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Chicago Auto Show 2008

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chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: Day One Round-Up

Day One is officially over here at the Chicago Auto Show and in case you weren't around, a lot actually (Challenger) happened here at the McCormick Center (Challenger). If for some reason you were trapped in an underground cave somewhere (Challenger), here's what you may have (Challenger) missed:

-Yeah, we feel like even though you're bored of it and we're bored with it, we'd be rather remiss if we didn't point out the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 was revealed yesterday and we had the web's best coverage of the return of the Muscle Car Wars:
Chicago Auto Show: 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Live And In The Shiny Orange Flesh
2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8: Revealed, Officially!
Chicago Auto Show: First Live Shots Of 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8
2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Revealed, Now With Real, Live Video!

-We saw some big vans — whether it was the newly-rebadged Chrysler VW Routan or the new Ford Transit Connect, the show was showing off the people movers.

- The new 2009 RL showed off Acura's new buck-toothed grin — also a new and bigger engine.

- Suzuki showed off some re-badged Nissans new truck-love by way of the Equator concept reveal — and then officially here.

- We fell in love with GMC's pickup-truck concept from down under named the Denali XT — again.

- Ben learns to fall in love with German precision again as BMW returns to the track with a hot little ALMS-bound M3 racer.

- Chevy's Ed Peper reveals the official performance numbers of the 2009 Corvette ZR1?

- We found the 2009 Chevy Traverse to be not as ugly looking as we thought it'd be.

- YES!

All in all, considering our rather "meh" expectations — it was a rather busy day. Somehow we're a wee bit unsure whether Day Two's going to provide the same level of "excitement" — but we're hopeful. Stay tuned with us as we wrap up our leftovers and continue our quest for the perfect 'za.

Feature

6:45 AM on Thu Feb 7 2008
By Ray Wert
405 views, 18 comments

Latest by Mark Arnold: @1300ccsoffury: I've had it. Indeed it is everything you say it is. more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: 2009 Acura RL Revealed, Gets Bigger Engine

We told you a couple of weeks back Acura would be revealing the 2009 model of Acura's lovely top-of-the-line sedan, the RL, here at the Chicago Auto Show. Just as we predicted, so was it revealed, in all its mid-cycle refreshment glory. The new 2009 RL gets almost entirely new sheet-metal (apparently everywhere but the doors) as well as a new engine to replace the ol' and busted 290 HP 3.5-liter V6. That's right, the 2009 model's getting a bigger 3.7-liter V6 to match the "Double Plenum Power Grille" and of course the Super-Handling All Wheel Drive or (SH-AWD). We'll have more up momentarily — but we think you get the gist of it.

Feature

11:15 AM on Wed Feb 6 2008
By Ray Wert
8,846 views, 74 comments

Latest by n/a: @bizzychris: You can see it in Silver on the Acura.com site. Click on the "Future Vehicles" tab. It also lists the new engine as putting out 300hp instead of 290hp - so less of a HP boost than exists more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: We're Here

We're here, we're full of pizza, get used to it (please send antacid tablets)! After a night of hard-core investigative journalism and hard-core eating we've got the calories we need to bring you the live reveals. We've got Routans, and European Ford Vans and Unfortunate Auto Trans. OH MY! And all that's happening today. Call in late, that memo can wait!

Follow the Chicago Auto Show link to get the latest news and Chicago Auto Show Cheat Sheet Link to see what's getting revealed today.

Feature

9:00 AM on Wed Feb 6 2008
By Matt Hardigree
409 views, 27 comments

Latest by GrndsKeeprWillie: Willie will only say this once. If you are in Chicago and want a good deep dish style pizza, go to Pequod's Pizza. Don't tell all your friends. more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: 2009 Hyundai Sonata Revealed, Now With Super-Capacity Cupholders

