The Chicago Auto Show is back this year for its 107th edition at the McCormick Place. The annual show is the largest and longest-running of its kind in the United States, and it is famous for its test courses, cars, and events.
Like every year, 2017 will give people in attendance a chance not just to look but also to drive some of the vehicles in the exhibition. Production, debut, and concept cars will be on display from February 11 to 20 in the Windy City.
Production, debut, and concept cars will be on display from February 11 to 20 in the Windy City.
Many people, from the Mayor of Chicago to the Governor of Illinois, were present at the opening day ceremony. Tickets for the ten-day-long show are available both online and at the booths of the venue.
How much are the tickets for the Chicago Auto Show?
Tickets cost $7 a day for seniors and young children, while adults have to pay $13. Kids under the age of 6 can enter for free. Every day, some events change, but the majority of the display and test tracks remain the same.
First produced and organized in 1901, the Chicago Auto Show is one of the most important stages in the industry to reach consumers with the latest vehicles in the market.
This year’s event marks the 107th anniversary since the first show was held, counting the years when there was no Auto Show due to the war and other extraordinary occasions.
Chevrolet brought a life-sized LEGO Batmobile
The McCormick Place is one of the largest venues in the country with 1.1 million square feet, so there is plenty of space for manufacturers to put in display entire collections of cars.
Every year the average number of vehicles in exhibition rounds the 1,000 mark, and 2017 is no different. Concept vehicles this year include the Chevrolet LEGO Batmobile, the Toyota FV2, and the Toyota i-Road.
Because no show is complete without supercars, Chicago will host both classics and newcomers, such as the Ford GT, the Lamborghini Aventador, the Audi R8, and 2018 models from Lexus and Mercedes-Benz AMG.
You can try your skills behind the wheel at the Chicago Auto Show
The Chicago Auto Show offers thrilling experiences to drivers and aspiring owners by giving them the chance to sit behind the wheel. There are nearly twenty attractions between simulators and indoor and outdoor test tracks.
The Iron Schockel is, since last year, one of the most exciting rides of the venue. Mercedes-Benz lets people drive a G 550 V8 SUV in a rocky terrain full of hills and slopes for around two minutes.
Camp Jeep and Ram Truck Territory offer similar experiences to Fiat-Chrysler, with FCA City Drive and Toyota’s Go The Distance course being urban alternatives.
Driving a Ford Mustang GT at LeMans? Why not?
Virtual Reality is present at the Chicago Auto Show with the Acura NSX simulator, which lets users design and drive the car using a headset and virtual controls.
Less high-tech but more realistic and fun are Ford’s simulators. The automaker has a Dynamometer sim that lets you rev the V8 engine of a Ford Mustang GT, race in LeMans on a GT, and drive off-road on an F-150.
If you want to try the real deal in an outdoor course, Ford, Kia, Mazda, and Subaru have installed tracks where you can drive both production and debut vehicles at.
Source: Chicago Auto Show