The 2019 Chicago Auto Show launched on Saturday, February 9th, at the McCormick Place convention complex.
It’s the biggest US auto show with more than a million square feet of display space. The huge area allowed some manufacturers to create indoor test-drive courses. Four different tracks will let fans get a good demo of the most prominent off-roaders for 2019:
- Land Rover Above and Beyond Tour
- Kia Telluride Torque Track
- Ram Truck Territory
- Camp Jeep
The all-new 2020 Jeep Gladiator makes its first appearance since FCA revived the model.
New trucks for 2019 are coming out with a lot of interesting features, including major redesigns of the tailgate. One peculiar tailgate design is the barn door on the Ram 1500. In addition to the traditional drop-down function, the gate is split vertically and allows either side to hinge out.
By far the most interesting is the GMC Sierra. It’s tailgate folds in 6 different positions. This includes a 2 step staircase, complete with its own handle, allowing easier than ever access to the bed.
Visitors will also see a lot of hot performance vehicles on the showroom floors.
Volkswagen unveiled their new 2019 Jetta GLI – a performance version extracting 220 hp and 258 lbs/ft of torque from its 4-cylinder engine. Styling-wise the sedan draws inspiration from the Golf GTI, featuring aggressive red accents over its sleek, but somewhat reserved, paint job.
Mazda Miata MX-5 marks its 30 years since launching at the Chicago Auto Show in 1989. For the anniversary, Mazda unveiled a new, limited edition paint job. It’s a yellow-orange gradient, called “Racing Orange” and it’s absolutely gorgeous.
The new 2020 Shelby GT500 sits prominently at Ford’s corner. Though it didn’t garner much media attention, the 2019 Bullitt Mustang is parked right next to it. Finally, the company brought its crown jewel – the 2019 GT Heritage Edition.
The supercar segment is not scant either.
Acura NSX also marks 30 years since launching from the same show. The company produced a historic video showing the roots of Honda’s supercar. Both the original NSX and the new generation model are on display.
Lamborghini brought a stunning satin green Aventador SVJ and a Huracan Performante Spider. Both cars feature the Lamborghini ALA aerodynamics package. There is also the Urus, which has rocketed the company’s sales numbers in the first year after its launch.
The McLarens on display are a 570S Spider and a 720S Coupe. Aston Martin came with a DB11 Convertible and a Vantage. The hybrid genre is represented by the Karma Revero. There is a GT-R over at Nissan’s corner. A Lotus Evora and an Evora 400 round up the most interesting supercars.
The cherry on the top is the $3.5 million limited edition Bugatti Chiron. The vehicle celebrates the 110th birthday of the company. It comes with a full carbon body – a combination of blue tinted and clear-coated carbon fiber. The car also bears the French flag on the underside of the wing, the mirrors, and the fuel tank cap.
Overall, Chicago sees a lot fewer anticipated premiers in comparison to the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year. However, it’s still a spectacular event and visitors will spend their time well taking a stroll around the gigantic complex.