Highlights from the Chicago Auto Show Media Days
Chicago

Wednesday February 8, 2006

new Ford Edge Crossover
DaimlerChrysler Test Track
The Driving Game..Dodge intro for Nitro R/T, Caliber SRT, Rampage
pickup concept
BMW Z3 and Z4 Roadsters
1974 VW Golf rendition painted by Brian
Dodge Nitro R/T SUV
Dodge Rampage pickup concept
2007 Toyota Tundra
Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Convertible

It's that time of year again when the new vehicles make their appearance and auto shows have long ago begun. This coming year-2006-will see some 101 new or redesigned models. Cars from most all manufacturers, in various shapes, sizes and configurations.

The Chicago Auto Show began today for the media and with it came lots of good things in fancy packages. Starting off with the media MAMA breakfast at 8:00 a.m., Bob Kocher, MAMA President presented the first-ever MAMA President's Cup Award to none other than veteran automotive journalist Jim Mateja. The "Dean of all auto writers," as Bob referred to the Chicago Tribune's premier auto writer Mateja, is the 2006 recipient of this award.  Selected by the Board of Directors and members of MAMA, this award will be presented to an outstanding automotive journalist each year. Christened "MAMA's Mateja Day," we all wore signs saying just that!

Today's theme seemed to be ethanol fuel. Ford is in the process of adding 20 new E85 outlets to Illinois and Missouri to supply ethanol fuel for cars so equipped. Helping to ramp up the number of outlets for this alternative fuel, Ford announced that they are aiming for a 500 outlet average. Ford has 1.6 million ethanol-powered vehicles on the road now and has plans to introduce the first F-150 E85 truck in dealerships soon.

Dodge's Trio of "Sweet Surprises"

The day was full of surprises. Before the Chicago Show Dodge sent out a mysterious email alerting the media that they will be "unwrapping three sweet surprises. Life is like a box of chocolates," they noted. "Forget the flowers, we went for something sweet." Every woman's "hot date" at this year's Chicago Auto Show was unveiled for the media Wednesday February 8, and will be for all women to catch a glimpse of on Women's Day, Tuesday February 14.

Those three sweet surprises included a rugged, yet stylish concept pickup aptly named the Rampage, the all-new Neon replacement Dodge Caliber SRT4, a tuner's dream car, and the 2007 first-ever midsize SUV, the Nitro R/T. The Rampage concept truck is the first pickup to have stow-and-go rear seats, and automatic folding running board, and rotating center stack. Powered by the 5.7-liter, 340 horsepower HEMI engine, Rampage has the capacity and utility of a full-size cargo van. Presented to the media in game show fashion, an announcer and contestant Wanda put on their version of "The Driving Game."

The Dodge Nitro R/T was next up. With a choice of part-or-full-time all-wheel-drive, Nitro is a great looking little SUV. Sporting a 4.0-liter V6 engine, its square-ish exterior stands out from the rest

Magic Johnson and Kermit the Frog teamed up to present Lincoln's redesigned 2007 Navigator SUV and Navigator L. Tossing out basketballs from the back of the Navigator, Magic posed by Navigator's new horizontal/vertical grille and all-new profile. Equipped with a new 300 horsepower 5.4-liter engine, teamed with a 6-speed automatic transmission, Navigator is capable of running on regular gasoline. More legroom has been added; the Navigator L, 14.7" longer with an added 25 feet behind the third row seat.

Lincoln's other news is the rebirth of its Zephyr sedan for 2007. With a newly designed front, available all-wheel-drive and a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 250 horsepower, Zephyr will also change its name to Mark Z.

The Ford F-150 pick-up truck is arriving in dealerships currently and is the first pick-up to use ethanol. The Escape and Mariner hybrids are already on the road. Ford also announced that they are working with Mayor Daily to put alternative fuel vehicles into the taxi cab fleet. One out of every 50 cabs will be a hybrid.

Nissan: Modern Moms Prefer a Minivan

Restyled and enhanced for 2007, the Nissan Quest minivan has been redone mid-cycle; the first time Nissan has attempted this. Apparently, concerns were so strong from consumers that Nissan felt it necessary to put their team of engineers on a remake ASAP. The engineering team, headed by a mom herself, engineer Carla Bailo redesigned the Quest interior extensively, in a 9 month "War Room" experience. Embracing the "mom image," Nissan's team has made interior and exterior changes, upgrading the Quest to meet consumer's needs.

Nissan introduced the all-new 2007 Versa hatchback and sedan at the Detroit show this year, and in April will be unveiling the new Altima and Maxima. They are continuing to expand the Titan truck lineup, and introduced the Titan Onyx concept.

