(Published Saturday, February 10, 2007 12:58:05 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
By Mike DuPre' Gazette Staff
CHICAGO-Here's a quick spin around the sprawling floor of the 99th annual Chicago Auto Show:
Drill factor The U.S. Army is back with the reinforcements and the most expensive vehicles on the show floor.
A Bradley Fighting Vehicle replaced the Stryker that was here last year.
The Bradley has a base price of $3.1 million but runs about $5 million tricked out the way it is here. The 120mm chain gun and video surveillance system that can read a nametag at 11 miles are standard equipment. Bradley gets only 1.2 miles per gallon, though.
Drool factor Porsche, Maserati and Bentley are neighbors on the smaller show floor for luxury, exotic and novelty vehicles.
Prices in this high-class neighborhood range from $45,600 for a 2007 Porsche Boxter to $354,445 for a 2007 Bentley Azure convertible. For more than $354,000, you get a 450-horse engine capable of 171 mph and 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds.
Hometown heroes Janesville autoworkers made the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon Denali, all full-size SUVs, that are on display.
The two Cadillac Escalades were made in Arlington, Texas.
The Chevrolet Avalanche and Escalade EXT-both with four doors and a pickup box-were made in Silao, Mexico.
Fun and games You and three comrades can patrol and shoot it out with four of the enemy-also show-goers-at the Army display where the multi-scenario combat game takes about 30 minutes to play. Expect a long wait.
Toyota is marking its entry to NASCAR with three racing simulators. Jeep has four game kiosks.
Ford offers street-racing simulators, and State Farm Insurance has three simulators set up for a "driving challenge." The company's games were offline temporarily and could not be tested, but racing probably is not their theme.
You can ride along as Jeep drivers take you over an off-road-but in McCormick Place-course and as Chrysler and Dodge drivers demonstrate how their vehicles perform on the street, again on an inside course.
Tricks and treats Plenty of tricked-out and tuned-up vehicles are here. Not far from the Army display are exhibits of jazzed-up, ultra-snazzy Jeeps and Dodges sponsored by DUB magazine. Wheels on these babies cost more than many used cars.
Next to them are six concepts from Chevy, showing how aftermarket paint jobs and add-ons can make a Cobalt or HHR a real head-turner.
The Scion display features a wall of vehicles with finishes from cool to outrageous to show how buyers can personalize the small cars from Toyota.
In a small display area behind the Army display are exhibits from Volo Auto Museum and some of the vendors who sell those off-the-wall wheels. If you take kids to the show, check out Volo's display. Not far from the Ferrari that Don Johnson drove in "Miami Vice" is the Cat in the Hat's car.
Frankenstein The monster of all monster trucks is at the Ford display. DeBerti Designs had its way with an F-650 commercial truck and turned it into a 25-foot-long, six-door behemoth that you literally need a stepladder to climb into.
Clean and green Automakers are touting their hybrids, alternative-fuel and fuel cell technology.
A two-mode gas-electric hybrid Chevy Tahoe is on the floor, but GMC puts its hybrid Yukon on a turntable.
Mercedes-Benz is bragging about Bluetec, billed as the cleanest-burning diesel engine on the planet.
ZAP Car calls itself the only all-electric car in the United States, but it's really an enclosed three-wheel motorcycle made in China.
Honda is showing off its FCX, the first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle sold in the United States and vehicle that runs on natural gas.
Looking down the road Concept cars, the "Star Wars"-styled vehicles that show glimpses into the future, always draw crowds.
Toyota's really playing up its NASCAR debut with a wicked FT-HS concept Camry that herds 400 horses but still is a hybrid, albeit a low-slung, nasty-looking hybrid.
Honda's Remix is a silver-bullet sports car with a black glass dome that serves as windshield and roof.
Jeep's Trailhawk shows what a Commander would look like if given the chunky lines and shallow windows of a Chrysler 300C.
Ford's Airstream has a gull-wing side door, rear Dutch door and standard driver's door. The little van also sports swivel seats and an electronic aquarium.
The Camaro convertible concept, taking a page from Ford's Mustang book, has styling evocative of the 1967 and '69 Camaro. Comments by Bob Lutz, GM honcho for worldwide product development, indicated Camaro will be back on the street in two years.
Hyundai is playing with the big boys, displaying HCD-10 Hellion, a muscular, macho crossover sports car concept.
Lexus LF-A is a concept exotic boasting 500 ponies and a top-speed of 200 mph.
The "Wow!" award for the 2007 Chicago Auto Show goes to Mazda's Ryuga concept. It looks like a red flame ready to torch the road.