We've already caught a Korean preview of the new Sonata as it rather slickly though liltingly transforms from the 2008 model to the 2009 version. But now we're gonna catch this revamped mid-size in the flesh, right here at the Chicago Auto Show. This isn't exactly the kind of ride you ooh and aah over, but given that Hyundai is making a serious effort to win over American hearts and minds this week, placing not one but two ad buys during the Super Bowl and pulling the trigger on its downscale-luxe Genesis, whatever adjustments (however minor) they're making to the packaging of their main player in the dog-eat-dog, kill-your-dad, eat-your-mother mid-size realm is notable. After all, the Genesis may build buzz and get folks into dealerships, but Hyundai still needs to move product in volume segments. The company says the '09 Sonata will hit dealership later this month. Details and the press release, après la jump. More »

Feature

12:01 AM on Sun Feb 3 2008
By Matthew DeBord
5,420 views, 35 comments

Latest by blueplate: The new catchphrase for Jalopnik! Toyota: Super potential. Hyundai: Super Capacity! more »

chicago auto show

GMC Denali XT Hybrid Concept Truck: The Caballero Is Back...In Concept

This is it. It's called the GMC Denali XT Hybrid Concept Truck, and this unibody rear-wheel drive Australian professional grade car-truck action set to be unveiled this week at the Chicago Auto Show is making us excited in a way we haven't been since we saw the first episode of My Name Is Earl. And why shouldn't we be? Everyone knows the El Camino had a GMC version called the Sprint Caballero! GM, knowing of our love of all things car with a truck-bed allowed us, along with the fellow lovers of all things El Camino at PickupTruck.com, the opportunity to go behind the scenes in sunny Southern California for an exclusive with the design team and some one-of-a-kind photos of this unique Aussie import. When we accepted the invite to attend (at our own expense of course) we were expecting to see nothing more than a re-badged four-door Holden Crewman updated to the current VE architecture. Cool, but nothing more than what you'd expect from a leader in re-badging. Instead what we got was stunning, jaw-dropping and mind-blowing. So grab a shrimp off the Barbie above and settle in for the full story below the jump, mate!

More »

Feature

5:42 PM on Sat Feb 2 2008
By Mark Arnold
14,925 views, 102 comments

Latest by n/a: Looks like we are looking at the next version of the Avalanche but what year 09 or 10 more »

chicago auto show

Dodge Challenger Super Stock Racer On Sale In March

It's been a while since we've heard anything about Dodge's turnkey drag racer Challenger Super Stock. But now Allpar is saying the Super Stock is going to be available sooner than expected. This doorslammer, which serves up the quarter-mile in 11 seconds, may be available to buyers as soon as March, over-the-counter, without a prescription. More »

Feature

12:30 PM on Thu Jan 31 2008
By Mark Arnold
3,518 views, 29 comments

chicago auto show

2009 Hummer H3T: Unofficially Revealed

What an exciting day it is for fans of the Hummer brand, with the 2009 Hummer H3T embargo catastrafuck giving the truck all sorts of play on the internet. Since bringing you the first Truck Trend H3T scans, we've gotten a lot more information thanks to PickupTrucks.com, which had the first H3T post up on the web. What do we know about the new H3T? It's the same Colorado/H3 architecture but built to accommodate both the crew cab and the five-foot-long bed. There will be four versions offered, including the base version with the Vortec 3.7-liter inline-five (245 hp/242 lb.-ft.) and the H3T Alpha, which comes with the 5.3L small-block V8 (300 hp/320 lb.-ft.). Customers are going to have a choice of either a heavy-duty handling and trailering suspension or an off-road version that comes with 33-inch tires. Bizarre notions of masculinity not standard on this model as Hummer predicts customers will themselves supply that. Full press release and photos below.

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Feature

5:15 PM on Fri Jan 25 2008
By Matt Hardigree
8,370 views, 40 comments

Latest by LemursGT: I admire the high beltline and low visibility. It's like driving an armored car made of cardboard, only with worse visibility and mileage. Hummers. Peh. more »

