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[trance music playing quietly]
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[trance music grows louder]
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[Ralph Gilles] I like to sketch the front
of the car first.
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The eyes are very important to me.
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A vehicle can have
a happy face, or a mask.
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It has to impart a soul.
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Why am I looking at this car?
It's looking back at me.
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It stirs something in me.
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People say, "I fell in love with my car.
It projects my personality so perfectly."
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That connection with the vehicle,
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it's extremely powerful.
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[engine starts]
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[car zooms by]
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-[neighboring car revs]
-[laughs]
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He knows I'll kick his ass, so...
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It's a friendly rev.
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He only has 485 horse.
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I mean,
what are you gonna do with that?
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[chuckles]
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Everything should be art.
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It's not just designing for Chrysler.
We're designing for car designers, right?
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So we should up each other's game.
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It should look good.
It should sit on the road
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and represent not only the brand well,
but be an attractive craft from Detroit.
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[upbeat piano music playing]
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[Boudette] Ralph got a job as a designer,
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and within a few years, this guy
is leading the design at Chrysler.
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I don't know of anybody, ever,
younger than Ralph
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who's been Head of Global Design.
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[Ralph] Chrysler is a very, very scrappy,
innovative company.
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It's always been the third largest,
you know, in the US auto industry.
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And that's okay.
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It's always had to innovate its way
to be noticed.
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[whirring]
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It takes a lot of work
to maintain a brand.
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A lot of brands have died
in the last six years because of that.
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The Chrysler brand
is better than it gets credit for.
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Every brand, I don't care who it is,
has had a dodgy product in their past
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that has sullied the brand
a little bit, unfortunately.
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But I'm a romantic that way. I believe
you can design your way out.
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You can create a product
that reinvigorates, revitalizes the brand,
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and that's through engineering and design.
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Right now, we're designing
the concept car, the SM-1.
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It's a family vehicle that's
fully electric and autonomous capable.
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-[Ralph] Wow! It's really different.
-[colleague] Yeah.
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We really tried to play
with giving the car more stance,
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make it feel slender and more Airstream.
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It has an athletic...
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Even though it's not meant to be
a sports car, it has an athletic stance.
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I think that's what creates
a unique proportion as well, you know?
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[Ralph] Do you think the horizon line
will actually behave that way?
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Do you intend the line to be that crisp,
or are you gonna soften it off a little?
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Are you counting on paint to do this,
or are you gonna make a crisp line?
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Crisp line.
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I think the initial idea
was to soften it up,
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-not so soft that there's not a break...
-Yeah.
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but soft enough that, you know,
all of these radiuses kind of...
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-You mind if I put a piece of tape on it?
-Yeah, go for it.
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See if it kind of holds
all the way around the car.
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[colleague] Test it out.
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[colleague clears throat]
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[Ralph] Most designs have a theme line
that holds the design together.
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The tape is one of those lines.
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If you don't get the bones right,
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you're never gonna have a good design,
no matter how hard you try.
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I remember in school,
times we talked about,
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"Can you sketch this car in three lines?"
You know?
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"Is it distinctive enough to capture it?"
And I think you could.
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I hate to break it to you,
I'm not feeling the wheels.
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Those are just placeholders?
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-Well... That's where we're headed.
-[chuckles]
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-However, we have time to change--
-I've seen the wheels...
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You know I hate directional wheels, right?
You understand this as--
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-[colleague] I know now.
-[Ralph] They're too much.
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[colleague] We can work on it, right?
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No, I think it's a great design.
I'm really proud of you guys.
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Good.
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[Ralph] If you ask someone at Ford or GM,
they could care less about Chrysler,
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they think Chrysler
is already a dead brand.
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So this concept car
is a huge investment for Chrysler.
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We don't want to just build
a fanciful concept car.
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That's easy to do.
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Wow, there's a lot of work here.
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This thing holds a lot of other
innovations that will be useful to us
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in a myriad of vehicles.
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It still has a portal
that represents eyes.
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It celebrates the brand beautifully,
but it's like nothing else out there.
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For the next few months, we're designing
everything your eye can see,
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the safety items, the infotainment...
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The design has to be so powerful
that it blows through all the paradigms
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and stands for something.
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We already own this minivan space,
but can we amplify it
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and have it mean something
to a whole bunch of people?
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Fleet companies, the whole autonomous car,
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there's so many ways we can take this,
so it's pretty big.
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So the fate of the SM1 is riding on
a meeting we're having a month from now
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with the CEO of the company.
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If he likes it, it'll go to production,
perhaps, or at least as a concept car.
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If he doesn't like it, the whole thing
will pretty much just be scrapped.
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[church bell rings]
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The real genius is Ralph is charged
with designing a vehicle
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that millions of people
would want to buy, and like,
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as opposed to
a couple of hundred wealthy people,
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who want something outrageous.
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And when you talk to car designers,
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you realize they're taking a styling cue
from something that was designed in 1938,
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some obscure car,
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but they remember that,
and they've integrated that into the...
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You need all the information to do it now.
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Oh, look at this.
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This is another gorgeous, gorgeous Ferrari
with these beautiful double-cockpit looks.
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This vehicle only has one door,
and then there's no seam.
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They really didn't want
to waste the weight of the hinges
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or create any more aerodynamic drag,
so everything is seamless.
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Now that's for future reference! [laughs]
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One of the reasons I went to Mille Miglia
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is to really dive into the most known race
in Italy,
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the most known event of the country
and be in it, to get it, to feel it.
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That inspires me.
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[car horn beeps]
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-How you doing, Larry?
-Good morning!
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Morning, man!
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So this is Carina. I named her Carina
because it means "sweet woman" in Italian.
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She's a 1957 Super Sport Zagato...
Alfa Romeo, Zagato.
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What's cool about this car
is it's called the double bubble roof.
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If you can imagine, it didn't have that,
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it would be a very tall,
unattractive-looking roof.
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So designers had to figure out
a way to get the required clearance,
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but keep the vehicle as low,
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and punch the smallest hole
through the wind, as possible.
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And it's funny 'cause, actually,
our current Viper, and a lot of cars,
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have adopted this feature
in various forms.
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[Larry] It's special.
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I mean, there's maybe a dozen
that have the double bubble, so...
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00:09:01,833 --> 00:09:04,669
[laughs] No. No, imagine how ugly
it would look.
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00:09:04,753 --> 00:09:06,796
If you fill that in, it would be here.
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It would look terrible.
So I think that's cool.
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-Oh, I get it, so that was aesthetic.
-It's always about aesthetics.
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[laughs]
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It's awesome.
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I have no idea what that car was,
but I'm going to find out.
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[laughs]
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That's the other thing that's hitting me.
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I was born in 1970, so many of these cars
are twice my age.
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[upbeat music playing]
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My love affair with cars came
from just walking around
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and seeing how ugly cars were.
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I grew up in Montreal, Quebec,
in the late '70s and early '80s.
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I remember thinking to myself, "Ugh."
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And then one day,
I saw a Porsche 911 Turbo.
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I think I was maybe nine years old.
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And it struck me as being,
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"Why is that car more attractive
than the one next to it?"
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And then I started noticing
more beautiful cars.
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I would watch Smokey and the Bandit,
the Trans Am, even Tom Selleck.
156
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I couldn't care less about Tom Selleck,
I'd watch the Ferrari.
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00:10:03,061 --> 00:10:06,648
[laughs] And, of course, Dukes of Hazzard.
I used to watch it religiously.
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00:10:06,731 --> 00:10:09,067
I had to negotiate with my parents
my homework time
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00:10:09,150 --> 00:10:10,151
and Dukes of Hazzard time.
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00:10:11,069 --> 00:10:12,862
So that's who I am, really simply.
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Someone who just woke up one day
and started noticing this machine.
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So I'm the product
of proud Haitian immigrants, you know.
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00:10:20,912 --> 00:10:24,332
And my father had very high expectations
for me from the beginning.
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Extremely critical. I mean,
we didn't even have time to play.
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Part of the problem with my dad and I
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00:10:30,839 --> 00:10:33,383
was he wanted me to be an engineer.
I wanted to be an artist.
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And he didn't know what to do with me.
168
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So I just stayed in my room
and drew a lot.
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[Maxime] My brother,
he started with stick figures of cars
170
00:10:44,102 --> 00:10:47,814
and then eventually, they became...
they actually started looking like cars.
