All posts in “Chicago Auto Show”

2020 Chicago Auto Show Editors’ Picks

Best in Show

The Chicago Auto Show usually isn’t home to the biggest and boldest debuts, but that allows other vehicles and their variants to shine. Interestingly, our top favorite vehicles this year are all variants of cars that are on sale right now.

Check out what updated models caught our attention in the next slides.

Fifth Place: 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid — 26 points

Senior Editor, Green, John Snyder: “It’s elegant and efficient. I like its U.S. specs. Give me a plug-in, though.”

Consumer Editor, Jeremy Korzeniewski: “This is the most attractive midsize sedan on the market, and the hybrid powertrain adds an extra dose of fuel-sipping practicality that will make a heck of a lot of sense for Americans looking for a nice comfortable commuter of family mobile. And even if the solar roof doesn’t add much range, it sure does look cool.”

Fourth Place: 2021 Chrysler Pacifica — 31 points

Assistant Editor, Zac Palmer: “In a small show as the Chicago Auto Show was this year, the Pacifica was the biggest surprise for me. I love the styling changes, and those quilted throw pillows … they are choice, and I’m glad to see Chrysler adding in some plush luxury to its minivan.“

Managing Editor, Greg Rasa: “A new look, nice interior and all-wheel drive for the best minivan in the business. There were wilder, sexier products in Chicago, but this one gets points for real-world appeal.”

  • Image Credit: Drew Phillips

Third Place: 2020 Mercedes-Benz Metris Weekender — 42 points

Senior Producer, Chris McGraw: “In May of 2018 I fell in love when I drove the VW California here in the States. In the two years since there hasn’t been a single camper van you can buy direct from the dealer until now. You wouldn’t catch me dead in an RV but a van like this is perfect, provided it doesn’t cost an outrageous amount of money, which, unfortunately it probably will.”

Associate Editor Byron Hurd: “What can I say? I used to camp in a Mercedes-Benz van, so how can I not feel at least some degree of fondness for this? I like that it’s more compact than some of the big Sprinter-based builds, too. Much more practical for the average ‘Let’s drive our house’ crowd.”

Second Place: 2020 Ford GT — 43 points

Editor-in-Chief, Greg Migliore: “A refresh is typically pretty boring. Not when it comes to the GT. Now it’s making 660 hp and offers a gorgeous Gulf livery, which I prefer to the liquid carbon version. The GT is one of the most exhilarating cars I’ve ever driven. Now it’s even better. I guess I need to drive it again.“

Social Media Manager, Michael Ferrara: “Bring on the carbon, the Liquid Carbon! So glad Ford is revisiting the GT. The GT is truly is one of the best cars ever made.”

First Place: 2020 Jeep Gladiator Mojave — 55 points

Associate Editor, Joel Stocksdale: “It would have been really easy for Jeep to just roll out another paint and graphics edition, but the Mojave has significant and thoughtful mechanical upgrades that make it something special.”

Production Manager, Eddie Sabatini: “I’ve not owned a Jeep of any kind but I’m quickly becoming a Gladiator fanboy. I doubt I’ll ever spend anywhere near $45K on a vehicle but if I were to, this would be near the top of my list.”

Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: “I like that Jeep is already looking at ways to evolve the Gladiator. The desert tuning provides awesome capability, and many of those practical enhancements, like the huge tires and lift kit, make the Gladiator look even meaner in Mojave trim. I would love to tackle the dunes in this Jeep.”

February 7, 2020 / Comments Off on 2020 Chicago Auto Show Editors’ Picks
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2020 Ford GT gets more power, full carbon fiber body in surprise update

Just when you thought the Ford GT was yesterday’s news, Ford hits us with an unexpected shot of supercar. With a few years of production remaining (scheduled to finish in 2022), Ford has decided to make the last half of its run of GTs a hair better than the first half. Call it a mid-cycle refresh, but for a half-million dollar supercar.

