Chicago Auto Show

[Minrott]

Was very cool. The new Camaro looks pretty hot. The Ford GT is even cooler than I thought. The Challenger concept is a little too retro, but still cool.

Nothing really super exciting, but I think I might buy a Civic for my next a to b vehicle. The ones I looked at at Honda's area were 70% US/Canadian built, with the powerplants being US built and the transmissions being Japanese.

Hummer had their H2H there, hydrogen powered (combustion not fuel cell). Not very impressive, 60 mile range between fill ups.

Best part of the day, going to the Ferrari booth and asking the rep "How does this thing compare to a Ford GT?" I think he wanted to cut me.

[Phlegm]

Did any of the car companies bring their concept cars? The car show here in San Jose last month didnt have any.

[mofish]

As much as I worry about oil consumption I do love me some cars. Always been a camaro fan and glad its comin back. Thanks for the summary.

Speaking of oil consumption, is there such a thing as a performance turbo-diesel engine? One with horsepower and not just a mountain of torque?

Watched an interview with the CEO of Cummins this morning, very interesting. I guess mr cummins ran the indy 500 in a diesel powered car. He finished 13th, but he did the entire race on one tank of gas.

[Tuggan]

I think the Camaro is the concept, and the Charger is going into production. I didnt really like the Camaro, didnt have the feel of a Camaro... and was kinda huge looking.

[Minrott]

Mercedes had a performance inspired diesel there, it cranked pretty good, while I don't remember the horsepower rating, it boasted a 6.0 second zero to sixty, with 38mpg and 670 mile range.

Also very cool that I forgot to mention, were the International, uh, I don't even know what to call them they're not light trucks but they're not semi tractors. They're like semi tractors outfitted with beds and made into personal trucks. Really outlandish and over the top but very cool.

For concepts, Mitsubishi had their in-wheel-motor electric hybrid, Dodge had the Challenger, Masserati(sp) had their crazy birds egg car, and Ford had a crazy looking car with gull wing doors that was crowded around and I didn't really want to fight to see it. The Reflex I think it was called.

[Minrott]

Both the Camaro and Charger are concepts at this point.

was going to post pictures but they won't upload to my gallery =\

[Tacks]

How is the Charger a concept? The dealership in my town has the RT for sale and I've seen a few driving around.

I think you meant Challenger. Too bad the original Challenger wasn't aesthetically pleasing and neither is the new one.

[Kramer]

a Hummer with a 60 mile range....


the same Clowns who buy the real thing will buy this pointless thing also....


something else for the ditzy suburbanite to show off

[Minrott]

Yeah I'm sorry, the Challenger concept. I've always got those two mixed up. I was talking about my first post.

The Challenger concept is a little too retro, but still cool.

[Eldred]

Did they show off the New Saturn Sky, or the Pontiac Solstice?

[mofish]

Mercedes had a performance inspired diesel there, it cranked pretty good, while I don't remember the horsepower rating, it boasted a 6.0 second zero to sixty, with 38mpg and 670 mile range.

That's what Im talkin bout. Nice.

[Minrott]

The Pontiac Solstice was there. I thought it looked kind of neat, in a Mazda Miata sort of way. The kind of car a 50 year old just divorced woman who wishes she still looked like she did when she was 25 would buy to drive around town.

Little 4 cylinder in a car that has the mass of a geo metro and is rear wheel drive. Sounds fun actually.

I missed the Saturn booth. I meant to look because I'm in the market for a compact mileage driver, but got side tracked by all the cool stuff at Subaru.

[Eldred]

http://www.saturn.com/saturn/vehicles/futurevehicles/index.jsp
Link for the Sky, I think it's much better looking than the Solstice.

I'm a big Miata fan, I love compact roadsters they are fun to drive. A friend had an old MG that I just loved the look of and they way it drove. Wanted a Miata ever since. But my father worked for Delphi, so I get a discount on basically all GM products. The Solstice & Sky are the same car san's body styles, and distributer, they Sky will also come w/ one year of On Star standard. But I'm still not sure if I want to buy one of those or just go with the Miata anyway, better engenering, and since this is supposed to be the last year for them (I heard they were changing the name next year I may have heard wrong though.)

[Tuggan]

Mazda wants to get rid of all wordage on their car names. I believe the Miata will still be the same car, just with the named MX-5 or something of the sort.

Theyve also improved the car a great deal over the years. You just gotta be a tiny guy to fit in it