171
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I think it was just
an innate gift that he had.
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[Ralph] Okay.
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But I guess the gnawing sensation
in the back of my mind was:
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00:10:58,283 --> 00:10:59,242
"I can't let Dad down.
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I'm not going to let him down.
I'll find a way to figure this out."
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00:11:02,829 --> 00:11:03,913
[chuckles]
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00:11:05,582 --> 00:11:07,917
I call this my folder of innocence.
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00:11:10,295 --> 00:11:14,507
Wow, this is really old.
A Jeep Cherokee my dad had.
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00:11:29,814 --> 00:11:33,151
[Boudette] Chrysler, their image,
it's not the greatest.
180
00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:36,905
They are the smallest
of the three automakers.
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00:11:36,988 --> 00:11:43,036
They don't have strong brand images
the way Toyota or Honda or BMW do,
182
00:11:43,119 --> 00:11:46,581
so they've really gotta fight
to get people to buy their cars,
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00:11:46,664 --> 00:11:49,876
and design has to be spot-on
for them to be successful.
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00:11:53,004 --> 00:11:54,213
[colleague] Hey, Ralph.
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00:11:54,297 --> 00:11:55,715
[Ralph] Hi, guys. Sorry I'm late.
186
00:11:57,842 --> 00:12:00,929
In our company, we have 21 nameplates
just on this side of the pond,
187
00:12:01,012 --> 00:12:03,139
and in Europe we have another 25 or so,
188
00:12:03,222 --> 00:12:06,225
so we have a lot of different cars
and we have multiple brands.
189
00:12:06,851 --> 00:12:09,520
[man] We've added some things.
You can actually swipe songs now.
190
00:12:10,104 --> 00:12:10,980
I love that.
191
00:12:12,231 --> 00:12:14,943
[Ralph] There's something more
to this than just designing.
192
00:12:15,026 --> 00:12:18,029
You have to manage talent,
'cause it takes an army.
193
00:12:18,112 --> 00:12:21,407
This is a little bit too fine. I think
that could use a little more beef.
194
00:12:21,491 --> 00:12:22,408
This is nice.
195
00:12:23,242 --> 00:12:24,994
I always try and imagine the future.
196
00:12:25,787 --> 00:12:27,914
The feng shui piece of the screen
bothers me.
197
00:12:27,997 --> 00:12:30,041
Like, the fact that the screen
will be there all the time.
198
00:12:30,124 --> 00:12:31,751
Maybe it flips and then it adjusts?
199
00:12:31,834 --> 00:12:33,962
-We can do that.
-It has to be all James Bond.
200
00:12:34,045 --> 00:12:35,129
[imitates sliding screen]
201
00:12:35,213 --> 00:12:37,465
You're designing
for five years in the future,
202
00:12:37,548 --> 00:12:41,052
then you have to think about the car
living in market three to six years.
203
00:12:41,135 --> 00:12:43,054
So you're looking at
a nine-year window of time
204
00:12:43,137 --> 00:12:46,224
that you have to consider
when you're creating these vehicles,
205
00:12:46,808 --> 00:12:48,226
and that's... [laughs]
206
00:12:48,309 --> 00:12:49,143
It's daunting.
207
00:12:50,770 --> 00:12:53,398
Jeep is in good shape,
RAM is doing extremely well,
208
00:12:53,481 --> 00:12:55,358
Dodge has found its way,
209
00:12:55,441 --> 00:12:58,987
but Chrysler's the one that has
the least amount of new nameplates.
210
00:12:59,070 --> 00:13:01,114
People must be wondering,
"What is Chrysler doing?
211
00:13:01,197 --> 00:13:03,992
They only have three nameplates.
They used to have eight or nine."
212
00:13:04,075 --> 00:13:07,495
So this concept car's important to say,
"Hey, we're investing in this brand,
213
00:13:07,578 --> 00:13:10,039
but we're changing the direction
of what the brand means."
214
00:13:10,957 --> 00:13:14,544
Last, but not least... All those
wanting to know your feelings on SM-1.
215
00:13:14,627 --> 00:13:17,005
[colleague] A comment
on the fabrication side, Ralph.
216
00:13:17,088 --> 00:13:19,716
The roof glass
is probably going to have to be acrylic.
217
00:13:19,799 --> 00:13:21,759
I don't know exactly how to produce those,
218
00:13:21,843 --> 00:13:24,679
they're probably going to have to be
poured, machine polished.
219
00:13:24,762 --> 00:13:27,724
-[groans] Sounds expensive.
-Well, I don't know yet.
220
00:13:27,807 --> 00:13:30,518
We have to be finished with the car
two to four weeks ahead of time
221
00:13:30,601 --> 00:13:34,772
just to give the fabricator the time
to work out the bugs.
222
00:13:34,856 --> 00:13:36,899
I trust you guys, but let me know
if you come to...
223
00:13:36,983 --> 00:13:38,985
You're going to come to multiple forks
in the road.
224
00:13:39,068 --> 00:13:41,154
Just, you know,
I'd like to at least know.
225
00:13:41,654 --> 00:13:42,697
Yeah, okay.
226
00:13:42,780 --> 00:13:44,949
The CEO is going to review the car
on the 8th.
227
00:13:45,033 --> 00:13:46,701
July 8th, so--
228
00:13:46,784 --> 00:13:49,370
[Ralph] No, we gotta make that count.
That's a big show.
229
00:13:49,454 --> 00:13:53,541
Either way, that's going to be
a very juicy week, so... strap in.
230
00:13:54,792 --> 00:13:56,210
[futuristic music playing]
231
00:13:58,087 --> 00:13:59,380
If this goes over properly,
232
00:13:59,464 --> 00:14:02,091
the bigger picture is that people
might change their perspective
233
00:14:02,175 --> 00:14:04,969
of what this company's all about,
where we're headed.
234
00:14:05,678 --> 00:14:07,680
You trust your gut instinct
that it's gonna work,
235
00:14:07,764 --> 00:14:10,433
and eventually it'll become
a trendsetting design.
236
00:14:14,729 --> 00:14:17,106
I think the best designs
are emotional forever.
237
00:14:18,066 --> 00:14:21,611
You see an older 300,
it's almost 11 years old now,
238
00:14:21,694 --> 00:14:23,905
and somehow they still look kind of cool,
239
00:14:23,988 --> 00:14:26,449
because that emotion was there
from the beginning.
240
00:14:28,618 --> 00:14:32,330
I was Chief of the Studio at the time
when this program was being developed.
241
00:14:32,830 --> 00:14:35,333
The grill became a big part
of the car's theme.
242
00:14:35,416 --> 00:14:37,377
But really, it harkened back
to the Virgil Exner
243
00:14:37,460 --> 00:14:40,463
of '50s cars with aggressive,
oversized hoods.
244
00:14:41,297 --> 00:14:43,800
Holding that DNA strand
is so critical to me.
245
00:14:45,301 --> 00:14:48,513
We kept making the grill
bigger and bigger and bigger,
246
00:14:48,596 --> 00:14:49,555
until it felt right.
247
00:14:50,932 --> 00:14:53,476
[Boudette] It was a sensation.
And when it came out,
248
00:14:53,559 --> 00:14:58,147
it was unlike anything we had seen
from an American car company in years.
249
00:15:00,817 --> 00:15:03,903
[Leno] The 300 was one
of Ralph's great designs
250
00:15:03,986 --> 00:15:08,616
because it has almost an African-American,
urban presence to it.
251
00:15:09,617 --> 00:15:13,287
It's got street cred, it looks cool.
252
00:15:14,122 --> 00:15:18,292
[Boudette] He gave it these sleek windows,
a long hood and a short trunk,
253
00:15:18,376 --> 00:15:23,131
and that gives it an impression of speed,
even when it's stopped.
254
00:15:25,091 --> 00:15:28,052
It just had kind of a badass look to it,
255
00:15:28,136 --> 00:15:31,472
and a lot of people who really
didn't pay attention to Chrysler
256
00:15:31,556 --> 00:15:33,599
would know, "Oh! That's the 300."
257
00:15:35,351 --> 00:15:37,562
[Ralph] The hip-hop crowd
took it under its wing.
258
00:15:38,479 --> 00:15:40,815
The vehicle looks great
and it was affordable.
259
00:15:41,732 --> 00:15:43,317
It was a pretty big deal for us.
