Chicago Auto Show

As tuning becomes more and more prevalent with the huge push towards performance and personalization, car manufacturers are starting to really take notice. Toyota has been ahead of the game from day one with their Scion division and they have an absolutely amazing inventory of aftermarket accessories available. Toyota Racing Development (TRD) has also done a teriific job of outfitting many different models with performance and aesthetic modifications. Now, that trend has finally made its way up to the Lexus brand with the new F-Sport performance accessory line.

Ford has brought back the Taurus Super High Output (SHO) in a big way at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show. The styling is rather ho-humm, a result of the "sleeper" performance car vibe Ford was shooting for, but the technological advancements are outstanding. There are several key highlights. First and foremost is the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine. This new powerplant puts out 365 horsepower yet only sips, not slurps on the gas. Small twin turbochargers are engaged to provide linear power delivery. The car is now all wheel drive which should provide much better handling. The new Ford Taurus SHO features a SelectShift six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel. Automatic operation or manual shift mode is available. When using the paddle controls, "match rev" downshifts insure smooth transitions.

Four new Chevrolet-based characters are slated to appear in the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen movie. They include:

Sideswipe: A Corvette derived concept car
Skids & Mudflap: twin Autobots based on the Chevy Beat
Jolt: an Autobot based on the Chevy Volt

In addition, Bumblebee, the Autobot based on the Chevy Camaro Concept from the first movie will return for more high-octance action.

Click Image Below for Gallery:

Images courtesy of AutoProyecto.com