Tom Gale (designer)

2001-2002 Chrysler Prowler (Orange Julep)

Dodge Viper GTSR

2nd Dodge Dakota

Tom Gale is an American automobile designer widely known for his work with the Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth marques,.^[1] including the Chrysler LH series as well as the three sports cars, the 1991 Dodge Stealth, the 1992 Dodge Viper, 1996 NS Minivans, the 2001 Plymouth Prowler, 2005 model year Chrysler 300C and 2005 Dodge Magnum. Gale and his design partners and John Herlitz were instrumental with breakthrough designs that rescued Chrysler twice from the brink of bankruptcy.^{[citation needed]}

Early life[]

Gale was born in 1943 to Tom Gale Senior, who was an engineer in GM's Buick division. Gale showed keen interest in automobiles as he grew up in Flint, Michigan. He later graduated from Michigan State in 1966 with a degree in engineering.

Time at Chrysler[]

Gale joined Chrysler as an engineer, working in the newly formed advanced body-engineering group. Later he moved into the design department for Lee Iacocca's K-Car project.^[1]

Gale was later promoted to head the Chrysler styling department, presenting concept cars such as the 1993 , 1995 Atlantic, 1997 Phaeton. He later was involved with the swoopy LH platform models, Plymouth Prowler, and 1994 Dodge Ram pickup series, the 1992 Dodge Viper, which evolved from the earlier concept without many changes, his most notable design was the Lamborghini Diablo. His last vehicles were the LX Platform, 2005 model year Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum exteriors, designed into production form in 2000, before his December retirement.

Retirement and consultancy[]

Gale retired from Chrysler in 2000, after their merger with Daimler Benz, running a design consultancy that created a line of instruments for . He builds Hot Rods, including a 1933 Ford highboy roadster with a hemi V8.

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b McGraw, Jim (February 9, 2001). "Tom Gale's Legacy". New York Times. Retrieved 3 December 2011.

External links[]

Tom Gale Hall of Fame Inductee - The Face of Design Archived 2016-06-23 at the Wayback Machine
Tom Gale: The man who helped Motown find its mojo
[Findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3012/is_2_180/ai_59966973/ Executive of the year - Chrysler designer Tom Gale by Marjorie Sorge, Feb. 2000]

[NYTimes_-_09Feb2001_-_Tom_Gale's_Legacy-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b McGraw, Jim (February 9, 2001). "Tom Gale's Legacy". New York Times. Retrieved 3 December 2011.

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