The man behind the pen: 300 & Magnum
The Detroit Free Press talks to Ralph Gilles, the man given credit for making wagons cool and high-beltlines stylish. They speak of how he became a Chrysler designer and the tedious things the low man on the totem pole gets to design (speedometer needles; that'll take some wind out of your sails) and the trial that the new Charger will get when it reaches dealer lots in a month or so. Again, we're not convinced that the two-door loyalists will have much of an impact on Charger sales with practicality winning over "history" 9 times out of 10. Would we like a two-door brethren, sure. Maybe Gilles is working on that too.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
laserwizard 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
Well, the debate of the bastardization of the Charger going from two doors to four days continues. It is obvious that no self-respecting car lover could ever be so stupid as to applaud having a four door Charger anymore than he could applaud placing the Charger name on a front wheel drive car in the 1980's. One can hide behind the smokescreen of practicality all one wants as justification for having four and not two doors, but a Dodge Charger is never a two door car just like a four door Mustang would be absurd (even though Ford briefly entertained such an idea). Dodge would have been better off making the Charger a Coronet. The only thing that a four door Dodge Charger is good for is to watch it get crushed in a car crusher.
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Doublehead 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
What's the problem? I think the new Charger looks great, like most of the new Dodge cars. That man is a genius. Before the new Dodge's and the new Mustang came, all american cars (except for Jeep and Corvette, and maybe some more) were horrible plastic bubble yuck.
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Gerladine2 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
I commend them, if Chrysler has made VAST improvements in regards to styling. Shouldn't the exterior of a vehicle reflect the interior? There is a nice little discussion about this at: http://autoie.blogspot.com/2005/03/chrysler-300c-its-whats-on_111014812633309431.html
Some new automotive blog I have been checking out.
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Ryan 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
Too bad his design is all form and no function. The 300 and Charger are among the majority of vehicles that have no decent trunk handle. That's right, trunk handle. Think that's no big deal? Get used to a car that has a decent trunk handle, then try going back to leaving hand prints on the back of your car (and getting your hand dirty) in the winter as you have no way to open the trunk but to slide you hand across the top of the bumper, and no way to close it except to plant your hand on the trunk lid.
But I suppose it's not all his fault, so it's a moot point...
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tony 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
Mr. Giles ,
Thanks for having the nuts to Design a real American car again. You didnt comprimise and all those cars look beautiful like all American cars should. The other guys should be fighting to hire you. Keep em coming. I am definately buying one (not sure which yet) as my next car. GM lost another cutomer
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Larry 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
What’s with Chrysler and that stupid cross-hatch front design on all their front ends? Are they going to put that stupid design on every vehicle they produce?
I’m getting sick of it already. It getting old. A lot of their vehicles wold look better without it.
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Lex 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
This is for those people that think they know it all on Mustang, the forgotten Mustang, click here
http://www.muscularmustangs.com/database/fourdoor.php
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brian 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
I sit in meetings with Ralph every Thursday. He's pretty bright, but not without his faults.
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