chicago auto show

Motor Trend Doesn't Break Embargoes, But Magazines Owned By Motor Trend Do

If you haven't been following along at home, folks, the nice people at Truck Trend (owned by our good friends at Motor Trend) somehow managed to break the Hummer H3T today, about a week early. How could this happen? Motor Trend, as has been explained to us, doesn't purposefully break embargoes, and they get testy when you suggest that they do. As we've explained about media embargoes before, automakers like press, and when they want their cars in certain publications they send "embargoed" information to publishers early to accommodate the supposed lead time the print media needs to rewrite press releases and layout photos. Therefore, Truck Trend has had the information on the 2009 Hummer H3T for a little while. But they claim as long as they don't publish it online, they're not breaking an embargo until it goes to print. But then they also claim if the printing date is in line with the embargo date than all should be well. Fair enough — a couple of hours here, a day early there — no big whoop. That is unless they move the publish date up and send the issues out a week early, which is what Truck Trend apparently did with their most recent issue (see the photo above of a magazine vendor with the current issue of the magazine today, shot by Michael Levine of PickupTruck.com). Then it doesn't matter what the issue date is because anyone with access to a scanner or a digital camera can then take those photos and spread them all over the internet thus breaking the digital and print embargo simultaneously and screwing other publications and their readers who don't have the information yet. But of course, Motor Trend doesn't break embargoes. Surely, if they did purposefully break an embargo the entire world of automaker PR reps would stop sending information to Motor Trend. Clearly that's exactly what would happen. More »

Feature

3:45 PM on Fri Jan 25 2008
By Matt Hardigree
1,911 views, 32 comments

Latest by Spoondizzle: @smokyburnout: I let my subscription lapse last year. Since then I've picked up about two or three issues. Last week in the mail I got a, "Please come back we'll only charge you $10 for the year," letter more »

chicago auto show

Chicago Auto Show: Lutz Confused, GMC's Pickup Truck Concept Coming to Chicago

Despite earlier reports the four-door Zeta-platform GMC concept pickup truck would be coming to the New York Auto Show, we've been told by people in the know it'll be hitting the floor at the Chicago Auto Show. We guess we'll be seeing it much earlier than expected. Maybe "Maximum" Bob Lutz was just having a senior moment of some kind. Our sources also indicate it'll have a drastically different look than anything else out of Australia with a truck bed — including the Holden Crewman ute up top. But it's not just the looks that'll be different. More »

Feature

10:30 AM on Fri Jan 25 2008
By Ray Wert
2,860 views, 19 comments

Latest by n/a: Why are they bringing that boat farther into the desert? more »

chicago auto show

First 2009 Dodge Challenger Interior Photo

Yup, more evidence that the Muscle Car Wars are on! After we showed you that single shot of the new 2010 Ford Mustang interior and after we ran the two covers Car & Driver saw slip out way too early, we happened upon the above shot of the interior for the 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T on a few of the forums all about the new muscle car from the Ram-headed brand. So what do we see? (It first showed up on ChallengerTalk.) Well — we see a lot of standard instrument panels, radio units and HVAC controls. But check out that silver plastic around the instrument cluster. Most importantly, check out that leather-and-chrome wrapped shifter. Now that we like. Click the jump to see a larger shot and remember, we'll be bringing you coverage of the official reveal live in just two weeks at the Chicago Auto Show. [ChallengerTalk]

Spy Photos

7:30 AM on Fri Jan 25 2008
By Ray Wert
8,716 views, 49 comments

Latest by n/a: They wont build a new trans am its a concept the damn camoaro wont make it out as anythig but a very limited model. more »

chicago auto show

2008 Dodge Challenger SRT-8, Undisguised

Apparently anything Chevy can do, Dodge thinks they can do better. Just as quickly as "Maximum" Bob Lutz revealed he'd be pulling the cover off the 2009 Chevy Camaro during testing, Dodge lifted the skirt off the Challengers out testing in the winter wonderland of Metro Detroit. Like this silver and black Dodge Challenger SRT8 caught for the first time completely undisguised before it's official Chicago Auto Show debut at the beginning of next month. Full report from the spy shooters at KGP below the jump. More pictures coming shortly. UPDATE: Full gallery added below. Remember to check out our full Muscle Car Wars coverage as well.

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Spy Photos

11:53 AM on Wed Jan 16 2008
By Matt Hardigree
53,838 views, 87 comments

Latest by Ineterwebguy: Nice car I did find this Video On the 2008 Chicago Auto Show It's Cool and I love the Song on it+ Watch video more »