroit Interview with Designer Ralph Gilles

If you're a Viper enthusiast, you'll appreciate this one-on-one interview courtesy of Autoline Detroit.

Tweets of the Week: Chrysler's Paint Colors And Mercedes' Latest Coupe-Like Sedan

Ever wonder how we try colors out, with out going broke painting full size cars! twitter.com/RalphGilles/st…
— Ralph Gilles (@RalphGilles) June 25, 2012

Chrysler's vice president of design shares how his company decides on paint colors.

Twitter Photos From Designer Ralph Gilles And Audi USA

One of the Joys of living in south east Michigan! twitter.com/RalphGilles/st…
— Ralph Gilles (@RalphGilles) June 25, 2012

Captured by @audizine somewhere in Colorado... The 2013 Audi S5. This is the first time we have seen this high-powered work of art. instagr.am/p/MUBJlhOmEi/
— Audi (@Audi) June 25, 2012

While scanning Twitter earlier, here are two tweets that literally caught our eye. One is from the brother responsible for overseeing the design in America for the Chrysler Group (and Fiat) and the other photo is from the folks at Audi. Where else, but Detroit would you see two Vipers, which are products of the Chrysler Group, traveling on the highway together? Also, is the first time we have seen photos of the Audi S5 in a two-door configuration.

JeffCars.com's Interview with The Man Behind Chrysler's Award-Winning Designs

The editor of Jeffcars.com takes a moment to chat with Ralph Gilles at this year's North American International Auto Show.

Video: Chrysler's Head Designer Shares His Latest High-Performance Line

Chrysler's smoking-hot 2012 SRT-8 line will be hitting the streets soon. Get the inside scoop on the inspiration behind the vehicles from Chrysler's lead designer, Ralph Gilles. See the video below to experience the passion.

Dodge's New CEO Unleashes New Viper ACR-X

Since Chrysler Group LLC emerged from bankruptcy, the automaker has developed a new brand logo for several of its brands, one being the new Dodge Car brand. Dodge cars no longer share a brand logo with the  the infamous Ram truck brand. Both brands now stand on its own, offering new logos. Also Dodge has a new CEO, which happens to be Ralph Gilles, who also oversees product design for Chrysler LLC, too. Gilles was also responsible for overseeing the design of the once, but now dated, ultra popular - Chrysler 300.

After several months over haggling if the Viper would remain with the once battered automaker, Dodge has finally built 25 units of the turn-key, non-street legal Viper ACR-Xs. All 25 have been purchased exclusively through Viper Race Headquarters and many will be making their on-track debuts in July 2010 as part of the newly formed Dodge Viper Cup series.

The SRT-developed 8.4-liter V-10 engine that powers the Viper ACR-X is equipped with factory headers and a low-restriction exhaust system that produces 640 horsepower (40 more than production model) and 605 lb.-ft. of torque (45 more than production model). Following the initial build at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant, each engine is shipped to a dynamometer lab where it is verified for proper outputs and electronically sealed before being sent back to the plant for final installation.

Guess Which Brother Plans on Putting Chrysler Back on Track, Again?

As Chrysler struggles to recover from bankruptcy with little new product, many have wondered how the company plans to get back on its feet. If you ask Dodge Brand CEO and Chrysler Chief Designer Ralph Gilles, they'll do it by emulating Apple.

Speaking to the Economic Club of Chicago at their annual Chicago Auto Show luncheon yesterday, Gilles said that Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs is his hero and that Chrysler should try to be more like Apple and return to its roots in building innovative new vehicles. While getting back to the strategies that helped them invent the minivan and other notable segment-busters, Gilles said that Chrysler must avoid building more one-hit wonders like the (discontinued) Pacifica.
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"The problem is that every one of those vehicles were one-hit wonders," said Gilles. "We can't do that anymore. The philosophy at Chrysler is to do every vehicle that way. Branded design is everything -- separating into four distinct brands. We've had too much overlap, too many products that were alike."

Speaking more specifically about product, Gilles said that the next-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee is due out in three months time and that the little Fiat 500, the first Fiat vehicle to make it to the U.S. through Fiat's acquisition of Chrysler last year, will go on sale by the end of this year. Gilles also announced that the next-generation Chrysler 300 sedan will arrive by December.

"Hopefully, when you see that car, grown men and women will have tears running from their eyes," Gilles said of the 300. "Hopefully, when you see that, you will say, 'Go, America.'"

Gilles filled in as guest speaker at the luncheon at the last minute after the scheduled speaker, his boss and Chrysler/Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, was called away to sign a joint-venture agreement to produce vehicles in Russia.

Source: Automotive News

JeffCars.com's side note: Gilles was appointed to the position of CEO of the Dodge brand last year - after the automaker evolved from bankruptcy. He's assumed all of the responsibilities that come along with running a brand in addition to overseeing the design of all of Chrysler's vehicles. This is a first for a person of color to have key dual roles in the history of the automotive industry. Gilles was responsible for influencing the design of the current-generation 300 and putting the automaker back in the black several years ago. Just wondering: Could Gilles become the first person of color to become the CEO for an automaker?

An Insider's Perspective: Why We Must Bailout the Auto Industy Now!

Lee Iaccoca (l), former CEO of Chrysler, is shaking hands with president Carter (r) after agreeing upon a bailout plan in the late seventies.

After watching the round of political talk shows today, I have decided to share my thoughts on this subject. To read my automotive commentary filled with historical facts, visit Tom Joyner's Web site - BlackAmericaWeb.com. After reading the commentary, my hope is that this will give you an insider's view of this complex industry. Feel free to leave your comments here or on Tom's site.

Two Brothers Brought Sexy Back to Station Wagons

Caddy's CTS Wagon (above)

Dodge's Magnum (below)


As Dodge discontinues their large wagon this year, Cadillac is expected to launch its first wagon in the U. S. next spring. The new wagon will be based off of Caddy's stylish CTS sedan. Cadillac is hoping to capture consumers looking to downsize from their gas-guzzling SUVs. From the looks of it, I believe Cadillac has a winner on its hand. With this new offering, Cadillac is obviously competing with BMW's 3-Series wagon and Mercedes-Benz's C-Class wagon. For the first time in history, both GM and Chrysler design teams will be led by brothers - Edward T. Wilburn, who is the vice president of Global Design for GM, and Ralph Gilles of Chrysler , lead designer for the once popular 300 will assume the vice president of Design title in September. Both Welburn and Gilles influenced the design cues of the wagons featured in this blog. Now that both of these designers are at the wheel, we should expect more vehicles with a lot of attitude and flair. As you know, a standout design, above average quality and fuel-efficiency are the three components needed to drive sales - returning the American automakers to the black again. Welburn and Gilles are charged with the awesome responsibility of bringing buyers back to the two American automotive icons.