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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Trucks/Pickups On the final media day of the 2008 Chicago Auto Show , Mike Levine from Pickuptruck.com walked us over to the Ford display to show us an inconspicuous Super Duty sitting among a fleet of Ford commercial vehicles. He wanted to show us the bed, which was filled with DeWalt tools and Ford's new Tool Link system for keeping track of one's tools. The purpose of our visit was not Ford's new fancy in-dash computer for the commercial sector, but rather the spray-in bed liner that the truck was sporting. Called Tough Bed, Ford will soon become the second manufacturer to offer a spray-in bedliner behind Nissan, which began offering its Durabed spray-in bed liner on the 2004 Titan. Ford's Tough Bed will be an alternative to drop-in bed liners, which, while popular, can be susceptible to rusting the bed if water gets between them and the truck's metal. Ford's spray-in liner, meanwhile, is applied by robots at the factory and covered...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Commercial Trucks click above for more high-rez images of the International LoneStar We give International full credit this daring design that we spied uncovered earlier this year. Still, it appears as though it's taken a giant leap back three decades with the new Class 8 International LoneStar. International said its mission was to create a big rig that married aerodynamic efficiency with a unique look and a wide range of customization. Having asked truckers what they wanted, apparently customization means 'more cowbell lights and chrome.' As upright and retro Lite Brite as the design might be, it still gets gas mileage as good as the best aerodynamic semis on the market, according to International. Inside, the cabin evokes the kind of ergonomic class that could have been meant for the outside -- the sleeper has hardwood flooring for that at-home feeling. The truck comes with 42 factory options, 23 inside, 19 outside, and International itself...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Sedans/Saloons , Mitsubishi click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Mitsubishi Galant Mitsubishi just unveiled its freshened-for- 2009 Galant sedan at the Chicago Auto Show, and unlike our favorable response to the changes made to its Eclipse sibling, we think Mitsu might need to do a hard refresh on the Galant a couple of more times before it looks as handsome as it could. The new uninterrupted grille might look better than the prior split version, but it still doesn't seem to work as well as the nose on the EVO or new Eclipse. Out back, however, the new Lancer-inspired taillights and slightly reshaped fenders are a big improvement. As we recently reported when the info was dropped in our laps a few days ago, the 2009 Mitsubish Galant will be offered in four versions: the top-shelf Ralliart model (red car in pics), V6 Sport, four-cylinder Sport edition and the four-cylinder ES (gray). The Ralliart is still powered by a 3.8L MIVEC V6 producing 258...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Convertibles , Coupes , Sports/GTs , Mitsubishi click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Eclipse and Eclipse Spyder Mitsubishi rolled out its updated 2009 Eclipse Coupe and Spyder today in Chicago, with revised fascias that complement and simultaneously update the swoopy flanks. The nose in particular brings the Eclipse in line with the design theme spreading across the rest of Mitsubishi's model line. If you happen to have a slight sense of deja vu while looking at it, more than one of us has also noticed that the new schnoz bears more than a passing resemblance to the Nissan GT-R, as well. And lest you think the changes are all skin deep, there are several non-cosmetic updates to augment the rhinoplasty. The GT models sport a newly tuned dual exhaust that promises to not only sound better, but boost horsepower by a deuce as well, bringing the total from 263 to 265. On the inside, power comes via a new 650-watt Rockford-Fosgate audio system as part...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , SUVs , Etc. , Ford click above for high-res gallery of the Alton F-650 XUV We've seen some outrageous F-650-based vehicles like this before (the DeBerti for one), but for some reason, the Alton F-650 XUV jumped out at us at the Chicago Auto Show. Perhaps we were already focused on Ford's Work Solutions trucks in the vicinity, but this insane beast just put our DSLRs on autopilot. The F-650-based XUV was built by Alton Manufacturing and carries a GVWR of 25,999 lbs. That makes the 660 ft-lbs of torque generated by its 7.2L Caterpillar engine seem paltry. Besides the big-rig-meets-Excursion bodywork, your nearly $200,000 expenditure for this XUV will get you hardwood floors, custom captains chairs, a 42-speaker sound system, two drop-down 16-inch TVs plus a 42-inch plasma, four computer workstations, plus a train horn. Oh, you'll also get bragging rights for the biggest, baddest truck in 99% of the world's neighborhoods. Gallery: Alton Mfg...