Chrome is making a resurgence in the automotive industry, and it seems every carmaker wants a piece of the pie. “Designers have rediscovered bright metal. … We might be seeing a chrome race again,” said Geoff Wardle, a former designer for Chrysler and Saab who is chairman of transportation design at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif. Leading the parade of glitzy cars is Chrysler’s 300 sedan, an instant hit when it debuted early last year. Featuring a chrome-covered grille topped by a sparkling Chrysler logo, the car has been popular with older drivers who like some of the 1950s design cues and younger hip-hop fans who praise its bling (See today’s announcement of the “King of Bling” 2007 Escalade). Gleaming metal connects with people on a primal level, said Ralph Giles, the designer of the 300. “Anything that’s been polished or shiny signifies labor,” Giles said. “You don’t find anything in the ground that shines until you put labor into it.” And if chrome isn’t enough, try diamonds.
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