New Looks and Familiar Names at the Chicago Auto Show

The Chicago Auto Show may host a flurry of world debuts in comparison to Detroit’s blizzard just a month prior, but several significant vehicles are bowing in the windy city. The show will be open to the public from Feb. 9-18. Here are the highlights:

2007 BMW Alpina B7

Tuning house Alpina teamed up with BMW to produce a high-performance rework of the 7 Series sedan, a hardcore alternative to the all-out performance of BMW’s M5. The B7 creates 500 hp and 518 pound-feet of torque from a supercharged 4.4-liter V8 engine built right alongside regular 7 Series on BMW’s own production line. The BMW Alpina B7 costs $115,000, plus freight, and is now available at every BMW dealer in North America — not necessarily with a waiting time, said Alpina sales manager Kris Odwarka. Zero-to-60-mph times are a claimed 4.8 seconds, with a top speed of 186 mph. “Our company doesn’t believe in speed limiters,” said Odwarka.

Click here to read more about the BMW Alpina B7.

2007 Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Champion Corvette Z06

American Le Mans Series star Ron Fellows may not be a household name yet, but his success with the Chevrolet Corvette ALMS racing team has prompted Chevrolet to come out with a special edition in his honor: the 2007 Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Champion Corvette Z06. The 399 special-edition ’Vettes get cosmetic changes only — including an Arctic White paint job and read leather interior. A tip of the hat to Fellows’ Canadian roots is shown with a maple leaf logo motif in several spots. Chevrolet is pitching this first-ever “signed” Corvette as an instant collectible, as it has with countless other special-edition Corvettes. The car will be available this spring for $77,500, including destination fees.

2008 Dodge Dakota

It was all pickup truck news for Dodge in Chicago, as it showed off a number of full-size Ram super-duty commercial trucks along with the heavily revised 2008 Dodge Dakota. The Dakota’s main claim to midsize-pickup fame is its available V8 engine, which remains at 4.7 liters, but now gets a 25 percent boost in power, to 290 hp and 320 pound-feet of torque. The engine’s major power increase also comes with better fuel economy as well as E85 capability (meaning it can run on a mixture of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline). The sleeker, restyled Dakota arrives at dealers in August with the longest standard bed in its class (six feet, six inches), a max tow rating of 7,050 pounds and a standard remote starter.

2008 Ford Taurus and Taurus X

Ford’s short-lived mandate that all vehicle names start with an “F” is over. Exit the Five Hundred, Freestyle and Mercury Montego: The Taurus and Sable names are returning. Thus, the 2007 Five Hundred, which Ford announced a mere month ago, will receive an upgraded engine and flashier styling cues and become the 2008 Ford Taurus in a few months. Its twin, the Mercury Montego, will become the 2008 Sable. The Ford Freestyle crossover will become the 2008 Taurus X (pronounced “ex,” not 10). All three go on sale this summer, at about the same prices as their forebears.

Kia Rondo SX concept

The factory-customized Kia Rondo SX is a performance version of Kia’s new compact people mover, the Rondo, which just recently became available. This SX version is officially a concept, but high-ranking Kia officials privately confirm that the car will come to North America (“It’s not if, but when,” one whispered). America’s lowest-priced seven-seater, the 2007 Rondo was introduced at the L.A. Auto Show in November, and like the SX versions of the Rio and Spectra, it is meant to showcase the personalization capabilities. Power from the 2.7-liter V6 is bumped up by 10 to 192hp, thanks to a cold-air intake and cat-back exhaust system. The SX concept’s suspension is lowered by three inches, although one Kia exec says a two-inch drop is more realistic. It will take about a year to get the Rondo SX to North America, said Len Hunt, Kia North America’s COO, if it arrives at all.

2008 Pontiac G8

Proving that sister brand Saturn isn’t the only GM division able to harness its worldwide resources, Pontiac literally went to the other end of the globe to help it come up with the 2008 G8, an all-new, large, rear-wheel-drive car that will help it fight Dodge Chargers and Nissan Maximas.

“These cars wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for our ability to use our global resources,” said GM vice chairman Bob Lutz at the car’s unveiling, referring to GM's manufacturing plant in Adelaide, Australia, where the G8 will be built this year in order to hit dealer showrooms in early 2008. A base 261-hp 3.6-liter V6 will be in the G8 GS; the monster GT will put out 362 hp and 391 pound-feet of torque from a 6.0-liter V8, with a zero-to-60-mph time of just over five seconds, said Pontiac general manager John Larson. Although neither Lutz nor Larson would confirm it, a version of this V8 engine is almost sure to find its way under the Camaro’s hood in early 2009, because both cars will be built off the same platform, which is currently being used for the Holden Commodore sedan in Australia.

2008 Saturn Astra

Who said hatchbacks don’t sell in the U.S.? Apparently not Saturn.  It unveiled three- and five-door hatchback versions of its new compact car, the Astra, which will replace Saturn’s Ion sedan. The 2008 Saturn Astra is an almost identical copy of the Opel Astra sold in Europe, and that includes its steel body, signaling the end to products in Saturn’s lineup that featured the ding- and rustproof polymer panels. Power comes from a 1.8-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine making 140 hp. And there’s no doubt that the Astra provides a more sophisticated shape than the ungainly Ion. Furthering this increasingly refined persona are standard features such as ABS, six airbags, active head restraints and new-generation OnStar. High-end amenities are also available, such as heated seats, a large two-panel sunroof and steering wheel controls for audio and other systems. The Astra will arrive in the fourth quarter of 2007, said Saturn general manager Jill Lajdziak, by which time two new customer-friendly measures will be implemented: 24/7 online chat on the company's website for anyone with a question or comment about Saturn or its products, and a new way to book test-drives online.

