Vista Cruiser, each model outfitted with unique
raised glass dome ‘panoramic’ roof panels. Across
the aisle, the fourth-generation Ford Thunderbird
was a big hit, sporting all new squared-off sheet
metal in hardtop, convertible, and Landau versions.
Two views of the revolutionary Chrysler Turbine
car were on display at the 1964 Chicago Auto Show.
The specially bodied Turbine hardtop was one of 50
built and loaned to 203 “consumer representatives”
to drive for three month periods. It operated on just
one spark plug, had no pistons and ran equally well
on diesel fuel, kerosene, unleaded gasoline, jet air-
craft fuel, or any mixture of them. Many showgoers
mentioned that the
Chrysler Turbine
looked similar to
the mid-1960s
Ford Thunderbird,
which was under-
standable since
Elwood Engle
was chief designer
for both Ford and
Chrysler designs.
American Motors Corp. held the public debut
of the Rambler Tarpon fastback concept car at the
show. Based on the 106-inch wheelbase Rambler
American compact, the semi-boattail roof design
was the influence for the intermediate sized 1965-
1967 Marlin production models.
25 YEARS AGO
81st annual CAS ... February 11-19, 1989
Erected on top of the ruins of the original McCor-
mick Place at 23rd Street and Lake Shore Drive, the
second McCormick Place was completed in time for
the 1971 Chicago Auto Show and remained home to
the show through 1996. The new two-level McCor-
mick Place doubled the available exhibitor space to
660,000 square feet.
For the 1989 show, magenta
and orange were the primary
colors that decorated the build-
ing, including the 32-foot-
high pylons.Among the more
than 900 vehicles on display,
Chevrolet brought its new “King of the Hill” 1990
Corvette ZR-1; Ford unveiled the Taurus SHO (Su-
per High Output) family sedan; Nissan debuted the
1990 300ZX sports car; Subaru promoted the new
Legacy sedan; Volkswagen the Corrado; and Isuzu
their Amigo.
North American debuts in Chicago in 1989 were
the Audi Coupe Quattro and Sterling 827 models,
plus the seven-passenger Saguaro concept built by
Ghia of Turin for Ford Motor Co.
Additional concept and prototype vehicles dis-
played 25 years ago included the Acura NS-X,
Buick Essence, Cadillac Solitaire, Chrysler Millen-
nium, Dodge Viper, Mercury One, Plymouth Speed-
ster and the Pontiac Stinger. A Volvo sedan with its
front end crumpled was a safety demonstration on
how the damage hadn’t reached the occupant cabin.
During the 1989 show, Illinois Gov. James R.
Thompson introduced the 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse,
which was assembled, along with the Eagle Talon
and Plymouth Laser, at the company’s new Dia-
mond-Star plant at Bloomington-Normal. Porsche
presented the new 911 Speedster with cut-down
windshield, and Lamborghini displayed the Italian-
built Countach and the LMOO2 sport-utility vehicle.
A world debut that created a sensation at the 1989
Chicago Auto Show was the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Mi-
ata two-seat sports
car, which gener-
ated a resurgence
in North America
for traditional-type
roadsters.
The most talked
about concept vehicle at the 1989 Chicago Auto
Show was the red Dodge Viper with V-10 muscle
power. Chrysler’s management took note of the
overwhelming public approval and monetary com-
mitments, releasing production Vipers by 1992.
More Than 100,000 Veh i c l es Jus t A Cl i ck Away…Dr i veCh i cago. com
CHICAGO AUTO SHOW 2014
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