260
00:15:47,155 --> 00:15:51,033
We create a vehicle that someone
will not just own, but will cherish,
261
00:15:51,117 --> 00:15:52,910
will create a community around,
262
00:15:52,994 --> 00:15:53,995
and it's amazing.
263
00:15:55,663 --> 00:15:57,331
[cars zooming]
264
00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:00,710
[motors hum]
265
00:16:03,129 --> 00:16:04,839
I have an inner racer inside of me.
266
00:16:04,922 --> 00:16:07,091
I've been watching racing
since I was a kid.
267
00:16:10,011 --> 00:16:13,097
I went to four different driving schools
in a span of six years
268
00:16:13,181 --> 00:16:14,557
and briefly competed.
269
00:16:15,516 --> 00:16:17,852
But the part that speaks to me,
even to this day,
270
00:16:17,935 --> 00:16:19,729
and why I go out of my way to do it...
271
00:16:20,646 --> 00:16:21,814
is the escape.
272
00:16:27,612 --> 00:16:31,157
When I'm driving a car,
literally, the world melts away.
273
00:16:36,037 --> 00:16:37,997
You and the machine melt together.
274
00:16:39,957 --> 00:16:43,836
Everything kind of goes in slow motion
and you're dancing with the car.
275
00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:45,963
[calming music playing]
276
00:16:49,967 --> 00:16:51,219
I come alive in a way.
277
00:16:53,304 --> 00:16:54,972
[cars zooming]
278
00:16:59,519 --> 00:17:02,563
The Viper is a big part
of what turned me on about Chrysler.
279
00:17:03,981 --> 00:17:07,485
At the time the Viper came out,
it had double the horsepower of a Mustang.
280
00:17:07,568 --> 00:17:09,278
It was the fastest car you could buy.
281
00:17:10,655 --> 00:17:13,991
Insanely large engine,
a V10 that was eight liters,
282
00:17:14,075 --> 00:17:15,201
I mean, just enormous.
283
00:17:16,118 --> 00:17:19,205
And you could buy that car
for less than $50,000 when it came out.
284
00:17:19,288 --> 00:17:20,581
So it was unheard of.
285
00:17:22,083 --> 00:17:25,586
One of my favorite parts of this car
is not even the car itself,
286
00:17:25,670 --> 00:17:28,673
it's actually something
that happened when I picked it up.
287
00:17:28,756 --> 00:17:32,885
So this is the very first ACR
to come off the line at Conner,
288
00:17:32,969 --> 00:17:34,804
where they make all the Vipers.
289
00:17:34,887 --> 00:17:37,056
And a lot of the people here
are very special.
290
00:17:37,139 --> 00:17:40,268
They love this plant, you know,
it's kind of a second home for them.
291
00:17:40,893 --> 00:17:43,729
So when I went to pick up my car,
they started signing the car.
292
00:17:44,313 --> 00:17:47,692
I think they knew in their mind
this car would be used as intended.
293
00:17:48,776 --> 00:17:52,363
Dave Bailey, he was Head of Engineer
for SRT for a very long time.
294
00:17:52,947 --> 00:17:55,157
And here's Rustard Daselli,
he just retired,
295
00:17:55,241 --> 00:17:58,202
he ran SRT with me
for the last four and a half years,
296
00:17:58,286 --> 00:17:59,453
so, great people.
297
00:18:00,288 --> 00:18:01,664
I can't even... This is priceless.
298
00:18:01,747 --> 00:18:04,292
I will never sell this car
because of this, so...
299
00:18:04,875 --> 00:18:06,377
[upbeat music playing]
300
00:18:09,046 --> 00:18:12,550
The acronym for SRT means
Street & Racing Technology.
301
00:18:12,633 --> 00:18:13,801
[revving]
302
00:18:14,468 --> 00:18:15,970
It's music, it's music.
303
00:18:17,305 --> 00:18:18,723
SRT was always about the Viper,
304
00:18:18,806 --> 00:18:21,809
and then we started to fan out
its personality on the 300.
305
00:18:22,893 --> 00:18:25,646
So we lowered the suspension,
made it look really sporty.
306
00:18:25,730 --> 00:18:28,357
We showed it to management,
and they couldn't deny it. They're like,
307
00:18:28,441 --> 00:18:31,193
"There's something cool about that,"
then one thing led to another,
308
00:18:31,277 --> 00:18:33,988
and all of a sudden,
the SRT started going nuts.
309
00:18:34,071 --> 00:18:36,032
We went from having two SRTs to ten.
310
00:18:38,451 --> 00:18:41,329
[Leno] America's always been about
value for the dollar.
311
00:18:41,412 --> 00:18:44,457
You get Lamborghini, Ferrari performance
312
00:18:44,957 --> 00:18:48,002
in a car that the average American
could aspire to.
313
00:18:49,128 --> 00:18:51,213
I mean, it's the American success story.
314
00:18:53,132 --> 00:18:55,843
[Ralph] The non-spoken part
of the SRT phenomenon
315
00:18:55,926 --> 00:18:58,012
is the owners become kindred spirits.
316
00:18:58,095 --> 00:19:00,348
They see each other
on the road, they wave at each other,
317
00:19:00,431 --> 00:19:03,309
they go to car club events together,
they become friends because of the car.
318
00:19:03,392 --> 00:19:05,978
Some people buy the SRTs
to be part of the community.
319
00:19:06,062 --> 00:19:07,355
Hey, John! Nice driving.
320
00:19:08,564 --> 00:19:10,232
That was outstanding, by the way.
321
00:19:10,983 --> 00:19:12,234
That's a powerful thing.
322
00:19:12,318 --> 00:19:15,029
I mean, it transcends much more
than what we do as designers.
323
00:19:15,112 --> 00:19:16,906
It becomes popular culture.
324
00:19:17,657 --> 00:19:19,241
And I think that's pretty cool.
325
00:19:20,660 --> 00:19:23,162
-[Doris] Ready, honey?
-[Ralph] Uh-oh, it's time. All right.
326
00:19:24,205 --> 00:19:25,581
Man, you make me work hard.
327
00:19:26,082 --> 00:19:26,957
Let's go.
328
00:19:27,041 --> 00:19:28,793
-All right.
-You ready?
329
00:19:29,377 --> 00:19:31,170
Yep. [whispers] Okay...
330
00:19:31,253 --> 00:19:33,839
[Ralph] Gonna wave the flag
for Alfa Romeo today
331
00:19:33,923 --> 00:19:35,383
and moms all over the world.
332
00:19:35,466 --> 00:19:36,467
[Doris laughs]
333
00:19:37,968 --> 00:19:42,515
Way back when, I used to sit there
with a stopwatch and a pad of paper
334
00:19:42,598 --> 00:19:46,352
and have to, like, record every lap
and all his lap times.
335
00:19:47,770 --> 00:19:49,105
[Ralph] You're doing good.
336
00:19:49,563 --> 00:19:50,940
Just a touch of brake here...
337
00:19:51,023 --> 00:19:54,735
[Doris] And now that the kids are older,
we're looking for stuff to do together.
338
00:19:54,819 --> 00:19:56,404
[Ralph] Let's call this
your acceleration point.
339
00:19:56,487 --> 00:19:59,073
So from here, every time I want you
to hit it full throttle
340
00:19:59,156 --> 00:20:01,617
-all the way to the braking zone.
-[car zooming]
341
00:20:02,410 --> 00:20:04,120
[Doris] Ralph is intense.
342
00:20:04,203 --> 00:20:06,747
Like when he was teaching me
how to drive a stick,
343
00:20:06,831 --> 00:20:11,252
like, if I get all flustered and I'm like,
"That's it, I'm done for today,"
344
00:20:11,335 --> 00:20:12,920
he'll be like, "You get back in there."
345
00:20:13,003 --> 00:20:15,089
[Ralph] Partial acceleration now,
346
00:20:15,172 --> 00:20:16,465
and full right now.
347
00:20:16,549 --> 00:20:19,218
Go. Full throttle, full throttle.
348
00:20:19,301 --> 00:20:23,431
[Doris] But you know, he pushes me
and challenges me, so it's all good.
349
00:20:23,514 --> 00:20:26,100
Makes me cry every once in a while,
but that's okay.
350
00:20:26,183 --> 00:20:27,309
[laughs]
351
00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:38,154
[Ralph] It's probably the toughest time
to be a designer in this industry,
352
00:20:38,237 --> 00:20:40,406
because everyone's
hired each other by now.
