(CNN) — Chrome’s century-long reign as that added bit of flash and glamour on new cars may be coming to an end. For least one major auto maker, environmental and serious health concerns are outweighing its aesthetic appeal.
Chrome has long provided an eye-catching sparkle, creating an upscale look while also protecting unpainted metal car parts from corrosion. It’s served as a by-word for (especially American) automotive opulence.
“Chrome on a car is the automotive equivalent of using jewelry on an outfit,” said Leslie Kendall, head curator of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
But Stellantis – the company that makes Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat, and Maserati vehicles – among others, is committed to doing away with chrome on all its new models.
The plan even has a name. Inside Stellantis, it’s called “Death of Chrome,” said Stellantis’s chief global designer, Ralph Gilles. Stellantis vehicles, including its newest Jeep model, will …