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Detroit Auto Show: Chrysler Nassau Concept
The four-door hatch never looked so good
"I wasn't thinking about the market as much as I just wanted to come up with a cool car," said Chrysler designer Alan Barrington as we walked around his latest creation, the Nassau concept car, which will make its debut at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show in early January.
We spent a morning with the Nassau and Barrington in early December, and the four-door, four-passenger coupe not only looks cool, it appears ready for production. Though we'd seen a few photos and sketches of the car before meeting with Barrington, we were quite taken with the engaging design in its full-metal flesh.
Apparently the Chrysler brass feels the same way or it wouldn't have picked the luxury sedan for such a high-profile debut.
Four-door coupe inspired
It was drawn, admitted Barrington, in response to the emerging styling trend that's best illustrated by the gorgeous Mercedes-Benz CLS, but the Nassau's lines were not inspired, countered the designer, by any current production car. Though it displays certain exterior design elements from other Chryslers — egg-crate grille and keyhole headlamps, for instance — the Nassau went straight from Barrington's brain onto a clean sheet of paper as part of an internal design competition; it was not drawn in response to a corporate directive to come up with another crossover type of vehicle.
"I had a completely free hand with my design," said Barrington who is also responsible for the interior design of the Dodge Challenger, which set the world on fire at last year's Detroit show. "It is meant to evoke the classic 'shooting brake,' a sporting vehicle with the luggage space required by an active lifestyle. It's also a romantic, emotional restatement of Chrysler design language, especially compared to the boldness of such other Chryslers as the 300C sedan."
The Nassau's interior designer Ben Chang echoed this theme. "It's luxurious but also athletic," said Chang, who graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, in 2000. "The overall design says strength and quiet sophistication." Both men work out of Chrysler's Pacifica Advanced Design Studio in Carlsbad, California.
Wears its big bones well
The Nassau appears smaller than the 300C despite the fact it shares the same SRT-8 performance platform and 120-inch wheelbase. Barrington used the time-tested method of shaving off the corners of his bodywork to attain the more compact look, and he also used such design tricks as the elongated brows over the light clusters to help "slim the visual aspect ratio." In other words, he's made a big, 4,500-pound car look lots smaller and sportier.
Barrington called for the front track to be increased by 15mm and the rear track by 30mm, both to accommodate the 21-inch wheels and tires and to support the car's strong shoulders. Placed at the very corners of the car, the large wheels ground the design and help visually shorten what is an almost 6-foot-tall automobile. But what Barrington was looking for most were unexpected transitions as the car passes by the observer. Eyes are meant to follow the coupelike rail lines and distinctive A-lines down through the rear quarters and on to the most striking element of the Nassau, the boat-tail rear end.
"It's the biggest area of opportunity in cars' design," said Barrington who also studied at the prestigious College of Design in Pasadena. "The front of the car is pretty much determined by lots of factors, but the rear end can make quite a statement."
A peak down the center of the car echoes other Chryslers but also works to highlight the car's plan view, another technique Barrington used to accentuate the sporty slope of the roof line, which is finished off with a hatchback that looks as though it were taken from the face shield of a computer game combatant. It's all somewhat unconventional, but Barrington's creative hand makes it work. Similar shapes are repeated throughout the car, from the outside rearview mirrors to the foglamps, but there's nothing repetitious about the design. Every line has an aesthetic relationship to other lines; nothing appears haphazard or tacked on.
It's all in the details
Overall, the Nassau's shape is supported by beautifully wrought details. For example, polished and satin chrome trim is used in the grille and the wheels and also frames the light clusters like high-tech jewel cases. The headlamps are built from LEDs, which were packed into acrylic pill shapes and whose faces were frosted around the edges for a unique look at night, and the taillights also were fashioned to create an architectural and technical statement. When they're turned off, the LED cluster appears silver and turns red only when the lights are on. Very cool.
Barrington's brief called for a four-passenger coupe that could accommodate full-size adults at every position. The rear-wheel-drive 300C platform was ideal, providing the length and breadth for his vision. He also placed two windows in the roof, giving the passengers the feeling of an open car and emphasizing the plentitude of interior room.
Handbuilt by Metal Crafters of Huntington Beach, California, the one-off Nassau is constructed almost exclusively out of carbon fiber. Only the doors are steel. Underneath the Nassau's composite hood is a 425-horsepower 6.1-liter Hemi V8, the same unit used in the 300 SRT-8. It's bolted to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Plain old plush
Ben Chang's job was to design an interior that echoed Barrington's bold exterior lines but also provided the highest levels of comfort and convenience. Fortunately for Chang, he was allowed to custom-build virtually every element of the interior and wasn't burdened by having to use existing components. The result is stunning, handsome and understated. The creamy leather upholstery is contrasted with satin and polished chrome, and the controls are distinguished by light-blue backlighting.
The center console contains a master controller inspired by a computer mouse and an audio screen by a Razr phone. Chang's design integrates the latest in audio technology, yet his controls were designed for easy use even by those who think CDs are the latest thing. To handle video needs, there are three screens — one for the front passenger and one for each of the rear passengers, mounted on the front-seat headrests.
Inspiration from an eclectic background
Barrington's inspiration for the Nassau might not have sprung from a specific vehicle, but the car's sporty elegance certainly reflects his lifelong love for the automobile, which includes his dad's two Citroën DS sedans and his 1973 BMW 2002. He's only in his mid-20s, but his mark on Chrysler design has been made. The Challenger will go into production sometime in 2008, solidifying Barrington's place in Mopar muscle car history.
"I see the Nassau as a more emotional articulation of what it means to be a Chrysler," the designer told us.