Instead of 647 horsepower from the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, all 2020 GTs will produce 660 horsepower. That 13 horsepower increase comes thanks to a few changes, according to Ford. Mechanical upgrades include new gallery-cooled pistons and higher energy ignition coils. This is then combined with a new engine calibration, ultimately resulting in a broader torque band — though Ford hasn’t told us what the exact difference is yet. Ford mentions that lessons learned from the track-only GT Mk II helped this upgrade along. 

Cooling to the engine is greatly improved, as Ford designed new buttress air ducts that increase airflow by 50 percent. The intercoolers are also slightly larger than before, a boon for extreme track use. Speaking of the track, Ford says it also increased the suspension stiffness in “Track” mode for even greater on-track performance. It was probably stiff enough before, but maybe you’ll be able to pick up a tenth of a second somewhere in the lap. Everybody will be able to hear you a little better on track in the new car, too, because Ford is making the optional Akropovic titanium exhaust standard equipment for 2020. It was a $10,000 option before.

Lastly, Ford is introducing a couple new looks for the 2020 GT. The first is called Liquid Carbon, and it’s pictured at the top of this page. If you like carbon fiber, this is the GT for you. Ford eliminated the paint! Well, not all of it. There’s still a special clear coat sprayed onto the full carbon fiber body — we’ve asked Ford what kind of weight savings there are with the elimination of the paint, but it wasn’t able to provide a figure. You can bring a little color to the party in the form of optional stripes and painted mirror caps. These will be available in any of the colors offered on the regular GT. The carbon fiber wheels will be standard with this car (duh), and you can still pick an optional brake caliper color.

The last appearance package is an updated Gulf Racing Heritage livery. Ford now uses black pinstriping to surround the orange stripes, and the number has changed from a 9 (2019 car) to a 6 for 2020 as it mimics the racing numbers of the back-to-back (1968 and 1969) Le Mans winning GT40. You can also select carbon fiber wheels on the Gulf liveried car this year, an option that wasn’t available for 2019.

When we asked, Ford told us the 2020 price has increased to “approximately $500,000.” That’s up significantly from the $450,000 Ford wanted when the car first went on sale. For those who want one of the special Liquid Carbon GTs, Ford says to expect a number in the $750,000 range. As a reminder, all GTs are currently spoken for, so these updated cars already have future homes.

Related Video:

February 6, 2020 / Comments Off on 2020 Ford GT gets more power, full carbon fiber body in surprise update
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Acura Honors the 30 Year Anniversary of the NSX Debut in Chicago

The Shot Heard ‘Round the World

In 1989, Acura debuted the NSX supercar and changed the automotive industry. The NSX, then debuted as the NS-X Concept, changed the way people thought about supercars. It came with world’s first all-aluminum monocoque chassis, had titanium connecting rods, and was built to a different standard than the competition. It was the first exotic supercar from Japan and the first supercar you could easily drive daily.

To commemorate the 30-year marker, Acura celebrated the car in Chicago and put together a video. It features the first NSX and the most recent iteration. The commemorative video hits the high points of the model’s debut and showcases some seriously beautiful cars side by side.

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Acura had several different influential members at the Chicago Auto Show to discuss the NSX and its impact. Jon Ikeda, Vice President and General Manager of Acura, was there when the NSX first hit the world stage.

Before NSX, it was always assumed that supercar performance came at the price of a comfortable interior and everyday drivability,” said Ikeda. “NSX shattered those notions, and raised the bar on every other exotic and supercar maker, with the effects still felt today. NSX was a huge inspiration and one of the major reasons I was drawn to join Acura nearly 30 years ago.

The current generation NSX carries on the original car’s mission. The car pushes the performance envelope with a hybrid powertrain and Sport Hybrid Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive. It has a hybrid twin-turbocharged, mid-mounted V6 engine. It can also operate in full EV mode, and it’s the only supercar built in America.

Acura shows no signs of slowing down, and that’s a very good thing for enthusiasts everywhere. It will keep making the NSX better. Hopefully, in another decade, Acura will celebrate the 40-year anniversary. 

February 6, 2019 / Comments Off on Acura Honors the 30 Year Anniversary of the NSX Debut in Chicago
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