Ford Best in Show - Chicago Auto Show

Consumers pick their favorite vehicles and exhibit at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Consumer voters proclaimed their favorites in five categories in the Chicago Auto Show's fifth annual “Best of Show” balloting.

In voting conducted over the 10-day public run of the nation’s biggest auto show, winners in the contest's five categories were:

•Best All-New Production Vehicle: Ford Focus (29 percent of vote)
•Best Concept Vehicle: Cadillac XTS Platinum (28 percent of vote)
•Best Green Vehicle: Chevrolet Volt (25 percent of vote)
•Best Exhibit: Ford (41 percent of vote)
•“Vehicle I'd most like to have in my driveway:” Ford Shelby GT500

“These are tough competitions that make a win really meaningful for our manufacturers and exhibitors,” said show chairman John Phelan. “In a year when our attendance was about level with 2009, we’re thrilled that everyone worked so hard to bring their best displays, concepts and production vehicles to a public whose optimism is returning.”

Each of the first four winners beat out seven other vehicles. In the fifth category, "Vehicle I'd most like to have in my driveway," voters could choose from any of the nearly 1000 vehicles on the show floor.

According to the results, almost one-third of the voters considered the 2011 Ford Focus the Best All-New Production Vehicle at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show. This is the second year in a row the Blue Oval took the top spot in this category as the Ford Taurus took the honors in 2009.

General Motors also repeated for Best Concept with the Cadillac XTS Platinum taking the honors this year and the Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray winning last year.

Chevrolet’s Volt outpaced the Fisker Karma for the top Green Vehicle at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show. The extended-range electric Volt will go on sale later this year at a price of approximately $40,000.

For the second year in a row, Ford grabbed the honors for Best Exhibit with a commanding 41 percent of the vote. That’s not a shock as Ford had more than a half dozen interactive displays throughout its booth.

In the tightest race of all, the 2010 Ford Shelby GT bested every other vehicle on the show floor to become the showgoers’ pick for “Vehicle I’d most like to have in my driveway.”

Chicago 2008: Toyota Tundra Warrior Concept

Toyota has unveiled the Toyota Tundra Warrior concept at Chicago. The Warrior appeared at the Chicago Auto Show to gauge public reaction to the SR5-based upgrade package. It looks certainly better than the standard version.

The exterior is complemented by brushed metal on the side mirrors, door handles, and fuel door. With tinted taillight lenses at the back and contrasting 17-inch TRD wheels.

We don't know anything about the interior yet but it reportedly banishes some of the faults of the cabin. The interior is decked out in inky hues with brushed metal brightwork. If the Warrior hits showrooms, it would be available as an upgrade on 4x2 and 4x4 models with the 4.7- and 5.7-liter V8s.

Chicago 2008: Ford Transit Connect Hit The US Shores

We've previously reported that the Ford Transit Connect van will debut at Chicago. With the Tansit Connect, Ford has found a new solution in its European lineup for who needs a smaller alternative to big vans.

At 6'8" tall, the Transit Connect is small enough to fit your a garage, and with its low floor big enough to provide lots of room for racks of tools. It will be available with either just the two front seats or with an additional second row bench seat for three. In two seater form, the Connect has 143 cubic ft. of storage space that is easily accessible from either of the two sliding doors or the 180^o fold out rear doors. The front wheels will be driven by a 2.0L four cylinder gas engine in the US version since Ford is trying to keep the Transit affordable and skipping the diesels for now. It's currently estimating 19/24 mpg city/highway, which is about 2 mpg better than the Chevy and Dodge cargo vans.

Ford will start bringing the Transit Connect to the US in mid-2009 from an assembly plant in Turkey and pricing has yet to be announced.

Gallery: Ford Transit Connect

Chicago 2008: VW Routan

Volkswagen showed at Detroit its new minivan based on the Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Caravan platform, the 2009 Volkswagen Routan, whose pictures we have seen already.

As we reported previously, the Routan has many standard features, including traction and stability controls, a 6-speed automatic transmission and Chrysler's 3.8L V6, though a 4.0L V6 producing 251 hp is also available. The interior of the Routan is nicer than its Chrysler siblings, but not so good as its other models'.

Volkswagen believes that it has a better ride and handling compromise on the Routan than Chrysler was able to achieve with either of its vans. As we reported yesterday the Routan will start around $25,000.

Gallery: VW Routan

Chicago 2008: Suzuki Equator

Suzuki showed the rebadged Nissan Frontier, which named the Equator today at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show. The Equator will go into production by the end of this year and will be built along the Nissan Frontier in Smyrna, Tennessee. Suzuki developed three different concepts that represent a truck that matches the capability of an RMZ-4 sport bike, another that captures the backwoods spirit of a Quad, and a third that would make a great boat towing vehicle down at the Quay.

