The Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place convention center, held this year on Feb. 14-22, is the biggest car show in the country by a long shot. Here are some highlights of new products unveiled at the show’s Media Preview day, Feb. 12, by Kia, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Ram brands. In a previous blog post last week, introductions by Acura, Chevrolet, Ford and Honda were featured.
Starring on the Kia stage at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show was the Trail’ster, a concept hybrid car based on the brand’s successful Soul subcompact crossover. The all-wheel-drive Trail’ster has a 1.6-liter turbocharged gas engine assisted by an electric motor sending power to the rear wheels. The duo achieve a total of 220 horsepower and 285 lb-ft of torque, while delivering major increases in fuel economy over the current Soul: 25 percent to 30 percent during city driving, and 5 percent to 10 percent on the highway. With its great in-city fuel efficiency, roll-back canvas top and emphasis on off-highway capability, the Trail’ster is designed to appeal to urban-dwelling outdoor enthusiasts. Sounds wonderful, but as people always ask about concept vehicles: Will it ever see production? “It has happened before,” said Michael Sprague, Kia’s vice president of sales and marketing. After that, he smiled. I hope Trail’ster gets the thumbs up for production because I want one, but thumbs down on that apostrophe in the name.
Mitsubishi revealed an outrageous (in the “very bold, unusual and startling” sense of the word) vehicle, the Concept GC-PHEV, making its North American debut at the show. A full-size crossover SUV, the four-passenger Concept GC-PHEV has a 429-horsepower plug-in hybrid powertrain featuring a 335-horsepower supercharged V6 engine teamed with an eight-speed automatic transmission and an electric motor contributing the other 94 horsepower. Full-time all-wheel drive completes the package. The Concept GC-PHEV’s interior includes a large touchscreen called the Tactical Table. It’s positioned down the middle of the car, interfaces with smartphones and provides a data-sharing system for all passengers. Don Swearingen, executive vice president of Mitsubishi Motors North America, announced that the Concept GC-PHEV represents the brand’s future technology and design themes. So, you can expect to see forthcoming Mitsubishi SUVs with more aggressive styling than what the current crop is sporting. If you’re wondering, GC-PHEV stands for “grand cruiser plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.”
Sorry to bring up Super Bowl XLIX if you’re still trying to get past the pain, but if you saw the “With Dad” Nissan commercial that aired during the game, you got a glimpse of the sensational new Nissan GT-R LM Nismo hybrid racecar. For longer looks, it was on display throughout the Chicago Auto Show, and will attract even more attention in June when it races in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The front-wheel-drive, 600-horsepower GT-R LM Nismo has a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 gas engine positioned up front, with an electric drive system thrown in to boost horsepower to more than 1,200. The race car was joined at the Nissan exhibit by several other Nismo types: the 370Z Nismo, Juke Nismo and Juke Nismo RS, and two concept cars – the Sentra Nismo Concept and a 370Z Nismo Roadster making its world debut at the Media Preview. If taken to production, the roadster would be a natural follow-up to the existing 370Z Nismo coupe. It’s equipped with a 350-horsepower V6 engine, Nismo-tuned suspension, and a power-folding convertible cloth top, and I want one.
In a dramatically booming presentation, even for a big auto show, Ram debuted its new Laramie Limited pickup, describing it as being designed for the luxury pickup driver – a description I’m sure many Snohomish County pickup owners will find amusing. Premium interior features and materials are in the same league as top-line luxury sedans. The extra-bold new grille forgoes Ram’s traditional crosshairs in favor of the word “RAM” in enormous letters (also emblazoned at the rear, across the tailgate). Chrome accents adorn the sides, and tires are wrapped around all-new 20-inch forged multi-surface aluminum wheels. Engine selections include a 305-horsepower V6, a 240-horsepower diesel V6, and a 395-horsepower Hemi V8. Fuel economy ratings range from 14/20 mpg to 21/29 mpg. The Laramie Limited trim is available on the 1500, 2500 and 3500 Ram models. The 1500 model goes on sale during second-quarter 2015 as a 2015 model; the 2500 and 3500 will be available in the third quarter as 2016 models.
For more information and photos of vehicles on display at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show, see www.chicagoautoshow.com.
Mary Lowry is an independent automotive writer who lives in Snohomish County. She is a member of the Motor Press Guild and a board member of the Northwest Automotive Press Association.
*Headline was changed to reflect that the Ram Laramie Limited pickup is already in production.
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