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To understand what this year’s Chicago Auto Show was like, there’s
an important observation that I believe should help you put things in
perspective: I was reading the “Loh Down” in the latest issue of Motor Trend
Magazine, and Edward Loh, Editor-in-Chief, stated that in 2014, the automotive
industry as a whole applied for 12,000 patents. Though that’s no shocker of a
number on its own, it’s when you realize that this number was just above a mere
2,000 patents just 5 years earlier, that you begin to see just what direction
the industry is headed. To me, this isn’t just merely a sign of the future of
the auto industry – it’s a rebirth of an age – old race to be the best in the
business.
Compared to the
appeal and design of today’s newest models, which account for everything from
functionality to quality and comfort, cars in recent decades looked – and felt
– brash; under-minded and sub-par. The materials were hard and plain, the ride
quality could only either be too soft or too hard, and performance was the last
thing on the customer’s minds, not because they chose to go with alternative
references so much as the cars that were focused on performance were either too
uncomfortable or too unaffordable, or too impractical in most cases.
Today, the
voice of the consumer is more powerful, and carries more weight than ever
before thanks to modern communication like social media, and as a result you
can get a family sedan that can get the groceries home and the kids to school,
and that also has over 700 horsepower at the ready for when the mood takes you,
while carrying the efficiency of most of yesteryear’s hybrids. And with almost
every car now offering different ride settings from comfort to sport and sport
plus modes, you’re able to seamlessly transform your car from a road ripping
tire burning, fire breathing dragon into a luxurious and quiet cruiser, and
vise versa, at the touch of a button.
All of this new automotive technology has paved the way to
the starting line of a new type of automotive arms race. As car makers fight to
secure their patents in an age where technology, performance and convenience is
key in winning customer loyalty, it’s all but certain that this year’s auto
show wasn’t just a new year – it signaled the beginning of a new era in
research and development, which is a race sure to only get more competitive as
the years progress.
To illustrate this re-birth of the automotive race, I’ve
edited this gallery to showcase these technological marvels in grayscale tones
– to harp back to the earlier times when the world’s auto shows were the
beginning of a new era of customer insight that bridged an important gap
between the voice of the car maker and the voice of the driver.
First Showcased at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Show, the FT-1 concept awed Toyota fans world wide. The lines were evidently inspired by the long gone, but not forgotten Supra, and carried forward the tradition of Toyota's outlook on producing a true contender for the sports car segment. "Sexy", "Honest" "Organic" and "Kick Ass" were some of the words that Alex Chen, Toyota's Chief Designer used to describe the FT-1 when it made its debut. Fast forward 4 years, and it hasn't lost any luster.
The MX 5 cup car is slated to begin it's own cup series in 2016. Even though the full specs haven't come out yet, we do know it'll be using the same 2 liter engine from the production model, (though I suspect it's probably been beefed up a bit), and has a ton of neat looking aero pieces. Zoom zoom indeed.
The CTS-V's baby brother, the ATS - V sits firmly on an angled platform at the Caddilac Exhibit. Though not slated to go on sale until Spring, the ATS - V is already showing plenty of promise as a competitor in the industry. It's 3.6 liter V-6 puts out 455 horsepower and 445 lb - ft of torque ,and will be taking on the likes of the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63 AMG - which is a huge step forward from the floaters they were churning out just a few years earlier.
The Audi R8 was launched in 2007 and combined the legendary stability of the Lamborghini Gallardo's chassis with Audi's revered Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Eventually, the R8's V8 was upgraded to Lamborghini's V10 engine, and when you consider that this car is a perfect mesh of supercar bruteness and German Reliability - it's easy to see why the R8 has only gotten better with age.
While we were all saddened to see the legendary Defender drive off into the sunset, Land Rover filled it's gap with this: the new Discovery Sport. The crossover brings back the Discovery name in true capable form. While Crossovers are a plague that is engulfing SUV culture, this particular example stays true to Land Rover philosophy and doesn't sacrifice capability for efficiency.
The Lamborghini Huracan sits pridefully in the Supercar Gallery section of the show. The Huracan replaces the Gallardo, and was designed to be "Every Man's Lambo" - meaning that thanks to current economic conditions, supercar brands like Lamborghini manufacture cars like the Huracan in an effort to draw in additional revenue and capture a bigger market - But make no mistake - the Huracan doesn't skimp out on performance and will still take your head off like a rampant bull.
The Super Car Gallery at the Chicago Auto show features some of the world's rarest vehicles. Here, we see the front of an Aston Martin V12 DB9 convertible, a Ferrari FF, and the fanny of a Rolls Royce Ghost.
An Audi S5 sits dominantly on the Audi display. Though not much has changed from last year's model, under the hood, plenty has changed since its launch in 2009. Where the original model featured a traditional and familiar V8 mated to a 6 speed manual, this new S5 is much more advanced, and though the engine is smaller (Supercharged V6) and has a new 7 speed transmission, it also has more power than the V8. Das Power.
The Audi S3 is Audi's latest compact addition to the lineup - a small but nimble car with plenty of power to go around. Though the same can't necessarily be said for rear leg room - or head room if you're over 6 feet tall.
A close up shot of the S3 shows the lines and contours of the rear tail lights.
It's wonderful, it's a dream come true, and we've sat idly as we waited for Acura to revive its long - lost NSX program. In 2012, we were teased with a concept, and for the next 3 years, we waited...and waited...and waited. Now, we finally see the production version, and my was it glorious. No wonder Jerry Seinfeld was so pleased.
The NSX, in all its glory.
