2013 Chicago Auto Show

A few quick impressions and some mediocre photography from this year's Chicago Auto Show:


Ford's STs, both the Fiesta and Focus, are affordable pocket rockets with loads of power. Each brings a much needed aesthetic boost to their respective segments.

Focus ST

Fiesta ST

Toyota on the other hand, is apparently trying to attract some new clientele: 

This inexplicably extravagant display for
the new Avalon doesn't seem to be fooling
any– Oh, wait! Maybe the ginger kid is...
Nope, he's trying to figure out what
 the floor is made of.

This Camry "Rowdy Edition" has me wondering if
Toyota forgot that Scion exists

Honda continues to hint towards signs of hope for the future of the brand in the form of yet another concept car: the EV-Ster, an all electric, tiny, lightweight, RWD sports car that, in its current form, does 0-60 mph in 5.0 seconds. The best part? It has dual-lever tank-style steering in lieu of a steering wheel.

It probably doesn't have very good steering feel,
but it's so cool.

Honda: Make this car.

Also loving the bright-colored driver's seat.

Reminds me of the old Ford GT90 concept. 

I'm a firm believer that the fifth generation Camaro is inherently gaudy, and there was no shortage of evidence of that fact at CAS. However, I was happy to see this exemplary and unpimped example of a third gen:

Gaudy vs Glory - The Gaudy

Gaudy vs Glory - The Glory

The most popular car at the show—by a wide margin—was the C7 Corvette. After 10 minutes of slowly bumping and nudging my through the amorphous blob of spectators I was finally able to see it up close and in person. I'm happy to say that I no longer feel an urge to play automotive designer and photoshop my own renditions of the way the rear end should look. I do like that they've brought back the Stingray name since now I can add it to the list for my future collection of cars named only after badass animals. So far I've got a Cobra, and I'm just about ready to pick up my Panda.

But for me, even the mighty ZR-1 hasn't ever been able to match its only real American rival: the Viper. And now that is has lost the Dodge nameplate, the glorious V10-powered death trap is better than ever. Two models will be offered for the new car: the base SRT and the slightly more upscale GTS (also, there's word that an ACR version of the new car will be launched soon).

The SRT

Hood vents and tow hook.

Those curves!

The GTS.

Carbon fiber cross brace, tubular headers, KW coils. Yes, please.

Jaguar is finally making real sports car again, and man, do they look good. Between the new F-type and the XKR-S of last year, it's the first time I've been excited about Jaguars since the XJ220—keep it up fellas!

Jaguar F-type

Carbon fiber inlay

And then there's this: 

The AMC AMX/3

If you're like me, when you first saw this car you immediately thought Pantera! But you'd be wrong. It's a AMC concept car from 1970. According to the poster board propped up next to it, it was built specifically to compete against the Pantera and the once rumored mid-engined Corvette. It has a 390 CI V8 making 340 horsepower, and this particular example is one of only 6 cars built. This thing is absolutely beautiful—if only it had made it to production . . . I blame Romney.

AR