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Posts Tagged “

08 Chicago Auto Show

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chicago auto show

The Teutuls Like The New Challenger, A Bag Full Of Money Or Possibly Both

Paul, Sr. and Paul, Jr., Teutul, of Orange County Choppers and American Chopper fame, were around to introduce the new Challenger. As far as celeb/car introduction pairings go, this one was mostly inoffensive and made some sort of sense as this car will be popular with those buying a third car as a way to blow some disposable income, which are the same people that buy custom bikes. Unfortunately, it lacked the uncomfortable sexuality of old people and Amerigasm potential of previous introductions.


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10:00 AM on Mon Feb 11 2008
By Matt Hardigree
1,364 views, 32 comments

Latest by suzq044: i dunno about you guys, but i want to see the black challenger. more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: Commercial Trucks And Vans

Commercial trucks and vans aren't quite as romantic as the latest sports car, but that doesn't mean we should ignore them. There's a segment of the population that gets excited about a big, mean work truck. Though we kind of like the Ford Transit Connect, we're still more moved by the full-sized, extended-length Dodge Sprinters you see below, which could stow a pair of Transit Connects and still have room for a Girl Scout troop. Enjoy the plows, tow trucks and work vans.


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1:00 PM on Fri Feb 8 2008
By Matt Hardigree
1,222 views, 22 comments

Latest by RobertRyan1: The Big Euro Vans are either powered by a 2.5 or 3 Litre diesel bu they move a lot of stuff. I have seen a IVECO Daily Cab Chassis variant hauling a 30ft 5th wheel. more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: 1969 Mercedes 300SEL 6.3 Turns Us Into Dragons

Though we may all dream of owning a 6.9, the 300SEL 6.3 was the original German Q-ship. This $55,000 sedan's 6.3-liter V8 produced 250 horsepower, 369 ft-lbs of torque, and could propel the nearly 4,000-pound hunk of beautiful metal to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. That's pretty good today and outrageous in 1967. We were therefore delighted to see one from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center gracing the floor of the Chicago Auto Show.


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12:15 PM on Fri Feb 8 2008
By Matt Hardigree
1,899 views, 57 comments

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: International MaxxPro

International didn't just bring it's super shredder semi, the International LoneStar to the show. They also brought the US Military's latest wheeled transport, the International MaxxPro. The imposing vehicle is basically a purpose-built mobile bomb shelter, capable of taking a hit from any direction, as well as fording bodies of water as deep as 36 inches, just for the hell of it. When we opened the door—or more precisely, tried to open the door—we had to abandon all all our stuff and put our weight behind the effort. The thick armor plated doors were almost as heavy as the ones on an old Mark VIII. While the Humvee is impressive in its general-purpose skills, this thing is just a plain beast. We want a test drive of the take home version. Any vehicle with gun portals gets an "A" in our book.


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12:00 PM on Fri Feb 8 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
2,523 views, 23 comments

Latest by ipodwheels: Reminiscent of vehicles from mad MAXX. Could that be where the name was derived from. I think this would do well on a Resident Evil or Living Dead movie. I could surely level a horde of zombies more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: Army Stryker Engineer Squad Vehicle

Though the International Lonestar may have been the largest reveal of the show, the Army's LAV III Stryker Engineer Squad Vehicle may have been the biggest and meanest thing at the show. One of the engineers gave us a tour of the ESV, which is responsible for mine detection and removal, setting down lane markers and clearing roads. Conveniently, the operators of this LAV can do all of this without having to expose themselves to danger.

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11:15 AM on Fri Feb 8 2008
By Matt Hardigree
1,083 views, 21 comments

Latest by elhigh: @Schm: 50%?! Are you crazy? The Abrams gets 3.8 GALLONS to the MILE. 3mpg is the stuff of fantasy. more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: 2008 BMW E92 M3 GTR Reveal, Now With Video

We brought you the news BMW in cooperation with Rahal-Letterman racing would be returning to the track with the 2008 BMW E92 M3 GTR next year. What we didn't do was show you the video of the monster being unveiled. While Bobby Rahal was in attendance the embearded David Letterman was nowhere to be seen as Martin Birkmann did his disrobing duties. Did we mention there's a full press release and specs now? Because there are.


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10:30 AM on Fri Feb 8 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
8,119 views, 15 comments

Latest by Novaload: Starship Stormtrooper Option. more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: 2009 Mitsubishi Galant, Three Varieties of Boring

In case you were wondering, Mitsubishi did bust out a trio of updated Galants on Thursday, and we were monumentally underwhelmed. The Galant Sport, Galant Sport V6, and the Galant Ralliart all took a bow. The cars are available with a mix and match of the 2.4 L 4 cyl MiVEC, 3.8 L V6, and 3.8L V6 equipped with MiVEC, traction control, and Nav system as well as external indicators of the various performance levels.



