Chicago Auto Show 2016

Chicago Auto Show 2016: Celebrating the Advance of Auto Culture

The 108^th annual Chicago Auto Show is underway in Chicago, Illinois this week. It’s a celebration of all things automobile, with an emphasis not just on where the industry has been, but also where it’s going. They present an impressive showcase of cars that are as much about the technology and the software that drives them (sometimes literally) as they are about chrome and curves. The horizons of tomorrow’s auto culture are changing, and the Chicago Auto Show is the perfect place to see the aesthetics of the old era blend with the new. The Chicago Auto Show dedicates more than one million square feet to car culture, making it one of the largest indoor car shows in the world. With the industry poised to deliver some of the most game-changing cars in decades, it’s at shows like this that we’ll get the first glimpses of that new horizon.

A 2016 Ford GT was one of this year’s show stoppers. It has a tear-drop shape inspired by an aircraft fuselage. Every slope and shape are designed to minimize drag and optimize downforce and stability. It comes equipped with a 600-plus-horsepower twin turbocharged EcoBoost V6 engine that’s mated to a 7-speed dual clutch transaxle that provides exceptional driver control. The rear spoiler is keyed to speed and deploys and adjusts in height and/or pitch angle depending on conditions.

2017 Ford GT

Nearly 1,000 of the industry’s latest vehicles, interactive displays, cutting-edge technology, and family-friendly events found a place on this year’s show floor. Here’s more photographs from friend of Cars On Line, Doug Bennett.

Maserati
2017 Camaro 1LE
2017 Fiat 124 Spider
2017 Lexus LC 500
Cadillac
Buick
Acura
Buick Avista Concept Car
Honda Civic
Nissan Murano Winter Warrior

Go to the Vehicles on Display page to see more of what 2016’s Chicago Auto Show has to offer.

More than just a show about cars though, the Chicago Auto Show is where many aftermarket manufacturers are unveiling new technologies for use in every car. Rand McNally held a press release to announce their new in-car electronic system OverDryve. It’s a device for the 1.2 billion cars worldwide that don’t currently have access to the advanced tech features of today’s luxury vehicles. It’s a dashboard tablet designed for use with any car for a small fraction of the cost of a system included in a newly manufactured vehicle.

Here’s more from their press release:

OverDryve provides simple and intuitive access to:

* A voice-controlled smart assistant

* Hands-free calling and texting

* Music from drivers’ favorite sources

* Audible news, weather, traffic and sports

* Forward collision warnings

* A dash camera and available high-resolution wireless backup camera

* Customizable gauge clusters and vehicle information

* Available tire pressure monitoring

* Award-winning trip planning and navigation

* An FM radio

* Wired and wireless connectivity to in-dash radios

* And available roadside assistance and accident notification

Everything about OverDryve was designed with the driver in mind. It features an elegant user display that provides access to key items at a glance. It comes with a clever, easy to install magnetic mount, making attaching and removing the device a snap. Keeping safety at the forefront, some OverDryve features are disabled while the device is on the mount and in driver mode. Off the mount – for passengers in the car or after the drive – OverDryve is a fully loaded entertainment tablet that can be used to watch movies, access social media, and check email.

The device is due in stores later this spring and is expected to retail at $399.

Chicago Auto Show 2015

The Chicago Auto Show is one of the Midwest’s largest automotive affairs. It’s been the place to see some of the industry’s hottest cars, from production vehicles available now to concept cars that are as much art as auto. This year’s show had more than 1,000 vehicles on display and more than 1 million square feet of show floor space. There were three indoor test tracks, outdoor ride and drive experiences, celebrity appearances and more! We’re told this year’s show has a renewed focus on consumer-ready production vehicles, but that’s not saying there weren’t many amazing specialty cars to ogle over. Here’s some of the photographs Cars On Line friend Doug Bennett took while he attended the show last Saturday. Click the photographs to see them larger.