AAH #717 - Designing for the Future w/ Ralph Gilles Stellantis' Chief Design Officer
About this episode
Ralph Gilles, Stellantis' Chief Design Officer, shares insights on the evolution of automotive design and the future of the industry. He reflects on his extensive career at Chrysler, discussing the importance of blending nostalgia with innovation. The conversation covers the shift towards electric vehicles, the role of AI in design, and the resurgence of concept cars. Gilles emphasizes the need for a strong brand identity, particularly for Jeep, and the challenges of integrating new technologies while maintaining classic design elements. His passion for design and the automotive industry shines through as he discusses upcoming projects and the excitement of engaging younger generations.
Delorean DMC-12
"...s off to Hill Valley, California, the site of the DeLorean in Back to the Future. Yeah, okay, so now where y..."
Dodge Viper
"...were designing the Magnum three hundred Gen three Viper at the time, so I was in nirvana, you know. But t..."
Dodge Magnum
"...ook over. That was right as we were designing the Magnum three hundred Gen three Viper at the time, so I w..."
Chrysler Pacifica
"...n we were there, and the PT Cruiser, the original PACIFICA three hundred m. I mean, so you were talking abou..."
Chrysler PT Cruiser
"...he Crossfire came out when we were there, and the PT Cruiser, the original PACIFICA three hundred m. I mean, s..."
Plymouth Prowler
"...PT Cruiser was exactly that. Why not you know the Prowler that was born. When I was there, I was like, whoa..."
Jeep Cherokee
"...er Jeep cycle. If you look at the last generation Cherokee. I have some regrets about that vehicle. It serve..."
Jeep Recon
"...e jeepy jeeps, and we have. I'm very proud of the Recon. When you see the new Recon in perpose, and first..."
Jeep Wagoneer
"... the Recon is going to be a runaway and I drive a Wagoneer. I didn't drive today, but I drive it for the las..."
Jeep Grand Cherokee
"...It's the urban side of jeep, you know that, which Grand Cherokee started and still does very well today. That's th..."
Dodge Charger
"...off the small in Europe. Speaker 3: So is the new charger on Cell large large? Speaker 5: Yeah, the recon t..."
Dodge Challenger
"... people. And I when we started off to replace the Challenger and charger. We knew that the wheelbase wouldn't ..."
Honda Element
"...row at the same time. So we wanted to add another element because again it's competing with u vs. Now there..."
Jeep Wrangler
"...for that. But there's certain nameplates like the Wrangler. I would say the Charger is one of those where yo..."
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