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10:00 AM on Fri Feb 8 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
1,177 views, 32 comments

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: The Volvo XC70 SR Surf Rescue Vehicle, For When Hof Isn't Sober

Somehow we missed this XC70 SR at the SEMA show last year, overwhelmed as we were with things covered in pink carbon fiber. Unless you've passed out due to blood loss from a shark attack, you'll notice the five-inch lift and 20-inch wheels. While the XC70 SR sports the ubiquitous (on concept trucks) LED lightbar, it also features a unique and attractive set of blue strobes integrated into the fog light assembly, the mirrors and the rear light clusters. With scuba tanks, oxygen tanks, a first aid kit and a resuscitator box integrated into the rear cargo, it's all you need to save drowning tourists. We like it, but we're a little disappointed that the lifeguards won't be forced to make slow motion runs into strong headwinds in order to save us.

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2:30 PM on Thu Feb 7 2008
By Matt Hardigree
691 views, 14 comments

Latest by gadgetfanatic: Nice. more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: 2009 International LoneStar, Biggest Unveil of the Show

There's a funny thing about auto shows; from the outside, they appear to be all glitz and glamor, high-dollar extravaganzas to draw the attention of the nearest journalist, and later the consumer. In actuality, they are crushingly boring, highly stressed, cynical, irritating events which grow tiresome from both the PR side and the coverage side. Still, it's fun when you see something unexpected pop up on the floor. The new International LoneStar is definitely outside the mainstream of the average motor show. It was a welcome respite. We're digging the grill because it reminds us of the Shredder's helmet and mask. As a special bonus above that, the truck can be equipped with any of 42 different accessories, ranging from lights to shift knobs to acres of excess chrome. International has certainly switched its truck line from suck to blow.


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2:15 PM on Thu Feb 7 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
11,814 views, 67 comments

Latest by TR3-A: I've lived in apartments that weren't as nice as this truck's cabin! more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: Alton Truck Company F650 Is An Adventure In Ridiculous

While the automakers may be disappointing us with vanilla reveals, we have to hand it to the crew at the Alton Truck Company for taking the kind of effort a certain segment of the automotive aftermarket world puts into Civics and applying it to this Ford F-650-based SUV. Weighing in at a paltry 25,999 pounds, this extremest of SUV's features a Caterpillar 7.2L C7 ACERT engine with 230 horsepower and 660 lb.-ft. of torque. For the low low price of $200,000 you get hardwood floors, custom captain's chairs, four wireless computer stations, a 42" plasma TV and a rear view camera so you don't accidentally run over a Yukon XL. It's nicer and larger than our apartment, though slightly tackier. It's the perfect weekend cruiser for an affluent 8th-grader with a driver's license and a few extra bucks lying around.


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1:30 PM on Thu Feb 7 2008
By Matt Hardigree
10,662 views, 98 comments

Latest by Hello_Newman: Well, this is a showcar, and at $200k a pop I wouldn't worry about Mother Nature taking one for the team on it's environmental impact. I recently got a loaner of a Lincoln Navigator and at 17 feet long, it's more »

question of the day

What Would You Badge Engineer If You Ran An Automaker?

We know you're as thrilled as we are about the Chicago Auto Show's bevy of platform prostitution badge re-engineered vehicles and North American introductions of cars we've already seen. We know that you're all particularly taken with the likes of the VW Routan and the Suzuki Equator, two vehicles that wouldn't exist but for two automakers with the need to fill a niche and two other automakers with a need to not fully waste production facility resources. But it doesn't have to be that way. What if we badge re-engineered with an eye for both the absurd and the sublime? A Lotus version of the International CXTfor example? Or perhaps Isuzu could make a second go at the North American market with the Isuzu Cinquecento. More »

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1:00 PM on Thu Feb 7 2008
By Matt Hardigree
2,342 views, 131 comments

Latest by mallthus: My top ten: 10-Nissan Quest based on Renault Grand Espace 9-Saturn Zafira based on Opel Zafira 8-Chevrolet Astro based on Opel Vivaro 7-Nissan Maxima based on Renault Samsung SM7 6-Mercury Mountaineer based on Ford S-Max 5-Mercury Villager based on Ford Galaxy more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse

Even though they already dropped the press shots of the 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse and Spyder, the cars are making their official debut here at Chicago. Mitsubishi looked to borrow some mojo from past Eclipse models as they included previous versions in their display. The upgrades to the new version are largely cosmetic, thought they did see fit squeeze an additional two ponies out the power plant. Included in the deal are"Jet fighter grill", added traction control, new 18" wheels, dual outlet exhaust, Spyder gets standard heated seats, yada, yada, yada. Hey look, pictures.