353
00:20:40,489 --> 00:20:44,201
Some of my best designers are working
for Korean companies now.
354
00:20:44,326 --> 00:20:46,871
Have you noticed
the KIAs look pretty good lately? [laughs]
355
00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:50,750
The only thing I would say,
the feeling of the structure...
356
00:20:50,833 --> 00:20:54,754
It feels like a giant nipple.
Like you're toying with a teat.
357
00:20:54,837 --> 00:20:57,548
-[all laugh]
-Yeah.
358
00:20:58,507 --> 00:21:01,218
[Ralph] If there's a way
to somehow put a cup in there to...
359
00:21:01,302 --> 00:21:02,803
-To kind of--
-[colleague] Guide you.
360
00:21:02,887 --> 00:21:04,054
You're not going to roll it, right?
361
00:21:04,138 --> 00:21:07,475
The interiors have become
the new battleground for car design.
362
00:21:08,184 --> 00:21:11,687
We design every square inch
of that interior to control the message,
363
00:21:11,771 --> 00:21:13,147
make sure it's holistic.
364
00:21:13,230 --> 00:21:15,065
To make it beautiful, functional.
365
00:21:16,150 --> 00:21:19,069
We're thinking of a whole new way
of not just transporting your family,
366
00:21:19,153 --> 00:21:21,572
but living in your car,
third-space solutions,
367
00:21:21,655 --> 00:21:23,616
where you take what you love
about your home
368
00:21:23,699 --> 00:21:25,534
into your transportation solution.
369
00:21:26,118 --> 00:21:30,289
So, our interior design team,
who can speak to the third-space idea?
370
00:21:30,372 --> 00:21:32,458
[colleague] The promise of autonomy,
371
00:21:32,541 --> 00:21:34,043
a different way to interact
with your vehicle.
372
00:21:34,126 --> 00:21:36,504
You're no longer controlling it,
you're more living in it.
373
00:21:36,587 --> 00:21:40,549
So you have a cabin, which looks like
Daniel Boone would live there,
374
00:21:40,633 --> 00:21:43,260
and then you have something
that Iron Man would live in.
375
00:21:43,344 --> 00:21:46,388
I mean, glancing at them,
I don't know if I see coziness.
376
00:21:46,472 --> 00:21:47,348
[colleague] Yeah.
377
00:21:47,431 --> 00:21:49,767
[Ralph] 'Cause we've all been
to high-end hotels.
378
00:21:49,850 --> 00:21:52,394
You go in the room, it's like,
I don't know, not cozy.
379
00:21:52,478 --> 00:21:54,021
It's cool, but it's not cozy, you know?
380
00:21:54,104 --> 00:21:55,523
I'd rather be...
381
00:21:55,606 --> 00:21:57,942
But I love these,
they're very inspirational.
382
00:22:01,654 --> 00:22:03,823
We're living in exciting times.
383
00:22:03,906 --> 00:22:07,326
I love the fact that there's
all this change, all this futurism.
384
00:22:08,202 --> 00:22:12,331
Once a vehicle becomes autonomous,
the driver also becomes the passenger.
385
00:22:13,707 --> 00:22:16,085
[Ralph] It's exciting to talk
about autonomous cars.
386
00:22:17,670 --> 00:22:21,549
But when you think of autonomous cars,
you don't necessarily think of Detroit.
387
00:22:21,632 --> 00:22:22,508
Right?
388
00:22:23,008 --> 00:22:24,885
And that kind of makes me mad.
389
00:22:24,969 --> 00:22:28,180
We're gonna catch up in a big way.
If anything, we need to lead.
390
00:22:28,847 --> 00:22:30,140
[Boudette] There's a push now
391
00:22:30,224 --> 00:22:33,602
to have a national test center
for autonomous vehicles
392
00:22:33,686 --> 00:22:34,603
here in Michigan.
393
00:22:36,272 --> 00:22:38,482
Detroit is going to play a big, big role
394
00:22:38,566 --> 00:22:43,112
in how autonomous vehicles
become part of our lives.
395
00:22:44,071 --> 00:22:47,199
[colleague] The beauty of this vehicle
being level four autonomous,
396
00:22:47,283 --> 00:22:49,743
it allows the steering wheel device
397
00:22:49,827 --> 00:22:52,663
to be able to tuck away
and come out towards you.
398
00:22:52,746 --> 00:22:56,709
It creates drama and theater
when the car is turned on or turned off.
399
00:22:56,792 --> 00:22:59,503
You can feel like
you're witnessing something special.
400
00:23:01,422 --> 00:23:03,674
You're changing the discussion,
we're all changing the discussion
401
00:23:03,757 --> 00:23:06,552
of can a car be a place
you look forward to being in.
402
00:23:06,635 --> 00:23:08,554
Not something you just sit in
and you get there,
403
00:23:08,637 --> 00:23:11,724
but it's actually a... it truly is
an extension of your home.
404
00:23:14,435 --> 00:23:17,896
I'm hugely conflicted
by this autonomous car movement.
405
00:23:19,648 --> 00:23:21,859
As a leader of design
for a major corporation,
406
00:23:21,942 --> 00:23:24,528
I have to step outside of my own body
407
00:23:24,612 --> 00:23:27,364
and understand what the story
of autonomous cars is.
408
00:23:28,365 --> 00:23:29,575
You would get it on the freeway,
409
00:23:29,658 --> 00:23:32,745
then, once it's cruising,
the interior should reconfigure itself.
410
00:23:32,828 --> 00:23:34,288
We have to respond to that.
411
00:23:34,747 --> 00:23:40,127
But, the romantic car lover in me wonders
if one day, if everything is automated,
412
00:23:40,210 --> 00:23:42,838
do people care about the car anymore,
or is it just another device?
413
00:23:43,631 --> 00:23:45,049
Just like a train or something,
414
00:23:45,132 --> 00:23:47,259
or some other device
to get to work or whatever.
415
00:23:49,511 --> 00:23:51,597
But there's still
this solid base of people
416
00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:55,517
that just love the freedom
and making their own decisions.
417
00:23:57,061 --> 00:23:58,604
I just hope we always have that choice
418
00:23:58,687 --> 00:24:03,400
versus it being mandated to us,
what we're supposed to drive or not drive.
419
00:24:03,484 --> 00:24:04,735
[car zooms]
420
00:24:19,917 --> 00:24:24,004
[Maxime] My father loved cool cars,
so inherently we just liked cars,
421
00:24:24,088 --> 00:24:28,550
but we didn't have the privilege of having
all of these cool cars in our driveway.
422
00:24:30,010 --> 00:24:32,596
Who made these cars so low? [groans]
423
00:24:34,014 --> 00:24:37,226
[Maxime] Again, you have to remember,
my dad was old school, you know.
424
00:24:37,309 --> 00:24:40,187
Doctor, engineer, lawyer,
that's the only thing.
425
00:24:41,855 --> 00:24:43,148
[Ralph] He knew I was mechanical.
426
00:24:43,232 --> 00:24:45,567
I enjoyed the mechanical side
of the automobile as well,
427
00:24:45,651 --> 00:24:48,112
but the artistic side really appealed
to me much more.
428
00:24:48,195 --> 00:24:49,863
The idea of taste making.
429
00:24:53,659 --> 00:24:55,285
So my aunt, who was a teacher herself,
430
00:24:55,369 --> 00:24:58,580
saw something in that and wanted me
to cultivate the artistic side.
431
00:24:58,664 --> 00:24:59,873
She was big on that.
432
00:25:00,582 --> 00:25:03,252
And she most aggressively said,
"Hey, what are you going to do
433
00:25:03,335 --> 00:25:04,837
with this thing you like to do?"
434
00:25:05,337 --> 00:25:08,424
At the time, Lee Iacocca was
making those famous commercials:
435
00:25:08,507 --> 00:25:10,926
[Ralph and Iacocca]
"If you can find a better car, buy it."
436
00:25:12,177 --> 00:25:13,762
My aunt goes, "Lee Iacocca,
that guy on TV,
437
00:25:13,846 --> 00:25:16,056
write him a letter
and show him your drawings,
438
00:25:16,140 --> 00:25:18,142
'cause you should work
for that car company."
439
00:25:19,101 --> 00:25:20,686
It seemed so improbable.