Lexus asks "Can you Engineer Desire?"

As noted by Toyota's Jim Press, Chicago's Auto Show is an important one. In years past, Lexus has unveiled two new important vehicles at the show. Today was no exception: The redesigned ES 350 (and tomorrow's Tundra pick-up) were the backdrop for Press' introduction, but his message veered off the products for a moment as he spewed stats such as $2 trillion spent every year on vehicles and by 2009, the Baby Boomer generation will reach the height of their spending power. Sixty-three million people will be getting their driver's licenses in the next 10 years. What that translates to in Autoland, noted Press, is good news for auto makers. Each new baby born, he shared, represented 13 purchase cycles! And right behind the Baby Boomers are the Gen Y consumers: Richer and with more purchasing power than any other generation before it. Add on the strong immigration movement which is predicted to account for another 70 million increase in population and you've got tons of potential customers!

General Motors: www.Livegreen.goyellow.com

The 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche was introduce behind a huge box of popcorn spilling all over the showroom floor. Described a the "ultimate utility vehicle," the redesigned Avalanche is refined, more versatile and now offers some important features such as a rear camera monitor and rear park assist (first in the industry). It will also be available as a flexfuel vehicle, 85 percent ethanol/15 percent gasoline.

The fastest growing brand in the world, Chevrolet; globally, one out of five vehicles is a Chevrolet. Chevy also offers the most vehicles with E85 capability (Tahoe, Suburban, Silverado, Avalanche, Impala, Monte Carlo).  And GM plans to program its OnStar system to locate all stations supplying E85 fuel. Tahoe was introduced in New York,  on top of the world at the New Year's Eve countdown and the Camaro Concept car at this year's Detroit show. Coming next is the redesigned 2007 Suburban

Hyundai Just Gets Better

Continuing its 24/7 (7 cars in 24 months) initiative, Hyundai introduced the new entry-level Accent SE today. Unveiled to rave reviews in January at the Detroit Show was the redesigned Santa Fe SUV; last fall, the redesigned Sonata, and recently the Azera, Hyundai's flagship vehicle.  With steady growth for the past 7 years, Hyundai experienced its best sales month this past January. Sales were up 16 percent, and they plan to sell 500,000 units in 2006.

The restyled three-door Accent goes up against Toyota's all-new entry, the Yaris (the only other 3-door), but offers more power, more torque, 11 percent more interior room and more standard safety features. Powered by a 1.6-liter DOHC CVVT engine, Accent's GLS version came on the scene last December. Tuners will love the customizing options (more than 35 accessories available). Starting at $10,915, the GS has a better warranty and arrives in dealerships this spring.

Hyundai keeps raising the bar and venturing into new categories: Enter the all-new Entourage minivan, their first ever. Available in GLS, SE and Limited versions, Entourage will start at $23,795.

Mercedes-Benz skates on Thin Ice.

Two hockey players and a figure skating couple set the stage for Mercedes-Benz' intro of the ML63 AMG SUV and R63 AMG vehicles. The U.S. eats up these high-powered entries and MB keeps making them.

Introducing the all-new Fit in Detroit, Honda saved the redesigned Civic Si for Chicago. Reminding the crowd that Civic and the Ridgeline pick-up took Motor Trend's Car and Truck of the Year (first time ever) for 2006, John Mendel, Senior VP for AHMC told the crowd Honda plans to sell 3.1 million units this year. The only one of five vehicles to earn the IIHS' Top Safety Pick Award, Civic Si averages 33/38 mpg. and is offered in four doors for the first time. It's also the first time that the Civic Si will be offered in two models. Horsepower will be 197, the tires and wheels 18-inch, and the transmission six-speed. Eighty percent of Civic Si's buyers will be male, and those opting for the 4-door version will be a little older than those buying the coupe.

Civic Si celebrates its 20th anniversary and six generations of popularity and versatility. Honda introduced the Si concept last year in Chicago so it was fitting that they unveiled the 2007 model here.

