Gilles' design roots stamped in Montreal

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' design chief says he looks to create "beauty for the masses" with vehicles, a philosophy borne out of his childhood in Montreal.

"In Canada, a lot of people don't tend to buy the top-of-the-line product," Ralph Gilles told Automotive News Canada.

"My dad was one of those people. We always had the lowest-end version of the vehicle. I'd see the one in the catalogue, and then I'd see the one in the driveway, and there was a huge difference.

"Every level of car should be beautiful. Why should only the top-of-the line one be handsome?"

Gilles, head of design for FCA since 2015, has had his hand in many of the automaker's most striking and important designs this century, dating back to the highly acclaimed 2005 Chrysler 300 sedan that raised his profile. Gilles recently revealed the Jeep Grand Wagoneer concept, a large, high-end utility vehicle replete with space and luxurious design touches.

Growing up, Gilles said, he was "surrounded by a lot of taste," whether in fashion or in architecture, leaving an indelible mark on him.

"The big building at the time that was impressive as a 6-year-old when I saw it was the Olympic Stadium," he said. "There were a lot of things that made me think about how you can take one thing just through design and make it have not only appeal to the person standing next to it but to people around the world."