2023 Ram 3500 Big Horn Crew Cab 4x4 8' Box on 2040-cars

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Chicago Auto Show: The really big reveals from shows past

The 2024 Chicago Auto Show may seem like a shell of its former self, but it still holds the title of the largest consumer auto show in the United States. It didn't get that reputation simply by being efficiently produced or convenient for locals desperate for something to do in February — it earned it over decades of breaking automotive news and powerhouse reveals, eventually earning an informal designation as America's truck show.  2024 may be a down year for Chicago, but let's not forget all of the great things that have come out of it, historically. Here's a look at some of our staff favorites. Bet you didn't know about a few of these cars that were first revealed in the Windy City.    2008 Dodge Challenger SRT-8  I didn't just pick this one as a former Challenger owner, but instead to illustrate just how many cool Chicago debuts we take for granted. Chrysler often chose its home turf to debut new cars, so the few times its unveilings happened elsewhere tend to stick in our minds. The first Challenger SRT-8 was kind of garbage, if we're being honest. I mean, who buys a race-bred, V8-powered muscle car without a limited-slip differential? But the SRT-8 formula evolved over time into something truly special, and what we saw in Chicago was essentially the early version of the Scat Pack, which was ultimately very successful for Dodge. And who would have thought we'd be here, 15 years later, still talking about that debut? And still loving these big Mopars, flaws and all. — Associate Editor Byron Hurd SHO time in Chicago IÂ’ll always have a certain fondness for the return of the Taurus SHO at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show. Chicago has always leaned truck and van heavy for press reveals, but every now and then, as this list illustrates, something spicy would appear. The return of the SHO as a high-powered successor to the original that ran from 1989-1999 gave enthusiasts hope for FordÂ’s performance business, especially for sedans. With a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 packing 365 hp, all-wheel drive and five-spoke wheels, the SHO was a nice upgrade from the lower-rung Taurus models. It was a bit more sedate than the original SHOÂ’s Yamaha-sourced V6 that teamed with a five-speed manual transmission, but still a worthy response to the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and later the Chevy SS. The SHO — Super High Output — begat things like the Fusion ST and gave Ford solid four-door performance for the rest of the decade.

Ram 1500 TRX spied hiding production body work under camouflage

We've seen the upcoming Ram 1500 TRX pickup truck a few times with its Raptor-rivaling suspension and Hellcat-derived powertrain. Those past mules have all worn plain Ram bodies, sometimes with cheap bolt-on fender flares. This time, one of our spy photographers has caught a TRX that seems to be wearing production body work under its heavy camouflage. What stands out on this prototype are the bulging fenders front and rear. Instead of simple wheel housing extensions, these are full-on box flares like the ones worn by the Raptor. The hood appears to be equally bulging, good for highlighting the supercharged V8 underneath. The front bumper is similar to that of the Ram 1500 Rebel's with more raised sections in front of the tires to provide more clearance. We get a solid look under the body, too. Still present are the extra beefy suspension control arms front and rear. Skid plates seem to line the whole underside down the middle. The tires are big Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires, though we can't make out what size they are. Previous spy photos have revealed remote-reservoir shocks. The wheels at each end are six-lug units, so it seems Ram isn't playing with a heavy-duty axle like a previous prototype suggested. We're expecting the Ram TRX to go on sale before 2022, so it could be revealed sometime next year as a 2022 model. Based on the TRX concept, the production truck should make at least 575 horsepower and have dune-busting off-road performance. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Driving a Jeep Cherokee to Rocky Mountain National Park | Behind the Wheel S01 // E06 Disclaimer: Autoblog accepts vehicle loans from auto manufacturers with a tank of gas and sometimes insurance for the purpose of evaluation and editorial content. Like most of the auto news industry, we also sometimes accept travel, lodging and event access for vehicle drive and news coverage opportunities. Our opinions and criticism remain our own — we do not accept sponsored editorial.

Ram heavy-duty trucks look more conservative than new Ram 1500

We've had a pretty good peek at the 2019 Ram 1500 thanks to spy shots and renderings. (UPDATED January 2018: Here's the full reveal from the Detroit Auto Show.) And from what we've seen of it, it's a major departure from Rams of the past. We haven't seen as much of the Ram heavy-duty line, but these spy shots caught one out on the town, and it appears the Ram 2500 and 3500 will have a less controversial design. The big-rig tall grille is still the truck's focal point, but the design is a familiar one, featuring the same look featured on the current Ram's luxurious range-topping trims like the Ram Laramie Longhorn. We'll have to wait to see if the new heavy-duty trucks will continue to use this grille solely for range-topping trims and if the 1500's new look will venture up to its big brothers, and therefore banish the crosshairs for good. Regardless of the grille design, the headlights still sit fairly low next to it. That emphasizes the semi-truck design since the tops of the fenders are lower than the top of the hood, which cascades to meet said fenders. The headlights also look potentially carry-over. Really, there are so many similarities it leads us to believe the new heavy duty might be more of a refresh than a completely new design. Another interesting thing to note is that this Ram appears to use a similar drivetrain and suspension to the current heavy-duty trucks. Like the vast majority of trucks, it has a solid rear axle, but probably with coil springs as Ram currently does. Up front, though, it seems the solid front axle has also been retained. This should be good news for fans of the off-road-ready Power Wagon. We're probably still a ways away from seeing the heavy-duty Rams. Last year, we learned a rumor that the heavy-duty trucks were delayed for an unspecified amount of time. We wouldn't expect to see anything official about the truck until at least 2019, about a year after we expect to see the 2019 Ram 1500 revealed. Related Video: Featured Gallery Ram Heavy Duty spy shots View 16 Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Spy Photos RAM Truck