Thursday February 9, 2006

This morning kicked off with the PBS' Motor Week Breakfast to announce their annual Best of the Year awards. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary on TV was John Davis, host of Motor Week. The winners for 2006 included the following categories and winners:

Best of the Year: Honda Civic Best Performance Car: Ford Mustang
Best Small Car: Honda Civic Best Small Sport Ute: Toyota RAV4
Best Family Sedan: Hyundai Sonata Best Family SUV: Ford Explorer, Mercury Montaineer
Best Minivan: Honda Odyssey Best Pickup Truck: Ford F-150
Best Convertible: Pontiac Solstice Best Eco-Friendly: Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Best Luxury Sedan: Infiniti M Best Dream Machine: Chevy Corvette ZO6, Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe,  Ferrari F430
Best Sport Sedan: BMW 3-Series
Best Special Category : Most Jane Car: BMW 3-Series

Sponsored by Cars.com, Stanley Tools and Dunlop Tires, Motor Week went widescreen this last fall, and also can be seen on Hi-Def TV. "The cars need to be a lot cleaner when seen on this media," noted Davis.

Why Do Americans Need/Love their Trucks asks Toyota

Next up was Toyota's spectacular introduction of the next generation full-size pickup truck, the 2007 Tundra. The media was introduced to the new truck by walking through an interactive display (available during general admission) including a construction site, lumber camp and animal stalls. Cowboy/farmer garb and gear lined the walls, along with display cases of tools of the trade.

After 70 years of making trucks, and 2 million trucks sold a year, said Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Sales group vice president and general manager, we've aimed this new full-size Tundra pickup truck at the "True Trucker." With the capability to tow up to 10,000 pounds (Class 4), the all-new Tundra is bigger and wider, will be available in 30 different models configurations, three cab configurations, three trim levels, three bed sizes and 2-and-4-wheel-drive. A ULEV capable 5.7-liter V8 engine will be one of three engine choices (4.0-liter V6, 4.7-liter i-Force V8). Built in the Alabama plant, the next generation Tundra meets the needs of customers asking for the ultimate pickup that offers maximum utility, adequate passenger room; essentially a truck that will be all things to all people. With a built-in trailer hitch, the Tundra will sport 20" tires and wheels, extra large side mirrors and backup camera. Toyota expects to sell 200,000 units the first year and will ramp up production next fall. Sorry folks, you've got to wait another 11 months!

Most Fun at the Show

Entertained by artist Brian and his unusual painting style, the media catches a glimpse of the all-new next-generation VW Golf on sale in June of this year. Slowly designing the original 1974 VW Golf by throwing paint at the canvas, Brian created a great rendition of the first generation, ever popular Golf. More than 30 years later, VW is still building it. The Golf has even surpassed the Beetle in popularity, with 24 million sales to date. A well-equipped, well-priced offering, Golf is VW's top selling model in Europe, with 2,100 units sold around the world a dayŠeach day!! Pricing is not final on the new Golf, but VW promises it will be similar to the current model it replaces. Specs include a choice of 15-or-16-inch tire, 2.5-liter 150 horsepower engine with 6-speed Triptronic transmission.

Next week VW launches the all-new GTI. New to the VW lineup this last Fall, the EOS is the first VW convertible to offer a retractable top. You can catch a glimpse of it on the floor in Chicago.

International Truck

Who would have thought International Trucks would be introducing something "new" at the Show. The President of the International Trucking Group reminded the Press that it was very fitting to be introducing a new truck in Chicago. In 1831, Cyrus McCormick founded the McCormick Harvesting Company when he invented the Mechanical Reaper. McCormick Harvesting became International Harvester and 175 years later, this event is taking place in a building named after Cyrus McCormick's great grandson.

The MXT, an all-new truck for International is a V8 diesel, 300 horsepower monster capable of hauling 2 tons and towing 8 tons. Fuel economy is just about what you'd expect, 13-15 mpg. The MXT follows the CXD and RXT trucks and will be introduced into the market this coming summer. It's the first large truck ever aimed toward consumers and International seems to think there is a market. Priced somewhere between the high $60,000's and low $80,000, MXT will also be used by the military and border patrols. A "category breaker," MXT is the first of its kind. There isn't anything like this for "civilians" so International expects to be defining a new category. Out of about 3,000 units, they expect half to go to the public. They will be sold by the already 300 International dealers.

Subaru: Active Driving, Active Safety

By making some product changes to the 2006 B9 Tribeca SUV, Subaru hopes to build on its early success of selling some 15,000 units its first year. Receiving a 5-star rating from NTHSA, Tribeca also pulled a 4-star rating for rollover resistance, the highest rating of any SUV tested. In an effort to bring new customers to the brand, Subaru originally designed Tribeca with current Outback owners in mind. For the 2007 B9 Tribeca, Subaru has added pre-wiring for Satellite radio capability, iPOD jack, 2-position memory seats and backup monitor, as well as a few exterior changes. A rollover sensor has also been added, as has Emergency Brake Assist and revised rear and front suspensions. All 2007 models will get standard navigation systems with rear vision camera. A Special Edition model will be added and will feature a new chrome grille, 18-inch chrome-plated wheels and standard Satellite radio for $1,295.

