Chrysler's design influence.

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Here are some Chrysler concept designs which seem to have been influential on other marques.


The 1995 Chrysler Atlantic -- lights like the Morgan Aero.


Chrysler Phaeton 1997 4-door convertible -- a decade before the Ocean Drive Concept


Even the interior looks like the ODC. This styling fits so much more logically with an American car.


The Chrysler Chronos concept car from 1998 -- I would like to ask Maserati a few questions.


The Dodge PowerBox 2001, there are some aspects which seem to have been used (in a much more refined way) in the Mercedes GL.


It has been extremely obvious that Mercedes design was greatly influenced by Chrysler during the merger -- and even today the current styling ideas at Daimler have a very American accent. I don't have any problems with this except for the fact that Mercedes had a very strong and principled design culture before Chrysler came along -- I feel Mercedes has lost some of its purity.

[hu§eindesign]

Mercedes' design has a very American flavour lately. I agree with you, but I really don't know whether it's Chrysler's influence. I know it happened in the same time DB and Chrysler came together, but it could also be a trend MB saw necessary to follow, since the American market is such an important one. To be honest I don't directly connect MB's design to Chrysler's. It's just that Chrysler design very American cars with all the aspects that a typical American car should have. IMO of course.
MB is trying too hard to go back to the glorious era of the 80's where some of the best MB designs were presented, but there's still this annoying american taste. The cars lost there German-ness in design. Maybe also their "Purity" like you say.

The pics that you posted are from an era where Chrysler started the whole retro wave that gave us the PT Cruiser, The new Beetle, The Mustang and lately the Camaro. It was a very influent move by Chrysler.. too bad their new concepts aren't that dominant.

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The PT Cruiser has been influential -- the re-introduction of fenders has been a trend which found its way into Mercedes and Mazda designs -- and others.

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Originally Posted by hu§eindesign

The pics that you posted are from an era where Chrysler started the whole retro wave that gave us the PT Cruiser, The new Beetle, The Mustang and lately the Camaro. It was a very influent move by Chrysler.. too bad their new concepts aren't that dominant.

Here is a recent one.

Chrysler Nassau. This is very much like Mazda's styling



The Americans have been very influential with their angular "arrow" designs -- Cadillac particularly.

[hu§eindesign]

Damn! you hate Mazda with passion, don't you?
Anyways, what I talked about recent Chrylser concepts I was thinking of the Nassau in particluar. Honestly I don't see anything interesting in that concept.

As for the Arrow design, I don't if you mean what I'm thinking of, but Mercedes has been having pointy fronts for ages. They left this direction for a few years in the 90's but now they're back to it.

The PT-Cruiser hasn't been inluental IMO. I'd like to use the term "Reminding". For me influental design is original. fresh design. But when you reinterpret something that's been there for ages, you "remind" people that these things once existed. I'm in need for word now. Not sure whether you get what I mean.

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Originally Posted by hu§eindesign

Damn! you hate Mazda with passion, don't you?

...............no not at all really

As for the Arrow design, I don't if you mean what I'm thinking of, but Mercedes has been having pointy fronts for ages. They left this direction for a few years in the 90's but now they're back to it.

You are correct Hussein, but it is a trend which Cadillac and Chrysler have been most instrumental in.

GM's Cadillac design team have had a big influence over their German brand too.

Cadillac 16


Opel Concept

[hu§eindesign]

You're absolutely right about Opel. But unlike Mercedes, I think they still have a German/European taste.

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Originally Posted by hu§eindesign

The PT-Cruiser hasn't been inluental IMO. I'd like to use the term "Reminding". For me influental design is original. fresh design. But when you reinterpret something that's been there for ages, you "remind" people that these things once existed. I'm in need for word now. Not sure whether you get what I mean.

I do understand exactly what you are saying ...and it is a good point.

Also>>>The PT Cruiser is pure Retro -- the Mercedes S class is not so obviously retro, but those wheel arches definitely were intended to subtlety suggest Classic Mercedes models like the 300 Adenauer -- the ODC is a much more blatantly Retro design.

[hu§eindesign]

Originally Posted by Rob

I do understand exactly what you are saying ...and it is a good point.

Also>>>The PT Cruiser is pure Retro -- the Mercedes S class is not so obviously retro, but those wheel arches definitely were intended to subtlety suggest Classic Mercedes models like the 300 Adenauer -- the ODC is a much more blatantly Retro design.

Gald you do.. sometimes I have the feeling that I sound like I'm drunk

The PT Cruiser is absolutely retro, While the S-class is more what I would call retro-futuristic and so is the ODC Concept. We gotta discriminate between both terms.
The PT Cruiser is just polished up to survive the modern world, while the S-Class, the ODC and the 7er (rear) contain reinterpreted elements that are here to stay and be developed and refined further to create new elements.