The truck actually looks really good, but the black Quay looked rather classy. While the RMZ-4 and Quad featured some concept-like styling add-ons, the Quay looked completely different. The Equator will come with a choice of a 152-hp inline-four or an optional 4.0L DOHC V6 delivering 261 hp and 281 lb.-ft. of torque. Those will be matched with a five-speed automatic or a five-speed stick for the I4 or six-speed manual with the V6.

Gallery: Suzuki Equator

Chicago 2008: Acura RL Revealed

Acura has revised its flagship sedan RL with a striking face. A big, shield-shaped grille leads the way and leaves no doubt as to its identity, and Acura says that striking look will spread across the lineup to improve the brand's visual impact. A new 3.7 liter V6 is Acura's first engine with VTEC variable valve timing on an SOHC engine, and it makes 300 horsepower. Acura's Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive is along for the ride again, and it's all controlled through a five-speed automatic transmission. The SH-AWD's responsiveness has been improved for 2009.

Acura has concentrated on the amenities and ride. Improved sound deadening in the form of an Active Sound Abatement system mutes the ride, while an interior restyling improves rear-seat room. The new RL's navigation system now includes real-time weather and traffic updates via XM satellite radio. It'll give you restaurant ratings as well. Other new features are the adaptive cruise control, active front lighting that turns with the front wheels and Acura's new Collision Mitigating Braking System (CMBS) which works with the adaptive cruise control to reduce impact speed in the event of an unavoidable crash.

The car will go on sale in this spring.

Gallery: 2009 Acura RL

Chicago 2008: Ford Edge Sport

The Edge is the one of the most popular models of Ford. And the blue oval wants to continue this popularity with special models. Like Edge Sport. The Edge Sport has a package of visual enhancements that don't do too much to improve the sport factor. But it looks pretty cool.

Edge Sport gets painted 20-inch wheels as standard equipment and polished 22" units are optional. The body kit includes sill extensions and lower valences front and rear. The headlights and taillights also get a factory dress-up via smoked gray lenses. Inside, the seat materials are upgraded.

Gallery: Ford Edge Sport

Chicago 2008: Dodge Challenger SRT8 Revealed

The Challenger was debut as a concept two years ago at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show. And now two years after its debut, the Dodge Challenger is ready to hit the streets. The Challenger is reviving a name last used in the late '70s and early '80s on a compact, four-cylinder Mitsubishi-built coupe. This time, the name is going back as a big muscular rear-wheel-drive coupe, available exclusively with a 6.1L HEMI V8 that will power the new Challenger 60 mph in the low 5-second range. It shares the automaker's LX platform with the Charger and Chrysler 300. The production version of the car was only a little changed from the concept.

The most noticeable differences are up front and include the loss of the cross-hair grille and a slim black air dam at the bottom of the bumper. Out back, the rear bumper is now more prominent and the detailing of the taillights has been revised. A flat black lip spoiler is now mounted on the trailing edge of the deck lid while the Challenger badges on the rear fenders have been dumped. The rear driver side fender now also features a prominent chrome fuel filler cap. -Continued after the jump...

Gallery: 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8










The interior design becomes many components from its platform mates, such as the steering wheel, instrument cluster and switchgear, otherwise the rest of the dash is unique to this model. The cluster hood is shaped something like the version in the concept, but unfortunately the rest of the dash appears to be a cost-reduced setup compared to the original. The seats appear to the seats of other SRT models.

Dodge will only build 6,400 Challengers in the 2008 model year run, all in SRT8 form. That means all examples will be powered by the the same 6.1L HEMI with 425 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque as other SRT8 variants. 2008 Challengers will only come in two-pedal, self-shifting form. Starting in 2009, Chrysler is expected to add availability of the 5.7L HEMI, as well as a V6. Pricing will start at $37,995 for the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8.

Chicago 2008: Chevrolet Traverse

We know already everything about the 2009 Chevy Traverse. 2009 Traverse is the fourth Lambda-platform crossover from General Motors, whose features have been introduced already in the GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook and Buick Enclave. The Traverse is a roomy seven( or eight)-passenger crossover with a well-organized cockpit, which is similar to its siblings.

Power, like the other Lambdas, comes from the 3.6L V6 with direct injection (mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission), which makes 281hp/253 lb-ft or 286hp/255 lb-ft. GM promises "best in class" fuel economy. The Traverse is not the ugliest Lambda crossover, but it's not the most beautiful either. In front, the big Chevy grille is the dominant element, flanked by some rather angry-looking headlamps. The travers has similar design cues to Chevy Malibu. In profile, the Traverse looks similar to the Enclave. The rear end is highlighted by some very funky-looking taillights.

The crossover will be offered with both 2WD and AWD available. The car will be on sale in this summer.

Gallery: 2009 Chevy Traverse