Could be. We haven't heard about any decision to offer the Nassau as a production vehicle; however, Chrysler likes to show near production concepts at the major auto shows and keeps a keen ear tuned to vox populi. How the press and public respond to the Nassau at the Detroit auto show will have much to do with determining the car's future.
We spent a morning with the Nassau and Barrington in early December, and the four-door, four-passenger coupe not only looks cool, it appears ready for production. Though we'd seen a few photos and sketches of the car before meeting with Barrington, we were quite taken with the engaging design in its full-metal flesh.
Apparently the Chrysler brass feels the same way or it wouldn't have picked the luxury sedan for such a high-profile debut.
Four-door coupe inspired
It was drawn, admitted Barrington, in response to the emerging styling trend that's best illustrated by the gorgeous Mercedes-Benz CLS, but the Nassau's lines were not inspired, countered the designer, by any current production car. Though it displays certain exterior design elements from other Chryslers — egg-crate grille and keyhole headlamps, for instance — the Nassau went straight from Barrington's brain onto a clean sheet of paper as part of an internal design competition; it was not drawn in response to a corporate directive to come up with another crossover type of vehicle.
"I had a completely free hand with my design," said Barrington who is also responsible for the interior design of the Dodge Challenger, which set the world on fire at last year's Detroit show. "It is meant to evoke the classic 'shooting brake,' a sporting vehicle with the luggage space required by an active lifestyle. It's also a romantic, emotional restatement of Chrysler design language, especially compared to the boldness of such other Chryslers as the 300C sedan."
The Nassau's interior designer Ben Chang echoed this theme. "It's luxurious but also athletic," said Chang, who graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, in 2000. "The overall design says strength and quiet sophistication." Both men work out of Chrysler's Pacifica Advanced Design Studio in Carlsbad, California.
Wears its big bones well
The Nassau appears smaller than the 300C despite the fact it shares the same SRT-8 performance platform and 120-inch wheelbase. Barrington used the time-tested method of shaving off the corners of his bodywork to attain the more compact look, and he also used such design tricks as the elongated brows over the light clusters to help "slim the visual aspect ratio." In other words, he's made a big, 4,500-pound car look lots smaller and sportier.
Barrington called for the front track to be increased by 15mm and the rear track by 30mm, both to accommodate the 21-inch wheels and tires and to support the car's strong shoulders. Placed at the very corners of the car, the large wheels ground the design and help visually shorten what is an almost 6-foot-tall automobile. But what Barrington was looking for most were unexpected transitions as the car passes by the observer. Eyes are meant to follow the coupelike rail lines and distinctive A-lines down through the rear quarters and on to the most striking element of the Nassau, the boat-tail rear end.
"It's the biggest area of opportunity in cars' design," said Barrington who also studied at the prestigious College of Design in Pasadena. "The front of the car is pretty much determined by lots of factors, but the rear end can make quite a statement."
A peak down the center of the car echoes other Chryslers but also works to highlight the car's plan view, another technique Barrington used to accentuate the sporty slope of the roof line, which is finished off with a hatchback that looks as though it were taken from the face shield of a computer game combatant. It's all somewhat unconventional, but Barrington's creative hand makes it work. Similar shapes are repeated throughout the car, from the outside rearview mirrors to the foglamps, but there's nothing repetitious about the design. Every line has an aesthetic relationship to other lines; nothing appears haphazard or tacked on.
It's all in the details
Overall, the Nassau's shape is supported by beautifully wrought details. For example, polished and satin chrome trim is used in the grille and the wheels and also frames the light clusters like high-tech jewel cases. The headlamps are built from LEDs, which were packed into acrylic pill shapes and whose faces were frosted around the edges for a unique look at night, and the taillights also were fashioned to create an architectural and technical statement. When they're turned off, the LED cluster appears silver and turns red only when the lights are on. Very cool.
Barrington's brief called for a four-passenger coupe that could accommodate full-size adults at every position. The rear-wheel-drive 300C platform was ideal, providing the length and breadth for his vision. He also placed two windows in the roof, giving the passengers the feeling of an open car and emphasizing the plentitude of interior room.
Handbuilt by Metal Crafters of Huntington Beach, California, the one-off Nassau is constructed almost exclusively out of carbon fiber. Only the doors are steel. Underneath the Nassau's composite hood is a 425-horsepower 6.1-liter Hemi V8, the same unit used in the 300 SRT-8. It's bolted to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Plain old plush
Ben Chang's job was to design an interior that echoed Barrington's bold exterior lines but also provided the highest levels of comfort and convenience. Fortunately for Chang, he was allowed to custom-build virtually every element of the interior and wasn't burdened by having to use existing components. The result is stunning, handsome and understated. The creamy leather upholstery is contrasted with satin and polished chrome, and the controls are distinguished by light-blue backlighting.
The center console contains a master controller inspired by a computer mouse and an audio screen by a Razr phone. Chang's design integrates the latest in audio technology, yet his controls were designed for easy use even by those who think CDs are the latest thing. To handle video needs, there are three screens — one for the front passenger and one for each of the rear passengers, mounted on the front-seat headrests.
Inspiration from an eclectic background
Barrington's inspiration for the Nassau might not have sprung from a specific vehicle, but the car's sporty elegance certainly reflects his lifelong love for the automobile, which includes his dad's two Citroën DS sedans and his 1973 BMW 2002. He's only in his mid-20s, but his mark on Chrysler design has been made. The Challenger will go into production sometime in 2008, solidifying Barrington's place in Mopar muscle car history.
"I see the Nassau as a more emotional articulation of what it means to be a Chrysler," the designer told us.
Could be. We haven't heard about any decision to offer the Nassau as a production vehicle; however, Chrysler likes to show near production concepts at the major auto shows and keeps a keen ear tuned to vox populi. How the press and public respond to the Nassau at the Detroit auto show will have much to do with determining the car's future.
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