Autoblog

Click image for high-res gallery of Volo cars on display

The Chicago Auto Show might not have the weight and import of a show like Detroit, but it is officially one of my favorites from now on. The reason is that the Volo Auto Museum is within range of the show and they brought out a small selection of the hardware they typically have on display and/or for sale at their Volo, Illinois museum and dealership complex up north.

Tucked into the back of the North Hall, way behind the BMWs, Acuras, and Porsches, beyond even the DUBS, Superformances and U.S. Army wheels, you'll stumble across a tiny gathering of some of the most memorable vehicles at the show. Cars like the Herbie, Fully Loaded "personality" car. The one that winks and wiggles and sticks its tongue out. Or the part car, part plane, part boat, Super Luxurious Omnidirectional Whatchamajigger from 2003's The Cat in the Hat remake starring Mike Meyers. It's 23-feet long and cost a reported $1.2 million to build. Volo also has the "Miami Vice" Daytona Spyder. Sure it's a replica, but DON JOHNSON DROVE IT! And then there's the Fastlane concept vehicle. Not to be confused with the upcoming Redline movie, Fastlane featured this "extraordinarily futuristic blue blur" that features a very Mazda Ryuga-like concentric swirl rear deck. And it only cost $2.8 million to build.

For those who can't make it to the show next week, the Volo Auto Museum has a website that will give you details of how to get out there to see these and other famous and historic vehicles.

[Source: Volo Auto Museum]

The Volo Auto Museum is in the process of restoring the Ferrari Daytona Spyder replica used during the first two seasons of Miami Vice. The vehicle, which was reportedly used and abused by the star, Don Johnson, was left out to pasture and is now undergoing a full restoration to bring it back to its former glory.

The replica of the Spyder was built off a 1980 Corvette C3 and spawned countless copycats and subsequent lawsuits from Ferrari. After the first two years of filming the series, Ferrari decided to give up two Testarossas in an effort to stem the tide of replicas flooding the market.

Some of us can think back to a few key moments in our childhood that began our automotive obsession, for this writer, the Daytona Spyder was one of them.

We'll keep you posted on the progress and follow up on its impending debut at the museum this December.