Mitsubishi: Recasting the Brand

Other than repeat mentions of trying to get back on their feet, Mitsubishi introduced a Ralli-Art version of the Galant. In an effort to "recast the brand, model by model," Mitsubishi introduced the redesigned Eclipse coupe last fall and the Eclipse Spyder Convertible at this year's Detroit show. Available in the spring, the Spyder is a knockout and drives much friendlier than its predecessor. Also new is Mitsubishi's pick-up the Raider Next up is the second generation Outlander SUV and new Lancer for 2007. Lancer Evolution 10 will preview in 2008. The Endeavor has been freshened up, so now its Galant's turn. For 2006, Galant received an SE version, starting at $21,999, and for 2007 will get a Ralli-Art edition to represent the sports arm of Mitsubishi. With a 3.8-liter, 258 horsepower engine, Ralli-Art will be equipped with a 5-speed automatic transmission, 360 watt, 8 speaker Rockford audio system, Sirius Satellite radio (first 6 mths free) and 18-inch alloy wheels. Arriving this coming summer, Ralli-Art will be a stronger, tighter sedan, priced below Acura TL and Altima SE.

BMW: 10 Years for the Beloved Roadster

Celebrating 10 years of the Z3/Z4 roadster, BMW's Rob Mitchell, Corporate Communications, announced another growth year in the U.S.; the 14th in a row. Significantly expanding on the "M" brand, BMW will introduce a M6 coupe, M3 coupe and convertible, M Roadster and coupe and an M5 by the end of summer 2006. Built at the Spartanburg, S.C. plant, the "M" Roadster built there will be the 1 millionth vehicle built here in the U.S. Referred to as "Roadsterdom, the Spartanburg plant boasts 4,500 associates and just underwent a major expansion, growing from 1.2 million sq. ft. to more than 2.4 million sq. ft. BMW is also producing audiobooks online. The site will have four novels that have a BMW in the story. The first of the four is called "Beautiful Ride," and is currently available at www.audiobooks.com.

Kia: Rising Star

Len Hunt, COO, Kia of North America, shared with the media Kia's plant to build confidence with a "brand ladder." On each rung of the ladder are the values integrity, pride, passion and confidence. Kia's quality, noted Hunt, has improved faster than any other brands. In January of '06 Kia had the second best month on record. The Kia brand boasts 300 exclusive facilities throughout the country, and the "spreading the word" campaign is working hard to create awareness. Although, it seems, certainly among the media, that Kia has caught the attention of many. Watch the road next time you're out; you'll notice how many more Kia vehicles are out there.

Available at the show is the redesigned Optima which will get its introduction this coming April. Also visible is the knockout concept Kia Soul. Rumor is Kia is definitely going to build this, and although it wasn't said by any Kia contact, our guess is that it's going up against Scion xA and xB. Under wraps was the Kia Multi-S concept, a "spacy, smart, sporty" compact with lots to offer for the active lifestyle consumer: USB connection (for iPODs), glass roof panels, lots of storage and a 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder engine teamed with 5-speed automatic transmission (manual optional). About the size of the BMW X3, Multi-S, we predict, will sell well, if Kia decides to produce it.

Our picks to watch: Dodge Rampage, Dodge Caliber SRT, Dodge Nitro R/T, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Toyota Camry, Kia anything......., Hyundai anything........., VW Golf.

For those who aren't especially interested in looking at cars, you can try your luck at one of the simulator tracks available. AAA will be previewing its new 2006 NEXTEL Cup race sponsorship with Roush Racing and will provide a racing simulator for visitors to test their driving skills in a virtual experience of roaring around Daytona International Speedway.

Or visit the many vendors at the show, selling such things as fudge from Michigan, auto parts and supplies, floor sweepers, etc.

DaimlerChrysler has also returned with their fantastic test track. Come and try out any of the new DC vehicles on wet pavement, over bridges or on grids. The track is bigger and better than last year.

Allstate offers a Bumper Car Derby at the show. So have some fun at the interactive driving experience where accidents are forgiven and safe drivers rewarded!

Open to the Public beginning Friday February 10-19
Hours: 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., except February 19, 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
Admission: $10 for adults, $5 seniors (62+), children 7-12 years, 6 and under, free.
Charity Preview: Thursday February 9, 6:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Women's Day: Tuesday, February 14. $5 off admission.
At Lake Shore Drive and 23rd St. Plenty of parking available.

Watch this space for reviews of all the new vehicles in future months!!