440
00:25:21,020 --> 00:25:24,398
Why this little kid from Montreal
would be of any significance to them.
441
00:25:25,023 --> 00:25:26,734
But it felt like, "Hey, why not?"
442
00:25:29,319 --> 00:25:30,946
They actually wrote back to me.
443
00:25:32,239 --> 00:25:36,577
"Dear Ralph, Mr. Iacocca has asked
that I answer your letter for him.
444
00:25:37,161 --> 00:25:38,328
I looked over your portfolio
445
00:25:38,412 --> 00:25:42,291
and believe that you have the potential
to have a career in automotive design."
446
00:25:42,374 --> 00:25:44,042
They recommended a few schools,
447
00:25:44,126 --> 00:25:47,546
design schools that were in Michigan,
in Cleveland, and California.
448
00:25:47,629 --> 00:25:49,423
"...Center for Creative Studies...
449
00:25:49,506 --> 00:25:51,175
I hope I've been of some help to you.
450
00:25:51,258 --> 00:25:53,469
Your portfolio does show
significant promise.
451
00:25:53,552 --> 00:25:55,262
Regards, Neil Walling."
452
00:26:07,191 --> 00:26:09,068
[director] Does it move you,
when you read that?
453
00:26:11,153 --> 00:26:12,112
Mm-hmm.
454
00:26:18,243 --> 00:26:19,369
Because of that letter,
455
00:26:19,453 --> 00:26:22,289
I felt a certain draw and loyalty
to Chrysler.
456
00:26:28,295 --> 00:26:30,798
So we've been working on this idea
in terms of a solution
457
00:26:30,881 --> 00:26:33,300
for millennial vehicles
for about two years.
458
00:26:34,635 --> 00:26:36,386
We've been going out
to speak to millennials,
459
00:26:36,470 --> 00:26:39,139
just traveling across the country,
literally in their living rooms.
460
00:26:39,765 --> 00:26:43,352
They often describe their issues,
their problems they're trying to solve.
461
00:26:43,435 --> 00:26:46,355
As designers, we kind of listen in
really carefully to the problem
462
00:26:46,438 --> 00:26:48,315
and say,
"Okay, today there isn't a vehicle
463
00:26:48,398 --> 00:26:50,609
that solves two of those problems
at the same time."
464
00:26:51,485 --> 00:26:54,446
We're trying to create products
that solve multiple problems,
465
00:26:54,530 --> 00:26:56,365
and in so doing, you create
a white space,
466
00:26:56,448 --> 00:26:58,033
meaning there's nothing there.
It's a canvas.
467
00:26:58,116 --> 00:27:00,369
It's wide open
for you to develop the answer.
468
00:27:05,082 --> 00:27:09,419
What do you guys think about
scrunching down the bumper pad?
469
00:27:10,129 --> 00:27:10,963
Or the...
470
00:27:11,046 --> 00:27:11,880
[indistinct chatter]
471
00:27:11,964 --> 00:27:14,925
It would look so much better
with a little more breathing room.
472
00:27:15,008 --> 00:27:16,260
[colleague] The bumper...
473
00:27:16,343 --> 00:27:18,262
Hey, Dunford,
I think you're going to like it.
474
00:27:19,054 --> 00:27:20,430
If you like it, I like it.
475
00:27:20,514 --> 00:27:21,932
[scoffs] Stop!
476
00:27:22,933 --> 00:27:25,853
When I grow up, I want to be a yes-man.
[laughs] Just...
477
00:27:27,062 --> 00:27:28,605
Any comments from anyone else?
478
00:27:29,356 --> 00:27:32,359
Everything is pretty symmetrical,
but yet the wheel isn't.
479
00:27:32,442 --> 00:27:33,485
[Dunford] Glad you said that.
480
00:27:33,569 --> 00:27:35,320
-Let's go look at it.
-[Ralph] All right.
481
00:27:35,821 --> 00:27:38,407
I mean, the easy fix is
to stretch the wheel base.
482
00:27:38,991 --> 00:27:40,617
-Now. Not...
-[chuckles] Yeah.
483
00:27:40,742 --> 00:27:42,578
A year from now, it will very hard.
484
00:27:43,537 --> 00:27:47,624
One area I keep staring at
is the radius on especially the rear door,
485
00:27:47,708 --> 00:27:49,167
as it transitions.
486
00:27:49,251 --> 00:27:51,712
And I think now,
if you move that wheel back...
487
00:27:51,795 --> 00:27:53,839
-Can you--
-Let it breathe?
488
00:27:53,922 --> 00:27:56,383
Let it breathe. It feels like it's forcing
its way around the wheel.
489
00:27:56,466 --> 00:27:59,052
You can actually see
the highlight crashing with that.
490
00:27:59,136 --> 00:28:01,180
The front one is perfect. Let's do that.
491
00:28:01,263 --> 00:28:04,016
Let's call it 40 mils,
I think 40 mils is perfect.
492
00:28:04,933 --> 00:28:08,145
-You can go too far quick, you know?
-[colleague] Oh, yeah. You can. Yeah.
493
00:28:08,270 --> 00:28:11,356
[Ralph] It'll come alive.
No, nice job. What can I say?
494
00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:12,941
-Good stuff.
-Thank you.
495
00:28:14,484 --> 00:28:16,111
-Good stuff.
-Sounds good.
496
00:28:16,194 --> 00:28:18,322
Good stuff, John. No, no, you get a hug.
497
00:28:18,405 --> 00:28:19,406
[laughter]
498
00:28:20,032 --> 00:28:21,700
[Ralph] If you think about
family formation
499
00:28:21,783 --> 00:28:23,744
and the way
people have transported families,
500
00:28:23,827 --> 00:28:27,122
you had the station wagon,
then you had the minivan.
501
00:28:28,707 --> 00:28:29,625
And all of a sudden,
502
00:28:29,708 --> 00:28:33,879
you had a vehicle that was
80% people space, 20% mechanical space
503
00:28:33,962 --> 00:28:35,130
in terms of volume.
504
00:28:36,131 --> 00:28:37,466
People recognize that right away.
505
00:28:38,383 --> 00:28:41,345
And from 1984 onwards,
it has been a success story.
506
00:28:44,139 --> 00:28:45,349
[hopeful music playing]
507
00:28:45,432 --> 00:28:47,976
[Leno] They've always been
sort of boom or bust.
508
00:28:48,060 --> 00:28:50,854
The K-car.
Oh, we did a million jokes about that.
509
00:28:50,938 --> 00:28:53,815
Cars A through J, how bad were they
if this is the K-car?
510
00:28:54,608 --> 00:28:57,361
[Boudette] The irony is they took
the base of the K-car,
511
00:28:57,444 --> 00:29:01,031
and they put a big roof on it
and turned it into the minivan.
512
00:29:01,114 --> 00:29:01,949
[applause]
513
00:29:02,032 --> 00:29:03,575
[Leno] Boom!
They're rolling in dough again.
514
00:29:03,659 --> 00:29:05,202
They're making a ton of dough,
515
00:29:05,285 --> 00:29:08,330
but you've got to reinvent yourself
every single year
516
00:29:08,413 --> 00:29:09,414
in the automobile business.
517
00:29:11,333 --> 00:29:14,002
[Ralph] 1987, the Portofino
concept car came out.
518
00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:16,588
I remember seeing that concept car
519
00:29:16,672 --> 00:29:19,383
and going, "Whoa, here are
the people that make the Caravan."
520
00:29:19,633 --> 00:29:20,634
And it floored me.
521
00:29:22,427 --> 00:29:23,262
The '90s.
522
00:29:25,389 --> 00:29:26,974
That's when the company was healthy.
523
00:29:28,934 --> 00:29:31,061
The Concord came out, the LHS,
524
00:29:34,147 --> 00:29:35,649
the Chronos concept,
525
00:29:36,775 --> 00:29:38,151
the 300 concept...
526
00:29:38,652 --> 00:29:41,363
to try to remind the world
that we had that in us.
527
00:29:46,785 --> 00:29:49,121
It's funny how it kind of goes...
528
00:29:49,204 --> 00:29:51,456
Like, you're flying high,
then you hit a wall,
529
00:29:51,540 --> 00:29:53,709
you hit an economic something
and then you're low again,
530
00:29:53,792 --> 00:29:56,628
[stammers] and then you always try
to get back to that.
