Chicago Auto Show
 

Went to the auto show yesterday for the first time since the 99? Charger concept was introduced and I have to say at least on DCX's part the show was outstanding! Indoor test tracks for Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep vehicles, just crazy! To say that they stole the show is a bit of an understatement. The Challenger concept is just stunning, and during the hour or so I spent just slobbering on the carpet looking at it I kept hearing one word being uttered by nearly every individual who walked up to it, "AWESOME!". Pictures can't do it justice. Even my wife who has been kinda luke warm to the idea of this being our next new car said that we will have to get an orange one! I even won a CHALLENGER CONCEPT T-SHIRT during a question and answer quiz! Too small for me but my 15 year old son was thrilled when I came home and handed it to him. When the hostess on the display offered up that it was only a concept with a big grin on her face there was a unanimous "BUILD IT!" from the enthusiastic crowd. Even the Imperial concept had a large crowd albeit a little more gray than the Challenger display. The Rampage concept well I'll put it nicely, was just odd, don't do this DCX! The driving courses were very popular to say the least and Jeeps "obstacle" course was very cool and Chargers getting rubber indoors is pretty cool also!

Went to the Camaro concept display just to stand there and gage the reaction and listen to comments about the car. While there were a lot of people standing there I only heard ONE positive comment about the concept. I also found it amazing that the hostess there was telling people to contact GM about whether or not to build the car. They won't go to the trouble to post poles on web sites as DCX has done? It just struck me as kind of arrogant. Wonder what that says about their customer service? Nuff about them.

Stopped by the Ford display to see the Ford GT because I love the timeless design. Very nice, done up in the old orange and blue "GULF" livery colors-Classy. Then looked over the GT 500. I have decided that the more I see of the New Mustang the less I care for it. Can't exactly put my finger on it, it just seems less "cool" or uninspired each time I see it.

Then over to see what Europe had brung and I must say that after kinda looking forward to the Ferrari display that it was extremely dissapointing. 2 Scaglieties an F 430 and a Ferrari challenge car. The Scags are just BUTT UGLY! 430 is nice.

Mercedes was the best of 'em and had an impressive array of vehicles. The Maybach 57S is a beautiful luxury car and there is a lot of car because this thing is big. The CS 55 is very nice and another beauty. Of course the SLR Coupe is awesome as well.

Went next to the BMW's and the only one that really caught my eye was the M6 Coupe. That is one mean looking machine. And while on the subject of BMW we stopped and looked at the Minis cause my wife thinks "they are cute" and I must say that these things are really kinda "clunky" looking. They don't seem to be put together well.

Well if you haven't been yet or haven't been in awhile the DCX displays alone are worth the price of admission. We enjoyed ourselves except for the hour of bumper to bumper traffic in the rain leaving The Windy City. Good day trip.

RE: Chicago Auto Show
 

wow, Deja Vu. hahah, I just read this over at DF. Cool, sounds like fun. I missed the L.A. show. Bu tthey didn't have the Challeger there anyways so no big deal. I still like the looks of the stang. 69 and 70 are the only years I ever like of it, so that is why I have an interets in this one.

Did they have the Bugati there? that thing is one bad ass car even for 1.2 million.

RE: Chicago Auto Show
 

Didn't see the Bugatti there and I think we went through all of the European makes. Keep saving, the Challenger, she's a beautiful beast! Can't hardly stand the wait!

RE: Chicago Auto Show
 

I hope they bring it to the Kansas City autoshow. Oh, I'd love to see it. Most pictures don't do cars justice. But other cars like the Aztek, the pictures add more justice than what the vehicle ever deserved.

RE: Chicago Auto Show
 

I'll post some pics when they get in. I've got a chisel and hammer camera :D so I'm waiting for the disc. I tried to capture some of the smaller details on the car like parting lines, grill, headlights, calipers and such. I just hope the old Minolta was up to the task! I found it interesting that the "concept" had cats on both down pipes, yes I had to be restrained as I tried to crawl under the car!:D Seemed to me to be closer to a production vehicle instead of a concept!;)

RE: Chicago Auto Show
 

are you certain that it had cats? the way that the car was situated at the NAIAS, it was tough to get a good look under the front end, but there was something frm dodge that said that the current output wouldl be lessened by the fact that the concept has no cats, and flowmasters performance exhaust "which will differ on the actual production model"...

i wanted so badly to get closer/under it...[:@]

RE: Chicago Auto Show
 

I'm old, stop it, you're killing me!!!:D

RE: Chicago Auto Show
 

Sorry Paladin!:D Yeah that's the only thing they could have been unless they were just the casings with no internals.They looked like polished stainless high flow aftermarket cats I have seen in parts catalogs. I'm sure they would have been precats since they were on the down pipes, BUT they were definitely there. I couldn't see aftercats but I'm sure with their low profile they were tucked up neatly under the car. The Challenger was up on a turntable about three feet high so they were clearly visible in behind the wheelhouse. I was hoping to see more details under the front of the car but couldn't see anything in detail, too dark under there dammit![:@]Could see that it had the independent rear suspension and Flowmasters but again not much detail. Hopefully more will show up in the pictures with the flash!

RE: Chicago Auto Show
 

As promised here are some pics from Chicago.



[IMG]local://upfiles/12/5971AC7BE37D410785E0F1193CC9DCBD.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/12/AF1C3AF8C48941CBBCE1ACC27368EA7F.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/12/FDA19553549D46A48A98539876572FB2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/12/62D2B5001F0642289125958D564A9B96.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/12/A37DC910F6544F4BA6598568CF44EE22.jpg[/IMG]

RE: Chicago Auto Show
 

and more...

[IMG]local://upfiles/12/BBAEA3B100C64A9284ACD8875B2BEE4F.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/12/680E8F8687F94EFE898F69D45D75408A.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/12/654EF29C0D364232BE4B85E9AB9C919A.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/12/31AC3A27DDA947748F455FD5CCF620BA.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/12/45DE5A24F76D475D9F21A15E4E7C76C7.jpg[/IMG]