SEMAture Ejaculation: Wert's Exclusive "Interview" With Chrysler Design Guru Ralph Gilles

While attempting to get my full fill of the Chrysler Group's SkunkWerks team SEMA 'splosion in Auburn Hills on Friday, I had the chance to sit down (and by sit down, I mean I stood behind a camera, question-filled notepad in hand) with none other than Chrysler Group design guru Ralph Gilles. Gilles is the artistic genius behind some of the automaker's most innovative and polarizing designs of the past few years. The gangster-land Chrysler 300, the mean-looking Dodge Charger and the power wagon for the soccer dad Dodge Magnum all are considered to be the children of his wonderfully wired-for-the-masses mind. I have to give Gilles a lot of credit for taking my interrogation in stride -- I'm not known for asking the world's most likely, or even relevant, questions -- and this case was no different. On top of letting us know he's a reader of Jalopnik, Chrysler's non-Stuttgartian bringer of SexyBack to...

...the 'merican side of the German-American hybrid stood his ground while quickly riffing with us on the "relevancy" of American design in the face of European prettiness, the direction of the next generation of Chrysler Group trucks and SUV's, and even takes a moment to deny rumors* of alcohol use by certain product teams. Yup, it was that kind of an interview -- and all YouTube'd up for your pleasure. – Ray Wert

*Even if we did start them here, they're still totally rumors.