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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.

FCA CEO Mike Manley will take undefined new role after PSA merger

MILAN — Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Mike Manley will remain with the new group set to result from a planned merger with French rival PSA-Peugeot, Chairman John Elkann said on Wednesday. In a letter to Fiat Chrysler (FCA) employees on the day the two companies announced a binding agreement for a $50 billion tie-up to create the world's fourth-largest carmaker, Elkann said he was "delighted" that the combined group would be led by current PSA CEO Carlos Tavares. "And Mike Manley, who has led FCA with huge energy, commitment and success over the past year, will be there alongside him," he said. He did not say what position Manley would hold. Elkann — who will chair the new group — said there was still much to be done to complete the merger. "Over the coming months we must work tirelessly and determinedly to fulfill all the approval requirements needed to finalize the commitment we have signed," he said. Related Video:     Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM Citroen Peugeot FCA PSA merger Mike Manley carlos tavares

Hennessey Mammoth 1000 6x6 TRX is prehistoric excess

A few things have changed on the way to the Hennessey Mammoth 1000 6x6 TRX, the six-wheeled pickup based on the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX announced in September 2020. Back then, it was going to be powered by the 7.0-liter Hellephant engine, tuned from a stock 1,000 horsepower to 1,200 hp, it would cost $500,000 before customization, and the Texas tuner said there'd only be three built — likely owing to the exceeding scarcity of that crate motor. The good news for folks who thought they'd be left in the cold is that a slightly different but still astonishingly massive Mammoth is going into serial production, and at a lower price. Instead of the Hellephant, a 6.2-liter Hellcat lives under the chest-height hood. In the Ram 1500 TRX the engine makes 702 hp and 650 lb-ft., but a 2.65-liter supercharger is the heart of a Lone Star State overhaul boosting output to 1,012 hp and 969 lb-ft. The rest sticks to the original formula. The lengthened frame stretches overall length to 283 inches, a skosh more than four feet longer than the donor truck — long enough to hold plywood and a picnic in the bed. A Bilstein suspension hangs all that sheetmetal seven feet high over 20-inch wheels wearing 37-inch Toyo Open Country rubber. If for some reason the six-toed contact patch doesn't get a driver out of trouble, the third axle can be locked up. In case of greater calamity, the stinger front bumper is ready to accept a winch, and the rear bumper sprouts a couple of attachment points. There are also footholds in that rear bumper to make rummaging in the bed easier, but those footholds are so high up they could use the same retractable steps alongside the cabin to reach. Naturally, the interior has been reworked, and there are a "dazzling array of LED lights." Hennessey says it will make 12 of these — the largest truck in the company's 30-year history — every year. The Mammoth 6x6 can be ordered directly from Texas or at any authorized Ram retailer for $449,950. We can't wait to see what happens when this meets the GMC Hummer EV pickup on the trail. If you like the idea of the Mammoth but this Mammoth is a tad too mammoth, consider the rest of Hennessey's family of Elephantidae, the four-wheeled Mammoth 900 and Mammoth 1000, or the Mammoth SUV.   Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.