531
00:29:56,712 --> 00:29:58,005
That happy place.
532
00:29:59,798 --> 00:30:02,509
We think the house is steady right now,
533
00:30:02,592 --> 00:30:08,140
so it's time again to do a vehicle that
tells the world where we want to be going.
534
00:30:12,269 --> 00:30:14,229
Taste making takes time.
535
00:30:15,689 --> 00:30:18,358
I believe what we do as designers
is create taste.
536
00:30:19,026 --> 00:30:19,901
Hello!
537
00:30:20,902 --> 00:30:23,030
All right, where am I going to be,
right here?
538
00:30:23,113 --> 00:30:25,949
Sometimes we're a little bit ahead
of culture, or ahead of the times
539
00:30:26,033 --> 00:30:28,785
and we challenge it
and we hear that noise.
540
00:30:29,578 --> 00:30:31,621
It happens all the time
on a creative vehicle
541
00:30:31,705 --> 00:30:33,749
that is either loved or very much hated.
542
00:30:34,791 --> 00:30:37,878
The way it's laid out on the table,
it's cozy, earthy and then...
543
00:30:37,961 --> 00:30:39,046
-Yes.
-technical.
544
00:30:40,130 --> 00:30:42,674
-There are stories behind that.
-There are stories behind that.
545
00:30:42,758 --> 00:30:45,052
[Ralph] So the perfect example
is the Jeep Cherokee,
546
00:30:45,135 --> 00:30:46,887
very controversial vehicle.
547
00:30:46,970 --> 00:30:50,599
We came at it with a different objective:
to shock people, almost.
548
00:30:50,682 --> 00:30:53,477
It has a very unique face,
but it's still a Jeep.
549
00:30:55,395 --> 00:30:56,980
But with the Jeep brand it's different,
550
00:30:57,064 --> 00:30:58,857
because you have a brand
that's as recognized
551
00:30:58,940 --> 00:31:00,275
as Disney and Coca-Cola,
552
00:31:00,359 --> 00:31:03,779
and people tend to watch what you do,
so if you get it wrong,
553
00:31:03,862 --> 00:31:05,197
you get it really wrong.
554
00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:10,243
[Boudette] Jeep is
the most important brand Chrysler has.
555
00:31:10,327 --> 00:31:12,371
And you want to talk about pressure,
556
00:31:12,454 --> 00:31:16,792
doing a new vehicle from scratch
is about a billion-dollar investment.
557
00:31:18,251 --> 00:31:21,129
So you've got to know
what consumers are going to want
558
00:31:21,213 --> 00:31:23,465
even before consumers
know what they want.
559
00:31:24,966 --> 00:31:28,595
The main show car
that represents the future wants to be...
560
00:31:29,679 --> 00:31:32,432
That's kind of where my...
just my instincts.
561
00:31:33,308 --> 00:31:35,477
-Sounds good.
-What do you guys think?
562
00:31:35,852 --> 00:31:37,896
-We were more--
-You're there.
563
00:31:37,979 --> 00:31:38,855
Yeah.
564
00:31:40,732 --> 00:31:43,652
[Ralph] I can barely sleep when we're
in the throes of those projects.
565
00:31:43,735 --> 00:31:46,154
It's like, "Oh, my gosh, I have
so many customers to make happy,
566
00:31:46,238 --> 00:31:49,116
and we haven't even started talking
about the ones on the outside."
567
00:32:03,004 --> 00:32:06,425
And over time, it just looks better
as people become more familiar.
568
00:32:09,302 --> 00:32:12,889
And all of a sudden, it becomes
the new thing and others emulate it.
569
00:32:14,724 --> 00:32:16,560
You have to have the intestinal fortitude
570
00:32:16,643 --> 00:32:18,937
to be able to kind of make it
through that initial step
571
00:32:19,020 --> 00:32:22,441
and also recognize designs
that will age gracefully.
572
00:32:22,524 --> 00:32:24,609
...come up with
some color options, for sure..
573
00:32:25,735 --> 00:32:28,530
It definitely feels anti-car,
and I really don't like the wheels.
574
00:32:28,613 --> 00:32:31,366
-But we'll talk about that another time.
-Yeah, yeah. Yep.
575
00:32:31,950 --> 00:32:33,702
When do we run out of time?
I know we--
576
00:32:33,785 --> 00:32:38,039
We're working towards the 7/8 show
and it'll be a show like this.
577
00:32:38,832 --> 00:32:39,791
Better wheels.
578
00:32:39,875 --> 00:32:42,502
Better wheels,
we'll get you better wheels, for sure.
579
00:32:44,713 --> 00:32:48,216
[Ralph] My whole life, I programmed myself
to believe I would become an engineer,
580
00:32:48,300 --> 00:32:49,259
just go that direction.
581
00:32:49,342 --> 00:32:52,345
And for me, it was always,
"Okay, let's go. Let's do this."
582
00:32:52,429 --> 00:32:54,431
I went to college in Canada,
583
00:32:54,514 --> 00:32:57,851
and I'll never forget...
I felt this hollow sensation in my heart,
584
00:32:57,934 --> 00:33:00,353
like, "Is this going to be
the path I take?"
585
00:33:00,437 --> 00:33:02,439
[instrumental music playing]
586
00:33:02,981 --> 00:33:04,232
I remember being in school
587
00:33:04,316 --> 00:33:06,318
and everything started turning
a different language.
588
00:33:06,401 --> 00:33:07,611
I wasn't understanding it,
589
00:33:07,694 --> 00:33:10,363
I was trying to sketch
and struggling with it.
590
00:33:11,156 --> 00:33:13,825
Then eventually, after...
I don't even think it was even five weeks,
591
00:33:13,909 --> 00:33:16,870
I dropped out.
I literally dropped out of college.
592
00:33:18,121 --> 00:33:19,956
I didn't know how to break it to my dad.
593
00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:22,584
I mean, I couldn't even
form the words in my mouth.
594
00:33:23,251 --> 00:33:26,129
I didn't expect that it was going to be
so cold in the house.
595
00:33:26,213 --> 00:33:29,591
Every day I'd come home and it was like
you could just sense the disgust.
596
00:33:29,674 --> 00:33:31,968
You could just sense this kind of
"What has happened?"
597
00:33:36,389 --> 00:33:38,391
Probably, in many ways, my darkest hour.
598
00:33:50,362 --> 00:33:54,324
Starting in 1998,
it was yet another dark period.
599
00:33:54,407 --> 00:33:55,575
And I felt it coming.
600
00:33:56,284 --> 00:33:57,953
When I heard
we were merging with Mercedes,
601
00:33:58,036 --> 00:34:00,121
I'm like, "Why? We're fine.
We don't need that."
602
00:34:00,622 --> 00:34:04,000
And then, two years into the deal,
things were strange.
603
00:34:05,335 --> 00:34:08,129
You could feel the product
being under-invested in.
604
00:34:09,339 --> 00:34:11,841
And it absolutely
almost cost us our livelihood,
605
00:34:11,925 --> 00:34:13,552
and cost us the entire company.
606
00:34:16,304 --> 00:34:19,975
Mercedes divested
and pretty much left us for dead.
607
00:34:21,142 --> 00:34:23,562
A private equity firm came in
and bought us.
608
00:34:23,770 --> 00:34:24,980
It was horrible.
609
00:34:26,898 --> 00:34:30,652
So I became Head of Design in 2008,
but they moved me under Engineering.
610
00:34:31,194 --> 00:34:32,779
And that's a kiss of death.
611
00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:35,699
That just says that design
is a function of engineering,
612
00:34:35,782 --> 00:34:37,409
not an important piece.
613
00:34:39,786 --> 00:34:43,415
On top of the product being sick,
there was an economic downturn coming
614
00:34:43,498 --> 00:34:45,125
and it was just a perfect storm.
615
00:34:48,461 --> 00:34:51,548
Two months later, they enacted
a voluntary termination program
616
00:34:51,631 --> 00:34:54,801
and nearly half the population
of Chrysler vanished overnight.
617
00:34:58,555 --> 00:35:00,140
I felt like a captain on a ship.
618
00:35:00,223 --> 00:35:02,392
You know, "I'll be the last one
to get off this boat,
619
00:35:02,475 --> 00:35:06,187
but I'm not leaving
until the doors are closed."