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Scion Last year, we were surprised by Motor Week's choice for its 2007 "Best Of The Year" , the Honda Fit. This year, we were simply shocked that its choice for 2008 is the Scion xB . It's not that the xB is a bad car, it's that there are so many better choices. In fact, peruse the list below of winners in other categories. Almost any of the other cars on the list would be a better choice, save for the Sebring Convertible and possibly the minivans. Lexus makes fine vehicles, but its LS 600h L does not belong on a "Best Dream Machine" list. Best Small Car - Scion xB Best Family Sedan - Honda Accord Best Minivan - Dodge Grand Caravan/Chrysler Town & Country Best Convertible - Chrysler Sebring Convertible Best Luxury Sedan - Mercedes-Benz C-Class Best Sport Sedan - Cadillac CTS Best Sport Coupe - Infiniti G37 Best Performance Car - Volkswagen R32 Best Small Utility - Nissan Rogue Best Large Utility - Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Coupes , Sports/GTs , Scion click above to view more live high-res pics of the Scion tC Release 4.0 If you saw our preview of the Scion tC Release 4.0 and want more, you're in luck 'cause we've spotted it here in Chicago. We already knew pretty much all there was to know about the machine, including the DAMD body kit and Galactic Gray Mica paint. As is often the case, though, live photos seem to show more detail than official pics from the manufacturer, so be sure to check out our live photos in the gallery below. If you like what you see, perhaps you should act fast, only 2,300 of the 4.0s are going to be built. We're sure that Scion will sell all of them, but we think the tC is in need of a bit more freshening than this version 4.0 offers. Gallery: Scion tC Release 4.0 Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Sedans/Saloons , Lexus , Lifestyle Click the image above for a hi-res gallery of the Lexus ES 350 Pebble Beach Edition The Lexus ES 350 is the second model this year to get the Pebble Beach Special Edition treatment, along with the Lexus RX 350 . Both of them join Lexus' Pebble Beach regular, the Lexus SC 430 , in the bespoke-paint-and-packages options. We don't mind the 17-inch wheels with the liquid graphite finish one bit. And just as with the RX, you get your choice of three additonal special packages that can bestow you with Callaway goods, custom luggage or Viking cookware for you epicureans. For full details, check out the press release after the jump, and take a gander at the gallery of hi-res pics below. Gallery: 2008 Lexus ES 350 Pebble Beach Edition Continue reading Chicago 2008: Lexus ES 350 Pebble Beach Edition Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , SUVs , Toyota , Lifestyle Click above to view high-res gallery of the Toyota 4Runner Urban Runner The word "urban" seems to be taking on more meanings every day. In its latest use, Toyota has applied it to a truck kitted out for something more like the Amazon rather than "urban" civilization. Starting with a Sport Edition 4Runner, the Urban Edition gets a new audio system, a Tom Tom GPS system, Alcantara seats, and some nicely finished side steps and roof rails in black. If you have some dosh left over, you can add the Urban Edition value pack that throws in a double-decker cargo system and net, a moonroof, HomeLink, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Underneath, the SUV rides on an X-REAS sport enhancement suspension that's meant to improve on-road handling and performance, hence the "Urban Runner" moniker, though all of Toyota's official images show the SUV trudging through the snow . Check out the press release...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Motorsports , Coupes , Marketing/Advertising , BMW click above to view more high-res live shots of BMW M3 ALMS race car The American Le Mans Series is going to get a dose of Bavarian brilliance in 2009, as Bobby Rahal and David Letterman are teaming up to bring the fourth-generation M3 to the racing series. To properly battle the best competition in ALMS, BMW bumps the power quotient of its high-revving 4.0L V8 from 414 to 485 ponies, but brute force is just one facet of the M3's attack plan. The already outstanding chassis of the M3 has been further enhanced for the track, and weight has been reduced to make the deadly M even more nimble. BMW also employed its extensive F1 knowledge into the M-racer, including computational fluid dynamics and wind tunnel analyses to make the carbon fiber-winged M3 slip freely through the air. BMW Motorsport is still tweaking the M3 racer in advance of the 2009 season, and the car will be taken through its paces by Andy...