Gilles New Head of Chrysler Design

By Marty Padgett August 18th, 2008

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Ralph Gilles, the stylist credited with the blingy Chrysler 300 sedan, is the company's new head of design.

Gilles replaces Trevor Creed, a 23-year veteran of Chrysler design, who's retiring effective August 31.

"Trevor has led a distinguished automotive design career," said Chrysler LLC Chairman and CEO Robert L. Nardelli. "He played a key leadership role in the design of award-winning vehicles such as the new Dodge Challenger, Chrysler 300C, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Dodge Viper, Dodge Ram and the Plymouth Prowler. We thank him for his contribution to the
Company and wish him well in his retirement."

Gilles will report to Frank Klegon, who runs product development at the Auburn Hills-based automaker. With the title of Vice President-Design, Gilles will be responsible for running the design studios of the company for all brands, including Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep.

Posted in : 2008, Chrysler |

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5 Responses to “Gilles New Head of Chrysler Design”

Less bling, more substance, lower drag coefficients… The 300 might pack bling, but it’s also loaded with numerous blunders of design: poor visibility, cramped interior, terrible aerodynamics, etc. It’s high time they go back to cab-forward and revise it for a more stylish result than the jelly beans of the late 1990s.

HDFL: exactly.

“It’s the MPG, Stupid!”

I’m not sure if HDFL has ever driven a 300, but I recently took the opportunity to rent 300’s on 2 recent trips to FL.

I rentened the secon time because I was very impressed with the 300. I found the interiors to be spacious and didn’t have a problem with visibility. Maybe it’s my 5′ 11″ average man height and build, but I thought the cars were fine, although the dashboard was a little plain.

Mileage for both trips was exactly 25.

I’ve not seen the interiors of more upscale 300’s but I’d bet they are on par with Toyota and Honda.

Sales of the 300 have plummeted in 2008. It’s a large car, and heavy too. Windows are too small (a design thing).

I have rented, for lack of a better choice, a Dodge Avenger (?), a Charger-300 clone, 7/8 version. And it is not that it did not have enough room, it also did, but it was really poor quality, cheapo materials, b lind spots and poor ergonomics all around. I would never pay $20,000 for such an excremental vehicle. (I’d not buy it even at $10k!)

As an owner of a 2007 SRT8 I will say the car has some blind spots but what cars don’t? Cramped interior, I don’t get that, seems spacious to me. I bought this car for a lot of reasons, gangster car looks, E-class basic underpinning design, smooth and quiet monster engine plus a MB transmission for $45, 000. What a steal! Plus I get about 21MPG at 75MPH. Hurts a lil at the pumps buying 93 octane but the fun factor makes up for it. Ralph G needs to apply his styling expertise over the whole car line, that Sebring is sinful looking. Bill