620
00:35:09,357 --> 00:35:12,444
I remember going home for Christmas
to my mom's place
621
00:35:12,527 --> 00:35:14,779
and just not knowing what was going on,
622
00:35:14,863 --> 00:35:17,449
just not understanding
what was going to happen next,
623
00:35:17,532 --> 00:35:19,618
not knowing if I'd even come back
to a company
624
00:35:19,701 --> 00:35:21,244
after the holidays were over.
625
00:35:26,583 --> 00:35:27,917
For some reason, I didn't worry,
626
00:35:28,001 --> 00:35:31,796
I knew in the back of my mind
it'll be okay. I had my family.
627
00:35:32,922 --> 00:35:35,425
[acoustic guitar and violin
playing gentle dance music]
628
00:35:38,094 --> 00:35:40,096
[inaudible]
629
00:35:47,395 --> 00:35:50,273
For as ugly as it was,
I wouldn't change it.
630
00:35:51,024 --> 00:35:54,444
I'm not fazed by anything anymore.
[laughs] You know, I can handle it.
631
00:35:56,946 --> 00:36:01,368
I only lost 3% of my staff during
the voluntary termination program,
632
00:36:01,451 --> 00:36:04,412
whereas most of the company lost 40-50%,
633
00:36:04,496 --> 00:36:06,456
and that's because we were working
on the future.
634
00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:14,005
That lesson is singed in my mind forever.
635
00:36:15,048 --> 00:36:18,468
No matter how tough times are,
you just do not compromise the product.
636
00:36:19,219 --> 00:36:20,303
You just don't.
637
00:36:25,183 --> 00:36:28,728
It wasn't until 2011 when we started
to dig ourselves out of the hole.
638
00:36:29,854 --> 00:36:31,481
The government gave us a loan.
639
00:36:33,358 --> 00:36:34,609
They didn't give us free money.
640
00:36:34,693 --> 00:36:37,153
This was a loan,
a very high-interest loan.
641
00:36:37,237 --> 00:36:39,489
And we paid it off in full.
642
00:36:39,572 --> 00:36:42,158
And this was only on the condition
that we were managed,
643
00:36:42,242 --> 00:36:45,954
so luckily FIAT decided to come in
and manage the company.
644
00:36:47,539 --> 00:36:51,543
Sergio came in almost like a knight
waiting to swoop in and save Chrysler.
645
00:36:52,335 --> 00:36:54,087
[Marchionne] I think I know
how to lead people.
646
00:36:54,170 --> 00:36:57,048
And the ones that we have here
are phenomenal people.
647
00:37:01,094 --> 00:37:04,639
[Ralph] Sergio named me Head of Design
for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
648
00:37:04,723 --> 00:37:06,599
[car zooming]
649
00:37:12,355 --> 00:37:15,108
But, you know, the global design role
that I have now,
650
00:37:15,191 --> 00:37:17,777
I wanted to tell the Italians, "I get it."
651
00:37:17,861 --> 00:37:21,406
You know, I wanted
to be seen in their sport.
652
00:37:21,948 --> 00:37:23,491
[upbeat music playing]
653
00:37:25,660 --> 00:37:28,037
I've gotta patch a lot of history
in my head.
654
00:37:28,121 --> 00:37:30,874
I didn't grow up in Italy,
I didn't spend time there.
655
00:37:32,584 --> 00:37:36,296
The vehicle I drove was 50 years old,
and people are still in love with it.
656
00:37:39,090 --> 00:37:40,425
I want to do that.
657
00:37:40,508 --> 00:37:44,637
When I come to work,
I want it to have been done so lovingly
658
00:37:44,721 --> 00:37:49,058
[chuckles] that people get that,
they see that care in the design...
659
00:37:49,809 --> 00:37:50,727
decades from now.
660
00:38:00,612 --> 00:38:02,405
[woman] One of the most beautiful cars.
661
00:38:02,489 --> 00:38:05,825
[Ralph] I agree. Thank you. It's not
my car, I'm driving it for a friend--
662
00:38:05,909 --> 00:38:08,536
-Oh, you're a lucky guy!
-Extremely! [laughs]
663
00:38:08,620 --> 00:38:09,913
-Yeah!
-All right, ready?
664
00:38:11,915 --> 00:38:13,208
[revving]
665
00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:21,216
[Ralph] I use the expression
we've been "common law" with FIAT
666
00:38:21,299 --> 00:38:23,635
for about five years,
so it's a re-education.
667
00:38:24,844 --> 00:38:27,972
When I took over the global role,
it was extremely intimidating.
668
00:38:28,056 --> 00:38:31,810
I'm launched into
not only global executive meetings,
669
00:38:31,893 --> 00:38:35,230
but also how do I carry these brands,
not being an Italian?
670
00:38:35,313 --> 00:38:38,274
There's going to be a lot of eyes on me,
and I know that. It makes me nervous,
671
00:38:38,358 --> 00:38:40,735
but it's also
extremely, extremely exciting.
672
00:38:40,819 --> 00:38:43,112
-[instrumental music playing]
-[whirring]
673
00:38:43,196 --> 00:38:45,657
We're working on
the next four or five Alfa Romeos
674
00:38:45,740 --> 00:38:47,575
coming out in the next decade or so.
675
00:38:49,244 --> 00:38:52,497
Looking at it through the lens
of an Italian designer is unique.
676
00:38:53,873 --> 00:38:55,667
Because I have paradigms
that I've grown up with
677
00:38:55,750 --> 00:38:59,838
and I'm trying to push those down
and distill the product for what it is.
678
00:39:03,633 --> 00:39:05,552
[Boudette] It's a completely
different challenge
679
00:39:05,635 --> 00:39:09,013
to design a Maserati and a Fiat.
680
00:39:09,848 --> 00:39:13,893
A Maserati, you know,
that's a $150,000 car.
681
00:39:14,394 --> 00:39:21,150
Every last stitch, curve, contour
has to be perfect.
682
00:39:22,277 --> 00:39:23,862
I'm kind of rooting for the guy
683
00:39:23,945 --> 00:39:26,656
just because it's nice to see
somebody from Detroit
684
00:39:26,739 --> 00:39:32,245
be able to put his stamp
on a global luxury brand like Maserati.
685
00:39:34,289 --> 00:39:36,624
[Ralph] Working with Klaus now,
who's Head of Design,
686
00:39:36,708 --> 00:39:40,420
I go in and I direct a little bit,
but I really want Klaus to run the show.
687
00:39:40,503 --> 00:39:43,298
So as you see this car, Klaus,
688
00:39:43,381 --> 00:39:47,176
how much of a pilot light is this for
the future of Maserati in your opinion?
689
00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:51,055
I think spiritually,
it very much is not only the future,
690
00:39:51,139 --> 00:39:53,182
but also the past and the now of Maserati
691
00:39:53,266 --> 00:39:57,562
where you just have beautiful execution,
beautiful surfacing,
692
00:39:57,645 --> 00:40:01,441
but then you have some of these details
that add this character.
693
00:40:02,817 --> 00:40:06,988
There's something compelling.
You know me, it's all about proportion.
694
00:40:07,071 --> 00:40:10,575
I feel like this car has
just fundamentally good bones.
695
00:40:10,658 --> 00:40:13,202
The wheels are at the right place,
the tumble...
696
00:40:13,286 --> 00:40:15,830
Everything is where it should be
for this kind of car.
697
00:40:15,914 --> 00:40:19,459
Announcing its presence, its power.
That's pretty awesome.
698
00:40:19,542 --> 00:40:21,544
[piano music playing]
699
00:40:22,962 --> 00:40:26,633
I don't want to hold their hands,
I don't want to do their job for them.
700
00:40:26,716 --> 00:40:31,304
I want the Italians to do their car.
I want that car to ooze Italianness.
701
00:40:37,268 --> 00:40:39,562
Here's a brand I've loved
since I was a kid,
702
00:40:41,230 --> 00:40:44,233
and I get to play a role
in its future development.
703
00:40:46,569 --> 00:40:49,197
I can't believe it.
I mean, I still pinch myself.
704
00:40:53,117 --> 00:40:56,371
I was living at home, you know,
pretty much hiding in the basement.
705
00:40:57,246 --> 00:40:58,498
Then my brother comes home.
706
00:40:58,581 --> 00:41:01,125
He comes home for spring break.
And he didn't have to come home.
