Autoblog

click above for high-res gallery of the Porsche Cayenne GTS

Following breakfast here at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, Porsche took the cover off its new Cayenne GTS for the first time on our shores. After emphasizing how well the updated 2007 Cayenne has done in the market, the Stuttgart-based automaker talked about running the 2007 TransSyberia Rallye with what is essentially a stock Cayenne S. In the hands of rally veteran Rod Millen, the Cayenne with added safety equipment and spare parts finished first overall in its first attempt at the 4,000 mile race. Porsche NA marketing VP David Pryor proclaimed the GTS, however, as the best handling SUV in the world thanks to its 21-inch wheels, 20mm lower ride height and Porsche Active Suspension Management. Its 4.8L V8 has direct fuel injection to help it put out a stout 405 hp, and it's mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. If you're up for it, the 405-hp GTS model goes on sale now in the U.S. with a base price of $69,300.

click above to view more live high-res pics of the Scion tC Release 4.0

If you saw our preview of the Scion tC Release 4.0 and want more, you're in luck 'cause we've spotted it here in Chicago. We already knew pretty much all there was to know about the machine, including the DAMD body kit and Galactic Gray Mica paint. As is often the case, though, live photos seem to show more detail than official pics from the manufacturer, so be sure to check out our live photos in the gallery below. If you like what you see, perhaps you should act fast, only 2,300 of the 4.0s are going to be built. We're sure that Scion will sell all of them, but we think the tC is in need of a bit more freshening than this version 4.0 offers.

click above for more high-res live shots of the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring

While the official unveiling of the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring took place in Montreal a few weeks back, the Chicago Auto Show is the first place that we at Autoblog got a chance to eyeball it in person, and we like what we see. While we'd certainly not classify the Elantra Touring as a "hot hatch," fuel efficiency is becoming an increasingly larger concern for many buyers. As a result, sporty little cars like the Elantra Touring will likely become increasingly relevant. The fact that the car is also a wagon adds plenty of usefulness for everyday driving needs. This version of the Elantra is sold as the i30 outside the U.S. and we welcome its arrival, joining the Saturn Astra as a Euro-designed five-door recently making its way here. Like the Astra, the Elantra Touring offers your choice of either a four-speed automatic or a more desirable five-speed manual, featuring a B&M shifter.

Premium options include seventeen inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, heated front seats and a power sunroof, but standard gear is pretty good with power windows, remote keyless entry, eight-way adjustable driver's seat, heated mirrors and a stereo equipped with an auxiliary jack and standard XM radio. Also included are safety features such as Electronic Stability Control, ABS and Electronic Brake-Force Distribution. Like other Hyundais, this one comes equipped well and should be priced very competitively against its competition.

click above to view more high-res pics of the 2009 Hyundai Sonata

When Hyundai released its 2007 Sonata, the automaker served notice that it was serious about playing with the "big boys" in the midsize sedan market; namely the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima and, just recently, the latest version of the Chevy Malibu. With its refresh of the Sonata for 2009, Hyundai has taken another major leap towards matching the best that Japan has to offer. Many consider the Camry too boring while others find the Accord a bit too sporty for their tastes. Hyundai is aiming at the middle ground with the '09 Sonata, and based on looks alone it seems that the company is on target. The interior especially looks ready to compete in the most hotly-contested segment in the industry, with quality materials and a much more pleasing design with more features than the current model.

Added power and efficiency have been gained in both four-cylinder and six-cylinder versions. Using the second generation Theta engine architecture, the 175-horse 2.4-liter inline-four is a vast improvement over its predecessor, especially since a new five-speed automatic replaces the old four-speed unit. Drivers who prefer a bit more power can opt for the newly updated 3.3-liter Lambda V6, now boasting 249 horsepower while still offering a slight increase in fuel economy. The Lambda V6 is available only with the five-speed automatic while four-cylinder buyers can choose between the automatic or a five-speed manual. We are still waiting for official pricing information, but expect the Sonata to continue to undercut the Accord and Camry.

click above to view more high-res pics of the VW Routan

Fumbling out of the "why bother" category here at the Chicago Auto Show is the 2009 Volkswagen Routan, which is their new minivan based on the Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Caravan platform. Oddly, Volkswagen opened up its presentation by showing pics and videos of its classic vehicles, such as the old Beetle and the old-style rear-engined vans. What's odd is that those classics share absolutely no heritage with the new Chrysler minivan-based Routan. Why conjure up favorable memories of the old VW van before letting us down with this new one?

Moving on to better things, the new van does have a pretty attractive face, more attractive than the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country, at least. Standard features are many, including traction and stability controls, a 6-speed automatic transmission and Chrysler's 3.8L V6, though a 4.0L V6 producing 251 hp is also available. The interior is nicer in the Routan than in its Chrysler counterparts, though that's not necessarily saying much. We'll reserve final judgment until we get a chance to live with it, though.

Volkswagen believes that it has struck a better ride and handling compromise on the Routan than Chrysler was able to achieve with either of its vans, which is a bit like biting the hands that feeds you. Nothing on the Routan is all that bad, so we think that any potential minivan customer will consider it. What it will cost is unknown, but VW said the Routan will start around $25,000. We still question whether this is the best that Volkswagen could do with such a great history of vans to draw upon. As we see it, all this vehicle does is give VW dealers a vehicle to sell to large families.

click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Acura RL

Here in Chicago this morning, Acura unveiled the redesigned 2009 edition of its flagship RL sport sedan. One of the main criticisms of the current RL has been the anonymous face and rather bland overall styling. For '09, Acura has re-skinned the RL in an attempt to give it a more aggressive look with crisper contour lines and a much more prominent grille. According to Honda Sales EVP Dick Colliver, the face being shown on this car will spread to the rest of the lineup as the TL and TSX sedans are redesigned later this year. In spite of the sharpened focus, the overall profile of the exterior remains largely the same as the current model, which is not a bad thing. The handsome and functional interior is pretty much carried over, as well.

