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Chrysler Airflow EV concept teased with new nose ahead of NY Auto Show

Chrysler is once again teasing its battery-electric Airflow concept. The company has issued a new image ahead of its official debut at the New York Auto Show later this week. The rendering, as well as language in the accompanying release, indicates that Chrysler may have redesigned the concept before a production version even hits the market. The latest image shows a long, thin light bar at the Airflow's nose, with acute angles just before the headlight to create a bit of a "lightning bolt" zig-zag. There's also a wide, U-shaped graphic below the bar, and a "grille" featuring a pattern of slits that surrounds the bar. Previous Airflow images from Chrysler — released as recently as January at CES — have shown a very different front end. There, a differently shaped bar was broken up by a stylized Chrysler logo, done up in an outline of the traditional wings. The ends of the bar extended to the edges of the headlights without any sharp angles. It also appeared to have a different grille texture above and below the bar. "Chrysler will unveil a new look for the brandÂ’s all-electric Chrysler Airflow Concept at the 2022 New York International Auto Show," the press release states. The same statement also refers to "a potential design path on the brandÂ’s journey to an all-electric future." The Airflow is the latest in a slew of luxury models promised by automakers trying to re-invent their brands by going electric. It is named after the revolutionary 1934 Airflow, the first automobile to employ aerodynamics in its design. Though not a commercial success, it is credited with forever changing automotive styling principles. Although EVs are no longer avant-garde, Chrysler seems to hope that the new Airflow will make as dramatic a change in the industry, or at least revive the brand.

Wish you had a world-famous auto exec give your commencement speech? Watch this

We've seen some pretty great commencement speeches over the years. There was Steve Jobs' incredibly inspiring Stanford address in 2005, John Stewart's insightful speech to the graduating class of William and Mary in 2004 and Steven Colbert's hilarious 2011 address at Northwestern, but automotive executives aren't strangers to honorary degrees. Former General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner spoke at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2011, and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne recently gave the keynote at Walsh College's 100th Commencement Ceremony. The executive knows a thing or two about success and following one's beliefs to fulfillment.
"I constantly encourage my co-workers at Fiat and Chrysler to go beyond the cliche and the conventional to try new approaches and change perspective each and every day," Marchionne said. "I exhort them not to repeat the same things, the same approaches, and I remind them they are indeed free. The freedom I am talking about is something inside you. It is determined by how open minded you remain, how receptive you are to the new and to the different, to the infinite possibilities that present themselves even if you don't go looking for them or could never have imagined. Being free means that you have the strength not to be conditioned by what others want you to do or by what may seem to be the easiest choice."
Amen to that. You can check out the brief press release on the address below as well as a video of a few highlights from the speech.

Pete Grady retiring from Chrysler, Maserati

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is about to lose one of its top executives as the president of Maserati North America, Pete Grady, has announced his retirement. A lifelong automotive industry exec, Grady joined the American Motors Corporation back in 1984 after graduating from John Carroll University in his native Ohio. After AMC was bought out by Chrysler, Grady started rising through the ranks under the Pentastar as a sales manager. He was named vice president of network development and fleet operations in 2009 and was shortly thereafter put in charge of the Chrysler Group's dealer network. He continued to hold that position when he was named last year as the top man at Maserati North America. Grady will continue to hold responsibility for Chrysler's dealer network until his retirement takes effect on March 31, 2015. His position as head of Maserati's American office, however, will pass to the Trident marque's global sales chief Christian Gobber, who will hand off responsibility for the Chinese region to Mirko Bordiga but maintain his global portfolio. CHANGES AT THE TOP IN MASERATI NORTH AMERICA AND MASERATI CHINA Monday, 8 December 2014 – Effective January 1st, 2015, Christian Gobber will be assigned responsibility for Maserati North America, replacing Pete Grady, who has announced his intent to retire effective March 31st, 2015. Christian Gobber will maintain his responsibility for Maserati Global Sales. Effective January 1st, 2015, Mirko Bordiga will join Maserati and will be assigned responsibility for Maserati China, replacing Christian Gobber. Maserati further strengthens its sales and commercial structure in the two main markets for the Trident brand. Maserati CEO Harald Wester thanks Pete Grady for his dedication and achievements at the helm of Maserati in North America, and wishes all the best to Christian Gobber and Mirko Bordiga in their new positions. ### Chrysler Group's Grady to Retire December 5, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Chrysler Group today announced that Peter Grady has stated his intention to retire, effective March 31, 2015. In the interim, Grady will retain his current responsibilities as Vice President Dealer Network Development and continue as a member of the Company's NAFTA Leadership Team. In a move announced earlier, Christian Gobber will assume responsibility for leading Maserati North America, effective January 1, 2015.