707
00:41:01,209 --> 00:41:03,169
He could've gone to Florida
with his buddies,
708
00:41:03,252 --> 00:41:06,047
but he decided
to go to freezing cold Montreal...
709
00:41:06,130 --> 00:41:07,256
and go see his brother.
710
00:41:08,591 --> 00:41:11,594
[Maxime] I remember I came home
to find him in the basement,
711
00:41:11,678 --> 00:41:15,515
just buried in papers
of drawings of cars everywhere.
712
00:41:16,432 --> 00:41:20,478
What I just saw was a young kid
sitting, wasting his talent.
713
00:41:20,561 --> 00:41:23,022
It was just obviously there,
right in front of him.
714
00:41:23,106 --> 00:41:25,692
He just didn't know what to do.
715
00:41:26,818 --> 00:41:28,945
[Ralph] He asked me
about that letter from Chrysler.
716
00:41:29,028 --> 00:41:30,571
And he said,
"Are you going to do anything with that?
717
00:41:30,655 --> 00:41:35,159
Are you going to follow your dreams?
Are you going to try be a car designer?"
718
00:41:35,702 --> 00:41:37,787
So we called Center for Creative Studies,
719
00:41:37,870 --> 00:41:40,206
and they, on the phone,
described what we needed to do.
720
00:41:40,790 --> 00:41:42,750
[Maxime] It was past the deadline,
I remember that.
721
00:41:42,834 --> 00:41:45,044
We said, "Let's just pick
your best pictures."
722
00:41:45,128 --> 00:41:47,463
I kept him up all night, saying,
"We got to do this.
723
00:41:47,547 --> 00:41:49,298
You have a gift,
let's just get this done."
724
00:41:50,925 --> 00:41:52,010
[Ralph] He made me coffee,
725
00:41:52,093 --> 00:41:54,595
tried everything he could
to keep me pumped up, and...
726
00:41:54,679 --> 00:41:57,557
And he wasn't going to go away
until I rolled up that stuff
727
00:41:57,640 --> 00:41:59,225
and sent it to Detroit.
728
00:42:00,560 --> 00:42:04,480
So yeah, that's a pretty big deal for me.
[chuckles] To follow your dreams.
729
00:42:15,366 --> 00:42:17,702
We've got seven months
of energy and labor,
730
00:42:17,785 --> 00:42:20,747
and love and meetings
and cutting room floor ideas
731
00:42:20,830 --> 00:42:22,331
that are all coming to this moment.
732
00:42:24,000 --> 00:42:26,085
If it's too shallow,
or it's not thought out enough,
733
00:42:26,169 --> 00:42:29,672
the boss could tank it,
and we probably would understand that.
734
00:42:31,007 --> 00:42:35,053
We had a full-size clay to approximate
the entire volume of the vehicle,
735
00:42:37,180 --> 00:42:41,100
and we had the physical property that
approximated the space of the interior
736
00:42:41,184 --> 00:42:44,479
and how it would feel in the dual sliding,
Bombay-type doors.
737
00:42:46,230 --> 00:42:48,733
We should be painting that,
so it gives that lightness.
738
00:42:48,816 --> 00:42:50,234
'Cause I'm missing some of that,
739
00:42:50,318 --> 00:42:52,820
what was in the sketches,
where that upper bar is floating.
740
00:42:52,904 --> 00:42:53,780
Know what I mean?
741
00:42:54,363 --> 00:42:56,491
It doesn't feel celebrated enough.
742
00:42:57,158 --> 00:42:58,534
[colleague]
It looks like an old property.
743
00:42:58,618 --> 00:43:01,204
[Ralph] He's so programmed to expect
things of importance to be there,
744
00:43:01,287 --> 00:43:02,163
I would keep it...
745
00:43:02,246 --> 00:43:05,291
Everything that matters there,
and the support stuff sprinkled around.
746
00:43:05,374 --> 00:43:06,709
-You know?
-And with this?
747
00:43:06,793 --> 00:43:08,044
Oh, man, nervous.
748
00:43:08,795 --> 00:43:11,672
Sergio's such an intelligent person.
He's on a different wavelength.
749
00:43:12,298 --> 00:43:15,051
And I challenge myself
to get ready for any eventuality,
750
00:43:15,134 --> 00:43:16,427
any question he may have.
751
00:43:16,511 --> 00:43:18,805
In fact, I would move
all of that stuff here.
752
00:43:18,888 --> 00:43:21,516
To me, this is background, that's primary.
753
00:43:21,599 --> 00:43:22,433
Yeah.
754
00:43:22,517 --> 00:43:26,771
This is some beautiful content
that should be all there.
755
00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:30,024
I'm hoping today
we can fill that void for him
756
00:43:30,108 --> 00:43:32,193
that I think he's aware that we have.
757
00:43:33,111 --> 00:43:35,905
But, I'm optimistic
that he will be inspired.
758
00:43:35,988 --> 00:43:38,032
That's what I'm hoping, to stay hungry.
759
00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:40,409
[door opening]
760
00:43:42,411 --> 00:43:44,330
[team] Hello!
761
00:43:44,747 --> 00:43:46,207
[man] So today we're here to talk about
762
00:43:46,290 --> 00:43:48,417
a concept vehicle
that's really trying to define
763
00:43:48,501 --> 00:43:50,002
this third space for the next generation.
764
00:43:50,086 --> 00:43:52,088
[futuristic music playing]
765
00:43:55,800 --> 00:43:59,720
[Ralph] I got my job in 1992.
I got married right at that same time.
766
00:44:00,471 --> 00:44:01,681
My dad was pretty proud.
767
00:44:02,765 --> 00:44:05,560
For me, I felt like, step one,
"Wow, he's actually proud."
768
00:44:07,395 --> 00:44:10,731
Unfortunately, he passed
in the fall of 1998,
769
00:44:11,649 --> 00:44:14,610
just right before I got promoted,
just before I had my child.
770
00:44:18,281 --> 00:44:21,742
He didn't really, unfortunately, see me
become a manager, then a director,
771
00:44:21,826 --> 00:44:23,202
and it really hurt me.
772
00:44:23,286 --> 00:44:27,999
Because I went from being a worker bee,
so to speak, to a leader, you know.
773
00:44:29,208 --> 00:44:31,794
And I don't know if my dad
ever saw me as a leader.
774
00:44:31,878 --> 00:44:32,879
[inhales sharply]
775
00:44:35,256 --> 00:44:36,632
[revving]
776
00:44:37,925 --> 00:44:39,218
[cheering]
777
00:44:39,302 --> 00:44:42,555
[man on PA system] All right, who thinks
Ralph is our new King of the Hill?
778
00:44:42,638 --> 00:44:44,640
[cheering grows louder]
779
00:44:45,641 --> 00:44:47,268
[Ralph] I wish he could see this today,
780
00:44:47,351 --> 00:44:51,689
and just know that his encouragement,
or his pushing, worked.
781
00:44:53,774 --> 00:44:54,817
[team laughing]
782
00:44:54,901 --> 00:44:56,319
-Waah!
-[colleague laughing]
783
00:44:56,402 --> 00:44:59,030
That was cheesy, but I want
to give you guys a round of applause.
784
00:45:02,491 --> 00:45:05,578
That was freaking awesome.
That's about as good as it gets.
785
00:45:07,622 --> 00:45:09,916
Sergio turned around and said,
"This is really good stuff.
786
00:45:09,999 --> 00:45:12,627
This is some of the best stuff
I've seen in a long time."
787
00:45:15,671 --> 00:45:18,174
Whether it's a windshield wiper
or an engine cover,
788
00:45:18,257 --> 00:45:20,009
it all has to be done with love.
789
00:45:20,676 --> 00:45:22,386
The observer recognizes that.
790
00:45:22,470 --> 00:45:23,638
[laughter]
791
00:45:24,263 --> 00:45:26,766
-Can we get a fire pit in the middle?
-[all laughing]
792
00:45:26,849 --> 00:45:28,809
[Ralph] Wow, someone
really cared about that.
793
00:45:29,977 --> 00:45:32,813
And that's good design
and, ultimately, that's good art.
794
00:45:35,733 --> 00:45:37,944
We're staffing up to make the vehicle.
795
00:45:38,402 --> 00:45:39,445
We're building it.
796
00:45:40,404 --> 00:45:42,406
[chuckles]
797
00:45:43,991 --> 00:45:45,993
[upbeat music playing]