Pictures from 2011 Chicago Auto Show

[Jesda]

CLIFFS:
Nissan's new stuff was awesome. Nissan's older stuff was getting stale.
The new Quest is beautiful! How often do you call a minivan beautiful?
Hyundai, Kia, Audi, and Chrysler stole the show.

Pictures and commentary: (there's a lot, hard to repost into the thread)
http://jesda.com/2011/02/22/2011-chicago-auto-show/

[Jesda]

Meet pics:
http://jesda.com/2011/02/22/2011-cadill ... t-chicago/

Got to drive an XLR-V:
http://jesda.com/2011/02/22/quick-drive-cadillac-xlr-v/

[drksolest]

[93coupe]

Nice stuff, Jesda.

I'll take the Mercedes G class and that fantastic green Porsche, please.

[Kompresshun]

Great article man, I really like the Optima a lot. I stopped the by the Kia dealership the other night to look at one up close, I think I may have to go test drive one soon. It really saddens me that the Jetta and Altima both are so bland and cheap though, I like the look of the Altima but Kia, Hyundia, and Ford seem to have much better options for mid-sized sedans.

I'm excited about the Fiat 500 too, I wouldn't have a use for one personally but I think it'll be a great option in the small car market.

The new Ford Explorer hasn't grown on me yet either, it's not hideous but i'm still not so sure about it.

[bigbadberry3]

I thought Ford stole the show with the dyno and live runs form the Boss (maybe 'm swayed cause they're givin me 50 bucks to test rive a new focus). It was weird that the high end sports weren't there and Porsche barely had jack.

[alphapig]

The 2.5L Altima was a particularly sad car to sit in, with a cheap and depressing interior that looks like it fell out of 2002.

This makes me very sad.

I happen to love the interior. Spartan? Yes. Reasonable build quality though, and not much plastic.

[driverdriver]

I love the brown toque(winter hat) you're wearing at Portillo's. Very hoser-ish.

[Dattebayo]

I saw the new quest in white (ugh) at the Seven Corners dealership in VA... It was nice except for the color, obviously...

No kidding, Greg could actually fit in the trunk, so could I, for that matter...

[Urabus GodofTraction]

The 2.5L Altima was a particularly sad car to sit in, with a cheap and depressing interior that looks like it fell out of 2002.

This makes me very sad.

I happen to love the interior. Spartan? Yes. Reasonable build quality though, and not much plastic.

It's ok, the 350Z you purchased a pale imitation of has a pretty terrible interior too.

[alphapig]

It's ok, the 350Z you purchased a pale imitation of has a pretty terrible interior too.

Implying 4 seater 4cyl FWD is imitating a RWD 2 seater sports car

Hurp Derp they look similar

I didn't make this into /o/, you did

[Urabus GodofTraction]

It's ok, the 350Z you purchased a pale imitation of has a pretty terrible interior too.

Implying 4 seater 4cyl FWD is imitating a RWD 2 seater sports car

Hurp Derp they look similar

I didn't make this into /o/, you did

The Altima Coupe wants to be a 350Z when it grows up. Target audience? Women who want the 350Z, but can't afford one or don't want to give up a back seat and a trunk for their little rugrats.

Herp Derp.

[Dattebayo]

350Z only looks like it's a C pillar away from being a VW bug anyway... Yay modern bubble bodies...

[Jesda]

I happen to love the interior. Spartan? Yes. Reasonable build quality though, and not much plastic.

It looks nice at night. The gauges and lights are pretty and everything is easy to use. In the daylight its a bit GM-ish. I didn't look at a 3.5, but I think those have some interior upgrades.

[Jesda]

I love the brown toque(winter hat) you're wearing at Portillo's. Very hoser-ish.

LOL, no poutine on the menu though

[alphapig]

The Altima Coupe wants to be a 350Z when it grows up. Target audience? Women who want the 350Z, but can't afford one or don't want to give up a back seat and a trunk for their little rugrats.

Herp Derp.

Or maybe college students who drive 500mi up and down CA.

Way to generalize though. Really, you must think that any nonsense you spew will be taken seriously because of your post count.

Troll harder.

[rc1honda]

I wish the optima came with all wheel drive. It looks like a very nice car. I read you comparison to the kisashi. But a 274hp AWD optima would defintley bring me into a Kia showroom. I have never bought a brand new car. But these new Kia's seems like great deals right out of the box.

Hopefully when i am in the market in 3 or 4 years, they have a AWD platform and up the power to 300. Then I would defintley be test drving a Kia.

[Urabus GodofTraction]

The Altima Coupe wants to be a 350Z when it grows up. Target audience? Women who want the 350Z, but can't afford one or don't want to give up a back seat and a trunk for their little rugrats.

Herp Derp.

Or maybe college students who drive 500mi up and down CA.

Way to generalize though. Really, you must think that any nonsense you spew will be taken seriously because of your post count.

Troll harder.

Oh wow, 500 miles!

I'm right about the target audience, though. You're their secondary audience: under 35 year old males who think pouring Johnny Red into a Johnny Blue* bottle tricks people into thinking you have the real thing.

*Johnny Blue is more of a symbol of good, expensive scotch than actual good expensive scotch.

[bigbadberry3]

Tangent here:

I like Portillo's a lot. Large fry with cheese, italian beef dry hold the peppers, and a chocolate cake shake, but I'm a local boy. Do people not from the area enjoy Portillo's when visiting? If not where do you prefer to eat when in the Chicagoland area?>

[Jesda]

Portillos is easy to get to since there's so many of them. Lines are always short and food is consistently good. A local guy (rip) introduced me to it.

I've wandered into some places downtown for Italian beef but can't remember the names of them, probably because Portillos was better.