Chicagoans are lucky. The Chicago Auto Show is one of the best auto shows in the country, if not the best. Held at the spectator-friendly McCormick Place, it features almost every significant new production car and concept vehicle the automakers have to offer. Plus, it offers a fair amount of its own news.
Elsewhere in this section you can find the news the domestic automakers made in Chicago. Here, we’ll concentrate on new products from four foreign auto companies, two from Japan and two from Korea.
2010 Kia Forte 2010 Acura TSX V-6
Cars star in 'Transformers'
2010 Acura TSX V-6
Based on the European Honda Accord, the TSX has been known as the responsible entry-level luxury car since it was released for the 2004 model year. The TSX grew a bit with its 2009 redesign, and now it is getting its first V-6 engine. Acura unveiled the 2010 Acura TSX V-6 at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show.
“We’ve taken a great car and we’ve kicked it up a notch,” said Jeff Conrad, vice president of Acura sales. By doing so, Acura believes it has made the TSX more competitive with the likes of the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Lexus IS.
The TSX’s 3.5-liter V-6 engine, which also powers the base Acura TL, will produce 280 horsepower. It will be mated to a five-speed automatic transmission with a manual shiftgate that can be operated through the shifter or a pair of steering-wheel shift paddles.
Acura hasn’t announced fuel economy numbers, but the 3.5-liter V-6 gets 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway in the larger TL. That’s in comparison to 21/30 mpg for the TSX’s base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine when paired with the five-speed automatic transmission.
The 2010 Acura TSX V-6 will also get a front fascia with a slightly more prominent lower lip. Underneath, the suspension damping will be slightly firmer for sportier handling. And at each corner, the five-spoke alloy wheels will be one inch larger, growing from 17s to 18s, and will be wrapped in Michelin Pilot all-season tires.
The 2009 Acura TSX V-6 goes on sale this summer. Pricing has not been announced.
2010 Hyundai Genesis coupe R-Spec
Hyundai released the award-winning Genesis sedan last year and is now coming out with a coupe version. But before the company’s first rear-drive coupe hits the streets, Hyundai is already expanding the lineup. Hyundai took the wraps off the performance-oriented 2010 Genesis coupe R-Spec at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show.
The R-Spec is designed to appeal to enthusiasts who want a low starting price and a car that can be tuned to their specifications.
The Genesis coupe R-Spec will get its performance features from the 2009 Genesis 2.0T Track model, but will have a starting price of $23,750, $3,000 less than its better-equipped sibling. The engine will be the same – a 210-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that will deliver an estimated 30 mpg on the highway and a top speed of 137 mph. The lone transmission will be a six-speed manual.
Like the Track model, the R-Spec will have quicker, more responsive hydraulic steering. Brembo brakes will do the stopping, with 13.4-inch front and 13-inch rear ventilated rotors and red four-piston calipers. The suspension will feature higher-rate coil springs, firmer shock absorbers, an additional front strut brace and thicker front and rear stabilizer bars. The tires will be summer performance Bridgestone Potenzas, P225/40YR19 up front and P245/40YR19 at the rear, on gunmetal finish alloy wheels. A Torsen limited-slip differential will also be standard.
To reduce weight and price, the R-Spec will not have several of the features of the Track model or even base model. Hyundai has not announced an on-sale date for the 2010 Hyundai Genesis coupe R-Spec, but has said it is scheduled for a mid-model year release.
2010 Kia Forte
Kia unveiled the 2010 Forte, a compact sedan that will replace the Spectra, which has been Kia’s compact car since the company entered the U.S. market in 1994.
The front-drive Forte is slightly larger than the Spectra, and Kia says it will have one of the roomiest interiors in its class. The Forte denotes a new design philosophy for the brand. It features a trapezoidal mesh grille, swept-back headlights and a prominent beltline that rises from front to rear. With available low-profile 17-inch wheels, the Forte has a more athletic profile than the Spectra and its hatchback sister, the Spectra5.
The Forte will be offered in LX, EX and sporty SX trim levels. LX and EX models will be powered by a 156-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a standard five-speed manual transmission or an optional four-speed automatic. The SX will get a 173-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder with a six-speed manual or an optional five-speed automatic. The SX will also have sport cloth seats with red stitching, a rear spoiler, a sport suspension, larger front brakes and 17-inch alloy wheels.
A fuel economy package will be available for the base engine. With a five-speed automatic transmission, electric power steering and low-rolling resistance tires, Kia says this package will give the Forte a class-leading fuel-economy rating of 36 mpg on the highway.
The 2010 Kia Forte sedan will go on sale in late spring or early summer. Expect a hatchback to follow.
2009 Mazda MX-5
At the 2009 Chicago Auto Show, Mazda celebrated the 20th anniversary of its popular two-seat roadster by unveiling a freshened 2009 Mazda MX-5.
The 2009 Mazda MX-5 gets exterior changes that Mazda says make it more dynamic and aerodynamic. The front bumper and fascia are more aggressive and the grille has a new five-point shape inspired by the Mazda RX-8. The side sills and rear bumper are new, and the taillights and rearview mirrors recall the elliptical shape of the first-generation MX-5. The headlights and front fog lamp bezels are also reshaped.
Inside, the seats have been sculpted for better lower body comfort, and the cup holders in the doors have been incorporated into the armrests. The door armrests and center console are now padded. Mazda says the meter graphics have been revised for better readability and the trip meter has a new LCD display backlit in red.
Under the hood, internal engine modifications increase horsepower by just one (to 167), but also allow the redline to increase by 500 to 7,200 rpm in cars equipped with the five- or six-speed manual transmission. The six-speed manual has been revised to give it a quicker, lighter and more direct shift feel. Engine and aerodynamic tweaks improve highway fuel economy slightly.
The 2010 MX-5 also has a few suspension tweaks that Mazda says make it handle even better. The front roll center has been lowered about one inch, the damping on the base and sport suspensions also have been retuned, and the traction control and electronic stability control systems have been programmed to be less intrusive.
The 2009 Mazda MX-5 is on sale now with a starting price of $21,750.
All four of these cars are on display at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show. Head down to McCormick Place and check them out.