Under the skin, the new RL gets a new 3.7L V-6 with an upgraded VTEC valve-timing system boosting the output up to 300 hp and 271lb-ft. The Super Handling-All Wheel Drive system has also been revised with faster responses to changing conditions at each individual wheel to help improve the handling. One of the coolest features of the current RL and other Acuras is the AcuraLink system that can call up real-time traffic data to show you where there are accidents or road work in your vicinity. For 2009, the traffic data has been integrated into the nav system allowing it to automatically re-route you around congestion. We can't wait to try out that one during road construction season this summer.

[Source: Acura]

click above for high-res gallery of the E85 Chevy HHR

Apparently, the movement toward smaller cars in the US market also includes the Chevrolet HHR. According to GM, HHR sales jumped 73% last month compared to 2007 with a total of 9,650 being shipped out the door. At the Chicago Auto Show today, the automaker announced further enhancements to the retro wagon for the 2009 model year. The smaller 2.2L four cylinder will inherit the variable valve timing that's already installed on the optional 2.4L engine. To celebrate the improved sales, both engines will also be able to drink ethanol as well. The HHR will be the first American-market GM model to have a flex-fuel four cylinder engine, something that Saabs have offered for several years now.

[Source: General Motors]

click above for 89 high-res pics of the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8

Just over two years after debuting as a concept at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show, the Dodge Challenger is now ready to hit the streets for real. The Challenger is reviving a name last used in the late '70s and early '80s on a compact, four-cylinder Mitsubishi-built coupe. This time, though, Chrysler is going back to the roots of the brand with a big muscular rear-wheel-drive coupe, initially available exclusively with a 6.1L HEMI V8 that will power the new Challenger 60 mph in the low 5-second range, according to a very conservative Chrysler. It shares the automaker's LX platform with the Charger and Chrysler 300, and in final form, the car has changed remarkably little from the concept. The most noticeable differences are up front and include the loss of the cross-hair grille and a slim black air dam at the bottom of the bumper. Other changes are pretty subtle, such as some reshaping of the lower air intake.

Out back, the rear bumper is now more prominent and the detailing of the taillights has been revised. A flat black lip spoiler is now mounted on the trailing edge of the deck lid while the Challenger badges on the rear fenders have been dumped. The rear driver side fender now also features a prominent chrome fuel filler cap. The wheelbase of the LX platform has been shrunk from a gargantuan 120 inches for the sedans to a merely large 116 inches for the Challenger. That puts the span between the axles at 9 inches longer the Mustang, which aids interior volume. Read on after the jump for more.

[Source: Chrysler]

click above for more high-res images of the Ford Work Solutions package

Ford is not shy about reminding the world of the enormous number of full-size trucks that it sells every year. A large portion of those trucks get sold to people who use them to earn their living. Contractors, plumbers, electricians, installers, landscapers and more use their trucks and vans as mobile offices, workshops and tool cribs. With the market for this class of vehicles getting increasingly competitive, thanks to new models from Chrysler and entries from Toyota and to a lesser degree Nissan, Ford knows it needs to provide something that appeals to those core commercial customers. In mid-2006, the brand that Henry built talked to its customers and determined that owners would appreciate new features that would make their more productive in new ways. So they worked with partners like Master Lock, DeWalt and Sprint to create a package called Work Solutions that will be available on 2009 F-150 and Super-Duty pickups and E-Series vans. Basically a fully functional in-dash computer with lots of gadgetry built in, the Work Solutions package is a technological tour de force for commercial customers. Read more about it after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

click above for a high-res gallery of the Ford Transit Connect

Lots of businesses and even regular folk have a need for a vehicle with plenty of space inside to carry stuff that isn't necessarily incredibly heavy. For those applications, something like a full-size van is just overkill and results in higher than necessary operating costs. Over the years, Chevy, Dodge and Ford have all offered cargo van versions of their mini-vans for plumbers, caterers and anyone else that didn't need the extra two rows of seats but wanted more storage space. With the demise of the Windstar/Freestar in late 2006, and new, stricter fuel economy regulations on the horizon, Ford found a new solution in its European lineup. Several years ago it launched the Transit Connect, a smaller, tall roofed front-wheel-drive van.

At 6'8" tall, the Transit Connect easily fits in a garage, but the low floor provides lots of room for racks of tools, parts or whatever else the owner might need to haul around. It will be available with either just the two front seats or with an additional second row bench seat for three. In two seater form, the Connect has 143 cubic ft. of storage space that is easily accessible from either of the two sliding doors or the 180^o fold out rear doors. The front wheels will be driven by a 2.0L four cylinder gas engine in the US version since Ford is trying to keep the Transit affordable and skipping the diesels for now. It's currently estimating 19/24 mpg city/highway, which is about 2 mpg better than the Chevy and Dodge cargo vans. Ford will start bringing the Transit Connect to the US in mid-2009 from an assembly plant in Turkey and pricing has yet to be announced.

[Source: Ford]