When a vehicle is referred to as a rally car, there are certain features that you would expect from it. One of them would probably be all wheel drive. Another would be a fast engine under the hood. But sadly, it appears the 2016 Hyundai Veloster Rally Edition that was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show will have neither of these.
The new Ford GT is so good looking. Getting up-close and personal with that thing conjures very raw, primal feelings that humans should not feel toward cars. Fortunately, Ford provided a cold shower of boredom during its vehicle walk around at the Chicago Auto Show.
The Chicago Auto Show unveiling of the 2016 Ford Police Interceptor was going along much like any other reveal, with discussions of past successes and big things for the future. But when it came time to pull the cover off the new SUV, a special guest named Keegan rushed onto the scene to unveil the next-generation Police Interceptor.
The Toyota Avalon is a top seller for Toyota. It’s a good car. People like it. It has a hybrid version. All these positive things can be said.
But the buildup to the 2016 Avalon reveal at the Chicago Auto Show seemed like a bit much. The car barely changed at all, so I’m not sure why Toyota had to hide it under a sheet. Plus, standard photos had already appeared online prior to the unveiling.
I’ve won my share of Super Bowls in Madden and even have a couple NBA Live titles under my belt. But sadly, I never capitalized on turning my virtual skills into real world success like Jann Mardenborough.
During Nissan’s press conference at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show, the company introduced Mardenborough, an incredibly accomplished member of the Nissan Racing team who got his start at the controls a of PS3 controller.
In 2011, Mardenborough won the Nissan GT Academy competition by beating 90,000 entrants in Gran Turismo, thus earning him an opportunity to drive for Nissan at the Dubai 24 Hour endurance race at age 19. Prior to winning the GT Academy, Mardenborough had no racing or motorsports experience, except at the sticks of his controller.
Fast forward four years and the 23-year-old driver is an accomplished member of the Nissan Racing team. This year, he will become the first GT Academy winner to race in the Le Mans P1 for Nissan.
The Playstation to professional story is pretty incredible, but more importantly, it confirmed the following beliefs from my childhood.
Playstation pays. Homework sucks. And I’m the fastest kid in the 6th grade.
We caught a portion of an interview with Mardenborough at the Chicago Auto Show, which you can watch below.
If you want a premium limited edition truck, you got it in the 2015 Ram Laramie Limited. Did I mention that it’s limited? Well yeah, there are only so many.
The reveal of the truck at the Chicago Auto Show made it painfully obvious that this truck was limited, premium – all that good stuff. The features rattled on and on. Standard chrome bumpers, “handsome” 20-inch wheels, black leather cockpit, real wood and satin chrome interior trim, next-gen UConnect System. Even the font on the gauge cluster was specific to the Limited trim.
Leave it to Chevy to hilariously flub something up in the spotlight. While it wasn’t #TechnologyandStuff, the unveiling of the 2016 Equinox did have a laughable moment – and it involved the vehicle’s most questionable “upgrade.”
“We know we’re not giving you all the specs you want today, but I assure you, this thing is going to be GREAT!”
That was the message we received about half way through the 2016 Honda Pilot reveal at the Chicago Auto Show. While I appreciate the reassurance, it sure would have been nice if Honda would have outlined some of the key capabilities of the new 3.5-liter V-6. Maybe horsepower or torque ratings? No?
After the 2016 Honda Pilot debut, there are still large gaps of information missing, but we did get some nice insight regarding the third-generation SUV. While sparse on performance specs, we know the new Pilot is 300 pounds lighter than its predecessor, which combined with the new direct-injection V-6, will result in improved efficiency. On higher trims, the 2016 Honda Pilot will utilize a new nine-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.
So if Honda didn’t talk about the new Pilot’s performance, what did it discuss? Most of the reveal centered on the SUV’s new family-friendly tech. The 2016 Pilot will feature five USB ports, an HDMI port, a power outlet, and a new tech locker to securely store devices. The available rear-entertainment system also gets an upgrade, with a higher resolution display and blu-ray capabilities. Standard push-button start is also added to the mix.
Prior to the actual reveal, there was also a HILARIOUS “think outside the box” joke, referring to the Pilot’s new exterior design, which now looks more or less like every other vehicles in its class. Lucky us.
Take a look at the images below to get an up-close look at the 2016 Honda Pilot debut from the Chicago Auto Show.
Kia knows how to milk a good thing for all its worth. The Soul is a popular car – and Kia continues to tweak it in an attempt to throw the biggest net it can out there. And there could be more changes on the horizon if you believe the hype at the unveiling of the Kia Trail’ster concept at the Chicago Auto Show.
