2014 Chicago Auto Show

You might want to visit the 2014 Chicago Auto Show this week to find out how to improve your cars IQ. The word here is that cars are getting “smarter.” You’ll see Infiniti’s “steer-by-wire” system that uses only electronics to steer your car, no mechanical hydraulic linkage anymore. At the Ford display you can view Ford’s C-MAX Solar Engergy concept where a hybrid car can be recharged using solar panels. Now cars can park themselves, steer around obstacles and keep you in the correct lane all by themselves. General Motors’ hands-free integration with Apple Siri personal assistant is on dislay. By 2015 GM says they will offer a rolling 4G LTE hot spot to keep you connected to the internet. Technology continues to change or lives, and new automotive technologies are leading the way.

As the 2014 Chicago Auto Show opened this past weekend it promised an exciting line-up of events with hundreds of different vehicles on display covering 1 million square feet of show floor space, with three indoor test tracks and six outdoor test drives. This is the 106th Annual edition of the show, the largest new car dealer show and manufacturer’s exhibition in the country. This is where the car buying public can come and see all the top car manufacturers showing off their 2014 and 2015 models. The show runs February 8-17, 2014. Photo journalist Doug Bennett covered the opening weekend for Cars On Line.com. Here are some of the top attractions at this year’s 2014 Chicago Auto Show.

2015 Ford F-150 — From nose to tailgate the 2015 Ford F150 is all new for 2015. Modern-day aluminum alloys used by the military helped Ford shed 700 pounds in body weight and therefore it is said to get 25 miles per gallon on the highway. The radical new look and all new technology is drawing a lot of attention here at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show. With all the technology available to auto manufacturers today they call this the “smartest” Ford truck ever built. Features such as a 360-degree rear camera, dynamic trailer hitch assist and a host of driver-assist technologies put F-150’s at the head of the class. For the first time, high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloys are used throughout the F-150 body.

You’ve probably seen the new Corvette Stingray. But wait till you see the 2015 Corvette Z06, which is now being billed as the greatest Corvette supercar ever from Chevrolet. It is the first Corvette Z06 to offer a supercharged engine, and thanks to a stronger aluminum frame, a removable roof panel. The heart of the 2015 Corvette Z06 is the all-new LT4 6.2L supercharged V-8 engine, expected to deliver an estimated 625 horsepower. Standard seven-speed manual transmission includes the Active Rev Match feature, or there is an all-new eight-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission designed to enhance both performance and MPG. The body is said to create the greatest dynamic downforce ever for a Corvette.

For the first time since reintroducing the present generation of Camaros Chevrolet has introduced the 2014 Camaro Z/28. This one will not disappoint. Chevrolet says it is the fastest Camaro ever. The heart of the new Z/28 Camaro is the lighter, naturally aspirated 7.0L LS7 first introduced in the Corvette Z06. Improved speed comes from three areas: Increased grip: The Z/28 is capable of 1.08 g in cornering acceleration, due to comprehensive chassis revisions. Increased stopping power: The Z/28 features Brembo carbon ceramic brakes capable of 1.5 g in deceleration, and consistent brake feel, lap after lap. Reduced curb weight: The naturally aspirated Z/28 weighs 300 pounds less than the supercharged Camaro ZL1, with changes ranging from lightweight wheels to thinner rear-window glass. Performance starts with the 7.0L LS7 engine, rated at an SAE-certified 505 horsepower and 481 lb-ft of torque. A close-ratio six-speed manual transmission is the only transmission offered and power is distributed to the rear wheels via a limited-slip differential featuring a helical gear set, rather than traditional clutch packs, for optimal traction.

2014 Kia GT4 Stinger — One concept car that will wow the crowds this week at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show is the Kia GT4 Stinger, designed and conceived as a prototype by the “gearheads” at Kia’s Irvine, California plant. The color you see here is “Ignition Yellow.” They say it is a powerful rear-wheel drive prototype that is a true enthusiast’s machine. It is powered by Kia’s proven 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline direct-injected four-cylinder engine, with the potential for more than 400hp. The 2014 Chicago Auto Show will run through February 17.

Toyota FT-1 Concept Car — Shimmering under the lights at the Toyota display, the incredible Toyota FT-1 prototype is probably the best looking concept car in the 2014 Chicago Auto Show this year. With an F1 inspired racing cockpit this incredible prototype had an unusual beginning. First devised by Calty Design Research in the Sony PlayStation Gran Turismo game environment, the FT-1 leapt from the computer screen into reality. Visually, the Toytoa FT-1 Concept design is heavily influenced by Toyota’s long sports car tradition that includes vehicles such as 2000GT and most recently, FT-86 (Scion F-RS). The new FT-1 at the Chicago show wears what Toyota calls, “Function-sculpting” design language shaped by the wind into a curvaceous, muscular body form.

Honda FCEV Concept Car — Way over the edge, Honda’s new FCEV concept car looks like it should be surrounded by Star Wars troopers. FCEV stands for Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle, a possible styling standard for the next generation fuel cell vehicles. Honda’s next generation fuel cell-electric vehicle launching in 2015 will contain the world’s first application of a fuel-cell powertrain packaged completely in the engine room of the vehicle, allowing for efficiencies in cabin space. They say the power density is now 3kW/L, an increase of 60 percent, with the stack size reduced 33-percent. The next generation Honda FCEV is anticipated to deliver a driving range of more than 300 miles with a quick refueling time of about three minutes at a pressure of 70 MPa.

For more about new cars on display at the show, Click here to link to Chicago Auto Show.com.

2014 Chicago Auto Show

2014 Chicago Auto Show

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