2008 Saturn Vue Green Line

Its gas/electric powertrain may be the same as the outgoing model for the time being, but the compact 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line hybrid introduced in Chicago receives an all-new body, as does the entire Vue lineup. It looks similar to the Opel Antara sold in Europe. The Vue Green Line’s hybrid setup is a low-cost system designed to get the price of the hybrid option down — to about a $2,000 upcharge in the old 2007 model, and likely a similar amount in this one, with a fuel-economy advantage of about 20 percent over the Vue with a conventional four-cylinder engine. In fall 2008, a more advanced, two-mode hybrid system will become available in the 2009 Vue Green Line, one that can run at city speeds only on electricity, which will therefore offer a 45 percent bump up in fuel economy over a non-hybrid Vue. Saturn didn’t announce fuel-consumption figures for the 2008 Vue Green Line, but with the same powertrain, it likely won’t be far from the 27 mpg city/32 mpg highway Saturn cites for the 2007 Vue Green Line.

2008 Saturn Vue Red Line

Although the 2008 Saturn Vue was shown at the L.A. Auto Show in November, its two variants unveiled in Chicago show the split personality of the brand’s new specialty line: red for sporty performance, green for — of course — environmental consciousness. Or in family terms, fraternal twins sitting on opposite ends of the political spectrum. The Saturn Vue Red Line is the bad boy of this family, although the modern, 250-hp 3.6-liter V6 won’t get many activists revved up (or enthusiasts, one could argue), being that it’s still less powerful and more fuel-efficient than many similarly priced or sized SUVs. Styling cues include black leather sport seats, 18-inch alloy wheels and a more aggressive front end. The Saturn Vue Red Line will come standard with a six-speed automatic, in either front or all-wheel drive, when it arrives this fall.

2008 Scion xB

The upcoming Scion xB (think B for “box”) doesn’t lose its cubic shape — that recognizable form that makes an old Volvo station wagon look as curvy as Beyoncé. In fact, Scion vice president Mark Templin called it the “spiritual icon” for Scion, adding that the brand “will always have a box in our lineup.” The engine is larger in this second-generation xB, incorporating under its smoother-edged front end the tC coupe’s larger 2.4-liter four-cylinder, good for a generous 50 percent increase in horsepower, up to 158hp from 103hp. But don’t book your drag-strip time yet, as this xB is larger and heavier than its first-generation predecessor. To continue its different-drum-beat personality, the xB’s interior has large digital gauges mounted in the center of the upper dash, with a standard iPod input that allows the driver to pick and choose music through the stereo’s dash-mounted or standard steering-wheel controls. The new Scion xB is set to arrive in dealers by April. Production of the old xB ended in December.

2008 Scion xD

Arriving in August to replace the Scion xA subcompact hatchback, the 2008 Scion xD will still be a small, fuel-sipping, city-friendly four-door hatchback. The xD features a zoomier interior, highlighted by a speedometer and tachometer combined into one front-and-center dial, steering-wheel-mounted controls, second-row side airbags and rear seats that can recline. Under the hood is the obligatory larger and more powerful 128 hp 1.8 liter four-cylinder engine. The unveiling of the xD clears up the reason why there’s no five-door hatchback version of the Yaris on sale at Toyota dealers in the U.S., as there is in Canada and pretty much every other market where the Yaris is sold and Scions are not.

2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Toyota took much heat for the bland styling of its Highlander SUV when it was first revealed five years ago. The 2008 Highlander that Toyota is showing off in Chicago takes a much bolder attempt at a futuristic design, without going overboard into Buck Rogers territory. Along with the more sculpted look and cleaner lines, safety will also be a major push for the new model. All Highlanders will get seven standard airbags — including three-row side curtains and driver’s knee airbags — antilock brakes, traction control, active head restraints and electronic stability control. A back-up camera not tied to a navigation system will also be available, as will a unique stowable middle seat in the second row. Conventional models will be powered by a 270-hp 3.5-liter V6 and will arrive in July. The 2008 Highlander Hybrid will be available two months later, which will get 31 mpg city/27 highway, the same as the outgoing Highlander Hybrid, despite 55 more horsepower and 500 pounds more weight than the outgoing version.

2008 Volkswagen R32

It seems that Volkswagen’s luxury aspirations — the hopes that faded quickly with the Phaeton on this side of the ocean — are now officially over. “Our growth (5 percent in a down market in 2006) can be attributed to excellent response to the new Rabbit and returning to our roots — value and German engineering in a fun package,” said VW’s director of marketing, David Goggins. That “fun package” may be embodied in the reintroduction of the limited-edition 2008 R32, a super-GTI that will once again offer the 250-hp 3.2-liter V6 that’s also found in the Audi TT, complete with 4Motion all-wheel drive, a zero-to-60-mph time of 6.4 seconds, a lower and stiffer chassis, and the highly praised DSG paddle-shift transmission. Like the last-generation R32 introduced in 2004, only 5,000 are planned for production; 3,000 in 2007, and another 2,000 in 2008. It’s set to arrive in showrooms by August, with orders taken online at vw.com at a price of $32,990, or close to it.