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Economy , Wagons/Estates , Euro , Hyundai click above for more high-res live shots of the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring While the official unveiling of the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring took place in Montreal a few weeks back, the Chicago Auto Show is the first place that we at Autoblog got a chance to eyeball it in person, and we like what we see. While we'd certainly not classify the Elantra Touring as a "hot hatch," fuel efficiency is becoming an increasingly larger concern for many buyers. As a result, sporty little cars like the Elantra Touring will likely become increasingly relevant. The fact that the car is also a wagon adds plenty of usefulness for everyday driving needs. This version of the Elantra is sold as the i30 outside the U.S. and we welcome its arrival, joining the Saturn Astra as a Euro-designed five-door recently making its way here . Like the Astra, the Elantra Touring offers your choice of either a four-speed automatic or...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , SUVs , Lexus , Lifestyle Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus RX 350 Pebble Beach Edition. Lexus showed up in Chicago with two special edition cars from a different time in a different state. Lexus has been making limited edition vehicles for the Pebble Beach glitterati since 2003, which up to now has always been a Lexus SC 430 unveiled at the concours' Vogue fashion show. This year marks the first time the line has expanded beyond the hardtop coupe, and the RX 350 gets its chance to try on a swanky paint job and some of them there special features. In case you're wondering what color that is, it's Truffle Mica -- but it comes in two others, in case speckly fungus isn't exactly your flavor. Buyers will even get to choose from three packages that come with the special edition -- which would make them even more special. But we won't spoil the surprise -- the full press release is after the jump, and check out the gallery of hi...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Convertibles , Sports/GTs , Volkswagen Click image above for gallery of high-res live shots from Chicago It wasn't until we saw the YES! 3.2 Roadster today at the Chicago Auto Show that we remembered seeing it some time ago. Something about the orange 3.2 Turbo model rang a bell and we recalled that soggy day last June when we saw it in the pits at Goodwood . The YES! reps confirmed that we had indeed seen a Roadster at the Festival of Speed, shortly after it had been introduced as the replacement for the previous 1.8 model. The vehicles YES! is showing here in Chicago are the second generation Roadsters, in turbo and NA form. Now, lest you think these guys are bad at math, that 3.2 actually refers to the 3.2L V6 residing in the boot. Funke & Will AG, the folks behind YES!, have done a lot of development work on the car and now even offer it with an optional hard top for cold climates. But it's not really about the hardtop. Fitted with the base...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Sedans/Saloons , Hyundai click above to view more high-res pics of the 2009 Hyundai Sonata When Hyundai released its 2007 Sonata, the automaker served notice that it was serious about playing with the "big boys" in the midsize sedan market; namely the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima and, just recently, the latest version of the Chevy Malibu. With its refresh of the Sonata for 2009, Hyundai has taken another major leap towards matching the best that Japan has to offer. Many consider the Camry too boring while others find the Accord a bit too sporty for their tastes. Hyundai is aiming at the middle ground with the '09 Sonata, and based on looks alone it seems that the company is on target. The interior especially looks ready to compete in the most hotly-contested segment in the industry, with quality materials and a much more pleasing design with more features than the current model. Added power and efficiency have been gained in both...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Concept Cars , Trucks/Pickups , Green , GMC , Australia click above for more live shots of the GMC Denali XT Concept GM designer Brian Nesbitt publicly unveiled the GMC Denali XT concept today at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show. The Denali is the first U.S. example of the "Ute" car-based pickup that's built on the rear-wheel-drive Zeta platform. In this case, the Denali is a four-door pickup using the same rear-wheel-drive architecture as the Holden Commodore/Pontiac G8. It was even designed down under at GM's Australian design studios. Unlike the RWD sedans with which it shares a platform, the Denali has the first example of a flex-fuel engine combined with GM's two-mode hybrid system. The flex-fuel V8 is 4.9L in displacement and has direct fuel injection to maximize both power and fuel economy. According to GM, it expects the powertrain to produce 325 hp and have a 50% boost in fuel efficiency compared to a conventional V8. So far there...
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