Every year at the Chicago Auto Show there’s that one car that leaves me drooling. It’s roped off and perfectly aligned so that the spotlights hit it perfectly.
It’s usually orange or yellow or some other iridescent paint color. It’s shiny and pretty and utterly entrancing.
2010 Buick LaCrosse 2010 Lincoln MKT
Fresh Forte hits this summer
Complete coverage: '09 Auto Show
And every year it’s different. A Mitsubishi Eclipse hybrid concept. The Saturn Sky concept. The Dodge Challenger. The Chevy Camaro convertible. The Nissan GT-R. These are the fantastical dream cars that suck me in and keep me mesmerized – so much so that even after the media days have passed, I return to the show for the First Look, dragging my boyfriend from display to display. Then I go back again during the consumer days just to catch another glimpse.
But it’s not just the concepts and cool cars that draw me in. Where else can I see pretty much every car that’s currently being produced? I can touch them, sit in them, fold seats flat, climb into the third row and adjust the driver’s seat for my position. Plus, there’s someone on hand to answer any question I might have about the car.
I love it. And for me, 10 days is never enough.
The 101st edition of the Chicago Auto Show rolls into McCormick Place on Feb. 12 and stays through Feb. 22. Using 1.3 million square feet of floor space, the Chicago show is not only the largest auto show in North America but also arguably the most well attended. It was first staged in 1901, which definitely makes it the longest-running auto show in existence.
Even amid these troubled automotive times, this year’s show is slated to be a good one with plenty of cars, concepts and displays set to dazzle showgoers.
Jeep and Dodge return for the fifth consecutive year with an off-road test track manned by professional drivers. Located at the back of the North Hall, this Jeep Trail Rated course is designed to give some thrills as showgoers pile into the passenger seat and experience what these rugged vehicles can do in tough off-road situations. Ford a “stream,” traverse treacherous peaks and lumber over fallen logs in this clever display. However, be sure to arrive early to experience this crowd-pleaser, otherwise you’ll probably wait in line a couple hours.
The South Hall will once again be home to the General, with its eight brands taking up much of this hall’s space. A must-see on this side will be Chevrolet for its “out of this world” display. Chevy used the media days to introduce four all-new Chevrolet-based characters who will be appearing in the upcoming film: “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” which opens June 26.
Though smart cars made an appearance a few years ago at the Chicago Auto Show well before the trendy microcars invaded our shores, this is the first time smart USA will be on display. So if you’re curious about whether you’ll fit behind the wheel or if you just want to see one of these little tykes up close, the smart display is located in the North Hall between Infiniti and Mini.
Outside of the interesting displays, there are several production cars that were launched at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit that will be making the rounds in Chicago. This will be your first opportunity to see all-new 2010 models such as the BMW Z4, Toyota Prius, Kia Soul, Ford Taurus, Chevrolet Equinox, Cadillac SRX, Ford Shelby GT500 and Lexus HS 250h. However, my top three must-see all-new production vehicles include:
2010 Lincoln MKT: The MKT is an all-new car for Lincoln and marks the brand’s first entry in the full-size luxury crossover segment. It will be larger than the MKX and will sport three-row seating for either six or seven passengers. The base engine in the MKT is a 3.7-liter V-6, which delivers 268 horsepower. However, the optional up-level engine will be the 355-horsepower, 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 engine. Lincoln states that it has V-8 power with the fuel economy of a V-6. MKT also will have a plethora of high-tech options including: the hands-free active park assist, adaptive cruise control, a capless fuel-filler system, blind-spot monitoring and Sync.
2010 Buick LaCrosse: This car is huge for Buick. Any stodgy reputation Buick had should completely dissipate with this all-new midsize sedan. Gone are the Jaguar X-Type-like looks, and the new shape is Euro inspired with sleek long lines. There are two V-6 engine options in the 2010 LaCrosse: a 3.0-liter and a 3.6-liter delivering 255 and 280 horsepower, respectively. LaCrosse also will be sporting some high-tech options, including blind-spot monitoring, in-dash navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, rear-seat DVD entertainment and a rearview camera. LaCrosse begins production this summer and will be offered in three models: CX, CXL and CXS.
2010 Honda Insight: We’ve been waiting for this car since Honda did away with the previous-generation Insight in 2006. Gone is the ugly-duckling façade, and in its place is a vehicle that looks somewhat like a Prius. Fuel economy for this new hybrid will be 40 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway. Insight will be a designated hybrid for Honda and will employ the latest generation integrated motor assist hybrid technology. The Insight will be available in April 2009, and the best news about this car is that it’s slated to cost less than the Civic Hybrid ($23,650), which will make it one of the most affordable hybrids on the road.
From solid production vehicles to cool concepts to interesting displays, you’ll definitely want to stop by McCormick Place while the show is in town. The First Look at Charity is from 6:30 to 10:30 tonight.
The show opens to the public at 10 a.m. Feb. 13 and runs through Feb. 22. Tickets cost $10. Seniors and children ages 7 to 12 can get into the show for $5 and children younger than 6 get in free.
Pick a day, and I hope to see you at the show. By the time you read this, I’ll have picked the mesmerizing car of the year, and I’ll be standing in front of it drooling. Want to know my top pick for 2009? Be sure to check out my “On the Road” blog at http://blogs.suntimes.com/autoshow/.
