Former Chrysler designer, John E. Herlitz passes at 65

[mart]

Former Chrysler designer, John E. Herlitz
Dead at 65

I just found this on the net - from the New York
Times, dated April 13, 2008 - on the passing of
retired Chrysler designer, John R. Herlitz, who
along with a long list of other accomplishments
at Chrysler, was responsible for the design of the
1970 Plymouth Barracuda and 1971 Road Runner.

mart
-------------------------------
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com
April 13, 2008

http://tinyurl.com/3gdy7k

ohn Herlitz, 65, Designer of Muscle
Cars, Dies

By JAMES G. COBB


John E. Herlitz, an automobile designer
who styled a signature American muscle
car and left his imprint on many notable
Chrysler Corporation models of the late
20th century, died March 24 in Naples,
Fla. He was 65.

John E. Herlitz in 1998 with the 1970
Plymouth Barracuda, a car that became
popular after he redesigned earlier versions.

The cause was complications of a fall in his
winter home in Naples, a son, Kirk Herlitz,
said. Mr. Herlitz also lived in Bloomfield
Hills, Mich.

Mr. Herlitz made his reputation with the
1970 Plymouth Barracuda, which brought
a touch of class to the “pony car” segment,
a genre of sporty compact cars started with
the Ford Mustang, with long hoods and
short rear decks.

His Barracuda replaced designs that were
only mildly successful, starting with an
awkward 1964 fastback based on the
Plymouth Valiant economy car. In contrast,
the Herlitz Barracuda was clean and largely
unadorned, with a wide body and a
hunkered-down stance that hinted at the
considerable power available to customers
who checked the right boxes on their order
forms.

When a huge V-8 engine was crammed
into a coupe like this, its status changed
to muscle car, capable of tire-smoking
burnouts and blistering straight-line
acceleration — but generally mediocre
handling.

Today, the Herlitz-redesigned Barracudas
of the early 1970s, especially Hemi ’Cudas
with fearsome 425-horsepower engines,
remain some of the most sought-after
muscle cars. At collector-car auctions
frequented by celebrities, bids have
exceeded $2 million for Hemi ’Cudas
with rare high-performance options.

In another indication of the timeless
nature of the design, Chrysler is
resurrecting the Barracuda’s sister car,
the Dodge Challenger, as a 2008 model.
Chrysler shut down its Plymouth brand
seven years ago, precluding a return of
the Barracuda.

Mr. Herlitz followed up his 1970 tour
de force with well-received makeovers
of other revered performance cars,
including the 1971 Plymouth Road Runner
and the GTX. Then, as the muscle-car era
wound down amid fuel shortages and new
safety and emissions rules, Mr. Herlitz
assumed ever-increasing responsibility in
the Chrysler studios.

He worked with the teams of designers
who created the boxy K-car compact cars,
which staved off a bankruptcy filing; the
first modern minivans; and a family of
large sedans in the early 1990s that were
notable for their “cab forward” design
and spacious passenger compartments.

By 1994, when he was named vice
president for product design, Mr. Herlitz
had become chief lieutenant to Tom Gale,
the engineer turned designer who headed
the Chrysler studio. Under their leadership,
Chrysler designers gained a reputation for
bold cars and trucks that often borrowed
from the past. This retro look was
exemplified by a series of Chrysler-brand
concept cars — design prototypes often
intended to elicit reactions — including the
Atlantic, Phaeton and Chronos, that evoked
voluptuous motorcars, including the Bugattis
of the 1930s.

Mr. Herlitz was also associated with the
Dodge Copperhead, a roadster in the vein
of British classics like the Austin Healey,
which was a favorite at auto shows in
1997. The next year Daimler-Benz took
over Chrysler; the Copperhead, like many
other innovative show cars of the time,
never went into production.

In a telephone interview last week, Mr.
Gale said that in a studio, where designs
are usually collaborative even if individuals
sometimes get the credit, Mr. Herlitz was
notably reluctant to step into the spotlight.
But in the case of the Barracuda, Mr. Gale
said, “I think he really deserves a lot of
credit.” He praised the car’s proportions,
width and stance.

Dan Gurney, the driver and racecar builder,
was associated with the Barracuda through
All American Racers, the name of his team
and his shop, for which a limited-edition
model, the AAR ’Cuda, was named.

About Mr. Herlitz’s basic design, Mr.
Gurney said: “It was a stunning car. I don’t
know what makes one shape of metal stand
out more than any other, but it had it. The
car had just the right geometry and a
timeless style.”

At the time of his retirement in 2000,
Mr. Herlitz was senior vice president for
product design. He helped to establish
the Walter P. Chrysler Museum at company
headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., and
aided in the design of a visual arts building
under construction at the Interlochen Center
for the Arts in northern Michigan; he served
on the school’s corporate advisory council.

Mr. Herlitz was also a director of the Detroit
Institute of Ophthalmology and the Cleveland
Institute of Art. He served on the board of
Winnebago Industries.

John Eric Herlitz was born in Pine Plains,
N.Y., on Dec. 30, 1942, the son of Swedish
immigrants. As early as age 13, he was
sending sketches of cars to Chrysler. He
kept up correspondence with company
officials, who gave advice on the education
he would need to fulfill his dream of
becoming a car designer.

After attending the Salisbury prep school
in Connecticut, he received a bachelor’s
degree in industrial design from Pratt
Institute in 1964 and joined Chrysler soon
after.

Mr. Herlitz married Joan Elizabeth Neinas
on Sept. 20, 1969. She died Jan. 22.

He is survived by two sons, Kirk of San
Carlos, Calif., and Todd of Chicago, and
one grandson.

Last Saturday at the Chrysler Museum,
those arriving for a memorial service
walked by an orange 1970 Hemi ’Cuda that
was already in a featured position near the
auditorium, along with a black 1971 Road
Runner that Mr. Herlitz had not only
designed but also once owned.
==============================

[scottm]

I just found this on the net - from the New York
Times, dated April 13, 2008 - on the passing of
retired Chrysler designer, John R. Herlitz, who
along with a long list of other accomplishments
at Chrysler, was responsible for the design of the
1970 Plymouth Barracuda and 1971 Road Runner.

The 1970 Plymouth Barracuda is my #1 favorite muscle car body style.
RIP John. And thank you for creating such a beautiful part of history!

[mart]

.[/quote] the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda is my #1 favorite
muscle car body style.RIP John. And thank you for creating
such a beautiful part of history![/quote]
---------------
I was just thinking too, that back in '68 when he
would have been working on the '70 Barracuda
design, he would have been only about 25 years
old! It must have been an exciting time to be
working in the auto industry in Detroit and literally,
a dream job for such a young and obviously, incredibly
talented engineer. He will definitely be missed
and his work long remembered.....and long admired!

mart
============================