Q&A: Chrysler Designer Tom Tremont

Q&A: Chrysler Designer Tom Tremont
Detroit concepts hit the road.

THE CAR CONNECTION, Paul A. Eisenstein (7/31/2006) - - And predict big--correction, fast--things for 2009.They've been called "fantasies in chrome," and for good reason. Concept cars traditionally give designers a reason to stretch their imagination, and automakers the opportunity to push the limits of their brand - think of the bubble-domed, turbine-powered Firebird III.

Few automakers have used concept vehicles more effectively than Chrysler. Over the years, the automaker has put out some pretty wild show cars, like the ME412 sports car, and a Viper V-10-powered motorcycle. But for the past two decades, Chrysler has emphasized a different approach, using most of its concept vehicles to telegraph its design strategy - and then gauge the market's response.

Prototypes like the Portofino and Eagle Optima gave the world its first glance at the striking midsize sedans of the early 1990s, collectively known as the LH cars. They helped position Chrysler as one of the industry's acknowledged design leaders.

On a hot and muggy morning, last week, the U.S. side of DaimlerChrysler AG brought a handful of its latest concept vehicles, including the Dodge Rampage truck, Hornet minicar, and Challenger coupe, over to the trendy Detroit suburb of Royal Oak . For a handful of automotive journalists, it offered an opportunity to not only see and drive the prototypes in a real-world environment, but to chat with the man who oversaw their development, Tom Tremont, Chrysler's director of advanced design.

TheCarConnection.com chatted with the affable stylist about the various models on display - and the logic of risking hand-built, one-off concept vehicles - typically worth $250,000 or more - in urban traffic.


TCC: Why would you take these unique concept vehicles and let us drive them on the road?

TREMONT: It's something we like doing because people usually see concept cars on the show stand, a surreal situation. We need to see a car in traffic, a real-world experience for you guys, and for us, too. We get a lot out of our concepts. We get to try out our long-range plans, try out ideas, put them out there and see for ourselves what they look like…in the real world.


TCC: People often think of concept vehicles as, essentially, just some wild-eyed fantasy with little practical purpose. Do you agree?

TREMONT: Actually, concepts tend to fall into two different camps. The Akino, which we revealed in Tokyo last year, is one (that is) clearly blue-sky, aimed at looking 15 or 20 years into the future. Then there's the Challenger. When we did the concept, it wasn't an approved program, but in our heart-of-hearts, we hoped it would go into production.


TCC: In years past, you'd go to an auto show, and they'd lift the covers to reveal the concept vehicle. I've noticed that's usually not how Chrysler does things.

TREMONT: We often do concepts on a running platform. (So it can drive onto the stage.) But that can be a matter of convenience because it costs a lot to do the floor stampings and the like. It's actually cheaper to (borrow a real car's platform) and do a drivable concept.


TCC: I notice that with concept vehicles like the Dodge Rampage pickup, the emphasis is not just on the fancy exterior.

TREMONT: We try things out, look at different kinds of features and innovations, like seating and storage. With the Rampage, we may pick up some of those things and use them in other products, even if they aren't trucks, like the movable center storage and flexible seating and armrests that can be used for storage or moved out of the way.




TCC: May we look at some of the concept vehicles you've brought here today?

TREMONT: Sure. Let's start with the Firepower. It was actually a concept we introduced (in 2005). If we're going to do a high-end Chrysler sports car, but not a $300,000 product like the ME412, this might be what it would look like.


TCC: And the Challenger?

TREMONT: When we did it, we realized we had this terrific platform (the LX, shared by vehicles like the Chrysler 300C and Dodge Charger). We looked at our heritage and said we just have to have a muscle coupe again. It's about being true to peoples' memories, rather than going out and doing something futuristic.


TCC: If there's any criticism, it's that the design of the Challenger was too literal, too retro.

TREMONT: I think it's satisfying as done. And there's lots of illusion here. It's actually bigger than the original was. It's not the same car. It's miles different, but we were able to create a careful illusion of the '71 Challenger by controlling lines and proportions.


TCC: How about the little Hornet minicar?

TREMONT: When we launched the Hornet in Geneva, earlier this year, we wanted to do a small, B-segment car that Dodge could bring to Europe, but also something that we could offer in a growing segment in the U.S. It's not your typical B-car. It's tall, small, yet it doesn't shrink in traffic. The design is optimistic and exciting, has presence, with a Dodge attitude to it.


TCC: The U.S. automotive market has shifted a lot since that concept debuted, what with gas prices running at record levels. There's now more interest in small cars. Any plans for producing the Hornet?

TREMONT: We've made the statement that we're looking at it (ed: the automaker is seeking a potential partner, such as Volkswagen, who might build the Hornet for Chrysler). If we did decide we were going into production, this would be the kind of shape, and type of car, we could do for Dodge.


TCC: Then there's the Imperial, which a lot of folks say reminds them of a Rolls-Royce.

TREMONT: Yes, people talk about that, and that perception is driven by the verticalness of the front end, it's that uprightness that people connect with. It's actually the same height, and the same seating package, as in the Pacifica . You slide in and out. Our goal was to give the driver a command of the road, not to create a Rolls. And, actually, elements of the design hearken back to the Chronos (concept of the 1990s), and even the Ghia concept of the '50s.


TCC: Any production plans for Imperial?

TREMONT: When we were told to do the car, we were asked to see what would go above the 300 (currently Chrysler's top model), but for now, I can't say whether there's a business case.