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What better way to avoid the chill of a Midwestern winter than checking out
the year's newest cars and trucks in the warm confines of Chicago's McCormick
Place. Such is the allure of the annual Chicago Auto Show, an event billed as
the largest annual auto show in the country. It may not have all the glitz and
glamour of Detroit's extravaganza, but with more space and plenty of new model
unveilings of its own, Chicago remains a crowd pleaser.
The rush of new products from General Motors continued in Chicago as Buick,
Chevrolet and Pontiac all had new models ready to make their world debuts.
Chevrolet and Pontiac revealed new versions of their aging minivans while
Buick introduced the all-new LaCrosse sedan that will effectively replace the
current Regal and Century four-doors. Ford introduced a new sedan of its own
from its Mercury brand. Called the Montego, it's an upscale version of the
Ford Five Hundred sedan unveiled in Detroit just a few weeks ago. Last but not
least, Chrysler revealed a revamped Dakota pickup.
On the import side, Hyundai released an all-new compact sport-utility dubbed
the Tucson. With sharp looks and a nimble size, the Tucson appears as though
it will be a fitting compliment to the slightly larger Santa Fe SUV that's
been such a big seller for the Korean manufacturer. Nissan continued its
barrage of new products with another new pickup and a refreshed Altima that
should keep it competitive in the always tough family sedan segment. Other
notable intros included a special-edition Mini, new variants of Volvo's S40
and V50 and two new models in Bentley's Arnage portfolio.
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