The regarded Cadillac CTS - V sits confidently on its own platform. This sedan set the pace for Cadillac's "V" program when it first came out, and from its new engine and massively improved performance and reliability to its matte white paint finish, this new CTS - V sets the pace once more for the American sports sedan.
The BMW i8 showed the world that performance and efficiency can actually go hand - in - hand. Though it's all electric - the i8 is certainly no slouch in the bends. Definitely one to put on the "To - Drive" list.
The Porsche 918 spyder is Porsche's first performance hybrid - and it hasn't disappointed, and in true supercar fashion, this car is full of big number - 887 horsepower, $845,000 asking price and a top speed of 214 miles per hour - the only small number? 0-60: 3.1 seconds
A frontal view of the 918 spyder
Lexus wanted to showcase its newest car - the RC - F with a unique view by putting it up on stilts so that visitors could walk underneath. This example was outfitted with all of the fun accessories - from new light rims to all of its exciting aero pieces.
There's not much to say here other than the newest Shelby GT 350 is a class act of muscle car tradition, though extensive engineering and development have allowed this new model to actually corner - something that can't really be said for previous generations of the Shelby.
The Avinir concept was a head turner at the Buick Display. This new concept is paving the way for engineering and design language for upcoming Buicks - and surprisingly, I'm happy to report that Buick was one of the most improved brands in the industry for customer service this year. With a new design language, a front - page concept car and award winning customer service, it's time Buick woke up from it's dorment slumber. Rumor has it there will be a revival of the Grand National in the near future - stay tuned.
Lincoln's display was - questionable, to say the least. From a massive, but outdated Navigator sat next to the "Lincoln Lounge" - a space that I suspect was designed for prospective buyers to sit with associates to discuss purchasing a new Lincoln. But, alas, it was closed off, and even though there was a barista in suit at the counter, he wouldn't let us in for a cup of joe. Well then...
In exciting news - Alfa Romeo is making a comeback to the states with it's new 4C. Coming in both a coupe and Convertible variant, the 4C marks the return of the iconic car brand to the United States. This is great, but with a 4 cylinder engine, I think I'll wait to see what else they bring to the table.
This is a bike - specifically, it's called the Lexus NXB concept bike, and like most concept bikes, this one is full of complicated science and math terms that make it light and fast - and expensive - at least that's the word, since Lexus's F Sport bike retailed for about $10,000 new. We can only expect that this one won't be too far off that price range.
What can get the groceries home, the kids to practice, and around the nurburgring in record time? Look no further than the 700 horsepower Dodge Charger Hellcat. It's a thing of beauty, and hearing it's engine redline as it was put to its paces on the test track adjacent the Dodge display only solidified my want levels of this amazing sedan.
A Scion FR - S sits in an enclosed space. It's yellow - orange - red graphics combo along with the "86" number on the sides hark back to the original and legendary Toyota Corolla AE - 86 (Initial D fans, anyone?)
Though not expected to see the production lines any time soon - the Hyundai SantaCruz Concept truck was a display of confidence from a car maker that less than a decade ago was churning out the kind of cars that no one noticed - this concept showcases all of the research and development that has gone into this now lively brand from its once dormant state.
This is the Hyundai Genesis AR 550 - a car designed by Hyundai to show its potential to compete with the likes of the BMW M5 and the E63. Horsepower? You guessed it - 550. Insane progress, I must reiterate.
A shot of the new Range Rover Sport's rear tail light detail - simply put, this is my dream car, and I can only hope that by the time I'm able to afford one, it hasn't fallen to the Crossover menace.
The Fiat 500 Abarth is a spunky 2 door compact with a chunky and powerful turbo charged engine that sounds like a grunting mini pit bull when you hear it rev. I love it.
The Cummins Diesel from the new Titan was much more impressive than it's controversial body design ,which many say combines the front and rear of a Ford F-150 with the side profile of the Dodge Ram to produce a rather bland design compared to its first generation predecessor.
This is what the future of mobility looks like according to Toyota - single or two seater pods with interesting light - up wheels and sleek design features made this, along with the other examples strewn about the Toyota display something worth getting a closer look at.
Sometimes, it's good to be bad - at least that's what Jaguar is saying about its new F-Type convertible and coupe variant. The entire lineup was great - but this convertible, with it's lines inspired by the original E-Type was the one everyone wanted to see.
This Toyota Supra is a monster with over 1,000 horsepower. It's by far and away one of my favorite cars, and as soon as I have an extra garage spot, this will be filling that space.
Contrary to popular belief, the RV was actually worth looking at this year - particularly because this new Winnebago's design harks back to the original design of the 1970's and is fittingly named the "Tribute"
I like what Chrysler has done lately with their cars. This one in particular is a one - off variant of the new 200, called the 200S - Mopar edition. All I can say is - make it Chrysler. MAKE IT HAPPEN.
Of course, the best part of the show was the legendary return of the revered and long - awaited Ford GT. Slated to go on sale in 2017, the new GT features a powerful Ecoboost V6, jet plane exhausts, and a $300,000 price tag.
The Mazda MX-5 Miata accessories concept was awesome to see. It showcased a variety of prototype accessories that are likely to appear on the options list once the Miata hits showroom floors.
What is this exactly? It's what's under the cargo bay of the new Nissan Murano - why is this important? Well, if you look closely at what sits in the middle of the spare tire, you'll see that it's a circular briefcase with a wire attached to it. It's not a bomb, but rather, the subwoofer of the Bose Sound System - which, in all honesty, was actually a bomb from the design department. Yes - unscrew the place holder in the center and give it a good yank, and someone can run off with a quite expensive new sub. Murano buyers be ware.
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