2013 Chicago Auto Show Blog

As the Looney Tunes would say, "That’s All Folks!"  The 2011 Chicago Auto Show closed last Sunday and while the carpets were being rolled up and rolled out, visitors to the show lingered well past the 8pm closing time....

Truthfully, the Chicago Auto Show is not complicated.  If you want to get inside vehicles, snap an album full of photos and hear answers to questions, it’s the place to be.  Every way you turn there is an engaging display.  Simple enough, right?  

Thanks to Chevy, spring has literally sprung at the Chicago Auto Show.  You might think that this is just a kitschy way of describing the warm fuzzies I get walking around the show floor--you know, bright lights, shiny paint and flashy interiors--but, oh no.  I actually mean that inside McCormick Place flowers are blooming and trees are sprouting buds.

 According to the latest news from Ford Motor Company, the Transit Connect Taxis will begin winding their way through the streets of Chicago in March when a fleet of the alternative-fuel vehicles joins Yellow Cab Chicago.  You heard correctly. Alternative-fuel taxis right here in sweet home Chicago!

What I am excited about is a third, subtle and undeniable theme to The Dilemma: the remarkable city of Chicago.  Barely a scene in the movie goes by that doesn’t illustrate the strong bond that Chicagoans feel with the Windy City—from Cubs attire, to El rides (with interesting CTA passengers) and often overlooked neighborhoods, The Dilemma is infused with the presence of our fair City.  Including the Chicago Auto Show.  

Not to get all philosophical on a Thursday, but sometimes life forces us into action.  Really, we can’t have our cake and eat it too.  When that mean lady at the post office gives us the eye, our instincts kick in and we think: fight or flight? (Flight!) And when we find ourselves in over our heads facing new challenges, really, we can either sink or we can swim on and rise to the occasion.  Actually, for the auto manufacturers of the U.S., I guess really, the choice is more like SYNC or sink....

Let’s take a moment, and rewind back to this day in 2005—there I was, sitting in class planning my evening.  I considered catching a movie.  I thought about making dinner plans.  The one thing I didn’t consider was Christmas shopping because five years ago, I had my sh*t together.  My gifts were neatly wrapped and ready under the tree.  Ha! Not this year...

Audi announced yesterday that a redesigned A6 is set to make its market debut in early 2011.  The 2012 A6 will most likely reach U.S. markets in the summer, but fortunately for you, the new  Audi A6 will first show up at the Chicago Auto Show in February. Sporting a a lighter body, sportier chassis and smarter cabin technology, the ’12 A6 makes good on Audi’s claim of Truth in Engineering...

It's Christmas in November-for car lovers everywhere.  The L.A. Auto show kicked off this week and we're here to give you a quick recap. You'll see the majority of these cars in Chicago this February and, of course, a whole lot more that are introduced in Detroit and then at our show.

The SEMA show in Las Vegas is a fantasy land for those who love to upgrade, "supe"-up and "rev"-up their cars.  Devoted to showcasing aftermarket equipment and parts, SEMA is the place to see just how many possibilities there are when it comes to vehicle customization. SEMA is a skies-the-limit, no-hold-barred automotive orgy of parts, performance and possibilities. If you couldn’t make it out to Sin City this week, here’s what you missed...

Just yesterday the Chrysler Group announced it will be pouring $600 million into its Belvidere, Illinois, assembly plant.  In an effort to support the production of future models in 2012, this investment will include the construction of a 638,000 square-foot body shop as well as the installation of new machines, tools and handling equipment...