A Trip to Town

Saturday found me at one of the most thrilling venues in all Chicago. I got a free ticket to the 2007 Chicago Auto Show, a massive event where car makers from all over the world come to show off their models for the new year. The McCormick Center was filled to the brim with 30-foot-tall displays, cars hanging from the ceiling, long-haired femme fatales showcasing the cars, and packs of roving spectators intoxicated by the smell of tires and leather upholstery. And yes, I was ogling each car along with the rest of them.


The two most fun displays had to be those of Jeep and Dodge. Both companies had built massive obstacle courses, complete with ice sheets, ponds, and steep hills. If one was willing to wait, one could get a chauferred ride through the course while getting a detailed sales pitch by the driver. The Jeep course had an earthy, pine-scented feel to it (naturally), while the Dodge course lacked mini-mountains and had a more urban look. The neatest part of the Dodge course was the ice section; they hired a professional ice skater to do a little routine in front of each car to prove that the ice was truly slick. It was so much fun to watch.


The American makers' section was loud and flashy, with each display trying to outdo the next with subwoofers and funky lighting. Chevrolet had an impressive array of vehicles, sporting several concept cars (including the sexy new Camaro pictured in the topmost slide show) and the latest Corvette body style. Ford's exhibit was a bit lackluster, Toyota spent most of its square footage promoting the new Tundra, and the Honda exhibit held me for a good long while as I compared the MPGs of the latest Accords and Civics.


The Euro side, in contrast, was quieter, with more subtle lighting and thicker carpeting. While there, I was introduced to the Maybach, a little car company with a very interesting history. Look it up some time! There were so many gorgeous cars there that my already slow ramble turned into a crawl as I moved from display to display. It's really a wonder that I wasn't drooling the entire time. Gosh, Dad, I wish you could have been there. You really have to come visit me next year so that we can go together.


But my favorite of the whole show was, surprisingly, back on the American side. It won me by the overall coolness of the idea. The Chevrolet Volt concept is an amazing bit of machinery due out in five or six years. Since the Auto Show pamphlet says it much better than I could, I'll let it take over for a moment: "Volt can go up to 40 miles using only its lithium-ion batteries. For daily driving less than 40 miles, consumers would eliminate the need for gasoline, saving 500 gallons of gas and eliminating 4.4 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from the tailpipe a year. For daily driving over 40 miles, consumers would average 150 miles per gallon. For vehicles with E-85 capability, drivers get more than 500 miles per equivalent petroleum gallon!"
How fantasic is that?! Just imagine what wonderful environmentally-friendly cars we could all be driving in a few short years. Definitely my favorite.
Ah, it was a beautiful day!