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12:30 PM on Thu Feb 7 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
1,831 views, 25 comments

Latest by bu11etman: What happend to the Concept-RA?? That should be the 09! 204hp 4wd diesel with twin turbo. more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: Volvo Goes To The Dogs

While we were hoping we'd get something along the lines of the R-Line, Volvo surprised us with an event about buckling up your dogs. Yeah! Apparently, the XC90 has a special dog cage in there and the people at BarkBuckleUp.com want dogs secured safely so that, in the event of an accident, the animal isn't killed or injured (or wanders onto the street causing other accidents). We'd have taken more shots but the police dog started barking and we thought maybe they were on to us.

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12:00 PM on Thu Feb 7 2008
By Matt Hardigree
964 views, 20 comments

Latest by bozoerrebbe: The primary purpose of the BarkBuckleUp harness is not to protect the dog or emergency workers. The primary purpose is to prevent the dog from hurting a person when it goes flying in an accident. It's sort of ironic, though, more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: Dub Magazine Turns Chryslers Into Pentabortions

Dub Magazine, a publication known for highlighting the understated beauty of lightly customized automobiles, set up a display of lowered Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler vehicles made even odder looking with the addition of ridiculous rims. While it almost works on some vehicles, like the already chromey Chrysler 300 and Pepsi-vending Dodge Nitro, there are some vehicles that cannot be saved by anything short of explosives. An example of this is the maroon dubdubbed Chrysler Sebring with matching maroon wheels, or as we call it, the Pentabortion.

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11:00 AM on Thu Feb 7 2008
By Matt Hardigree
2,602 views, 69 comments

Latest by AuricTech: @burglar: That's not just lipstick on a pig, that's giving the pig the whole Tammy Faye Bakker treatment. more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: Toyota Corolla, Meet Dave

We don't remember seeing this at SEMA, because if we had, we would have made fun of it there as well. Nonetheless, the placard claims this Toyota Corolla SE Prototype was first shown at the infamous tuner show, and we claim it was first seen somewhere in a Ford studio run by Dave "Big Balls" Horbury. Seriously — check out that grille, somebody falling in love with the Ford Fusion much? Perhaps this is a new salvo in a developing grille wars. Whatever. We feel like maybe we should be on the look out for a restyled Ford Taurus sporting a Klingon forehead grille.

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10:30 AM on Thu Feb 7 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
1,184 views, 23 comments

Latest by suzq044: lmao. Nice Piloter. I agree. Alltracs & [slightly overplayed] supras ftw! more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: Second City Swag Watch

No journalists can leave the Chicago Auto Show without a bagful of little trinkets from automakers and suppliers (under $25, always). For the purpose of full disclosure and minor amusement, we had our CAS intern, Kevin Bradley, throw together a list of all the swag we received on the first day. We can also thank K-Brad for all of the various swag shots. If you're lucky, some of this stuff will end up as contest prizes in the future. Photos and full details below:

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9:30 AM on Thu Feb 7 2008
By Matt Hardigree
1,529 views, 16 comments

Latest by Matt Hardigree: @bozoerrebbe: Yes. We'd never sell a press kit. Ever. That's abusing not only the conventions of professional journalistic behavior, it is just wrong. On the other hand, giving away swag I think is fine. We're not giving away swag to the more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: Is The YES! 3.2 Roadster For Real? Yes!

We had a chance to check out the YES! 3.2 Roadster and YES! Roadster 3.2 Turbo and we were, as opposed to other moments in the day, actually pleased with what we saw. We'll start with the good news. The base YES! Roadster 3.2 weighs 890 kg, sports a 255 hp VW V6 and scoots to 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds. The better news is that the YES! Roadster 3.2 Turbo weighs only 930 kg, gets 355 horsepower out of the same engine and reaches 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds. The best news is that the super high performance version gets 415 hp, gets to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and has a top speed near 200 mph. The bad news is that the base price for the 3.2 roadster is $77,995, putting it a little out of our range. The 3.2 Turbo comes in at a $20,000 premium over the normally aspirated version. All that scratch gets you a unique piece of German engineering, even more unique in the US, where the company only expects to sell 50 of them this year (starting this June) through an undisclosed dealer network. More pictures and press release below.

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6:45 PM on Wed Feb 6 2008
By Matt Hardigree
2,264 views, 51 comments

Latest by Steve883: YES! PURE DRIVING PLEASURE [www.yes.de] [www.youtube.com] more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: Hyundai Reveals 2009 Sonata, Elantra Touring And i-Blue Fuel Cell Concept

Hyundai showed off a refreshed model in the 2009 Hyundai Sonata, a new model in the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring and a far off concept in the iBlue Concept.The news from the Sonata is the addition of the first nav system and dual-zone climate control. The news for the Elantra Touring is that it does look Mazda3-ish up close with a touch of Toyota Matrix. We sat inside one and it's relatively roomy for the class with a design that would be considered friendly to most and sporty to those without a pulse. Press information and photos below. The big news with the i-Blue is, uh, that it exists?


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4:45 PM on Wed Feb 6 2008
By Matt Hardigree
1,344 views, 5 comments

Latest by pitchpitch: i-Blue a .25 more »