Tucked away in a corner of McCormick Place was this custom WRX STI built in as part of a cooperative effort between Subaru and Travis Pastrana's race team, Vermont SportsCar. The car commemorates Pastrana's third consecutive Rally America National Championship, and although a one-off, many of the parts on the car can be purchased through your local authorized Subaru dealer.

The exterior features custom yellow paint, a carbon fiber hood and rear spoiler, front chin spoiler, and a set of PIAA 2100 HID driving lights. Handling is improved thanks to an SPT strut tower brace, lower chassis brace, and BFGoodrich G-Force Super Sport A/S tires wrapped over satin black Work Evolution XD-9 wheels.

Under the hood, the 2.5-liter boxer engine gets an upgraded ECU and custom downpipe, while the interior now sports custom blue Alcantara seats with yellow piping, short-throw shifter, Kicker sound system and... an XBox 360.

[Source: Subaru]

It made its debut over the summer at Pebble Beach. It showed up again in November at SEMA. And finally, we have a set of our own live shots of the CC Gold Coast concept because Volkswagen sent the swanky 4-door to Chi-town.

The Gold Coast is doused in a rich-looking brown finish dubbed "Pepe Pepper" by DuPont, and it adopts a squat, muscular stance riding on a set of KW coilovers. 19-inch wheels fill out the wells nicely, and a full ground effects kit brings the look even closer to the ground. Veedub's 280-horsepower 3.6 FSI V6 sits underhood, mated to a six-speed DSG. Stopping power on this looker is further enhanced with a set of the Audi R8's ceramic discs in front.

As we told you last week, Scion is taking advantage of this year's Chicago Auto Show to drop yet another tweaked Scion tC, just like they did last year. This year's example is the 2009 Scion tC Release Series 5.0, of which 2000 examples or fewer will be built.

One thing that makes this Release Series more interesting than some of its predecessors is the fact that Scion's modifications go beyond new paint and wheels. Besides the gloss black paint and red-lined, matte black, 18-inch wheels, parent company Toyota has added virtually everything in their TRD parts catalog. RS 5.0 gets lowering springs, a rear sway bar, a sport muffler and special badging, and there's also an optional rear lip spoiler.

The interior features the same blacked-out TRD theme, with a leather-covered steering wheel, black seats and TRD-badged floor mats. To keep it from being too dark and depressing, the seats feature red inserts and stitching. Best of all, this TRD-infused package will add just $2,300 to the base price of the standard tC. Expect to see the new tC arriving in dealers beginning in March.

At last year's Chicago Auto Show, Suzuki showed off three versions of the Nissan Frontier Equator. Those three concepts were the RMZ-4, Quad and Quay, each designed to haul a superbike, a quad and a boat, respectively. Since then, we've driven an Equator and heard that the production truck will sell for $17,995, but we still haven't seen any on the road (Suzuki America's Chris Brown noted that the Equator just started arriving in dealerships). Flash forward to the 2009 Chicago Auto Show and we're looking at three more Equator "concept" trucks, as Suzuki tries to prove that this is the most tuner-friendly truck on the planet.

To be fair, these are less concept and more custom, having undergone some restyling and tweaking by the likes of 4-Wheel & Off-Road, Off-Road and Truckin' magazines. The three "Hill/Street Hues" customs are apparently a play on the Hill Street Blues. We don't get it either.

Although the U.S. might not even realize that Suzuki is still in the car and truck business, Brown wanted us to know that they are committed to this market. After all, Suzuki is the 11th largest vehicle maker worldwide, and America does love trucks.

Toyota doesn't have a press conference scheduled for the 2009 Chicago Auto Show, but it does have two noteworthy debuts. The first is an all-new 4.6L V8 engine that will replace the current 4.7L V8. The new eight-cylinder produces 310 hp and 327 lb-ft of torque while delivering an estimated 15 mpg city / 20 mpg highway. That puts the new 4.6L V8 near the head of the pack in terms of power and fuel economy for standard V8s in the segment. The engine will also be paired with a "new" six-speed automatic. Rather than simply use the six-speed auto that's paired with the larger 5.7L V8, Toyota engineers instead used the truck's five-speed auto, added an extra gear and respaced the ratios.

Toyota's second debut in Chicago was a new Platinum Package available on Tundra CrewMax Limited models with the 5.7L V8. Though it shares an adjective with the new Ford F-150 Platinum, Toyota's top shelf truck is more low key and the package adds $5,140 to the vehicle price. Included is a new grille with chrome bumpers, unique 20-inch wheels, daytime running lamps, branded door sill protectors and Platinum badging around the truck. The package also includes a number of upgrades for the interior like a power moonroof, nav system and wood trim on the shifter, steering wheel and door trim.

The replacement for the Spectra retains many of the design elements first seen on the Koup Concept, and we're glad it does. The complex lines of the side profile and particularly where the A-pillar meets the hood make it quite attractive. Even Kia admitted that the Spectra was a fairly forgettable car, but we're guessing that the Forte will be making waves in the small sedan segment. In addition to the standard 10-year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty, Forte owners will get a 2.4L inline-4 with 173 horsepower and up to 25/34 mpg in SX trim, while the LX and EX offer a 2.0L inline-4 with 156 horsepower and 26/36 mpg. Pricing has yet to be announced, but expect it to be highly competitive within its class.

Lexus wasn't doing much in the Windy City this week, so it used the opportunity to release a new line of F-Sport accessories for the GS, IS AWD and upcoming IS C.

Thankfully, Lexus is keeping the majority of its F-Sport items focused on performance, beginning with 18- or 19-inch wheels and six-piston front and four-piston rear brakes, each equipped with stainless steel lines and uprated brake pads. Bilstein shocks, lowering springs, sway bars, a chassis brace, clutch set, short shifter kit, intake and stainless steel exhaust round out the performance options, while a carbon fiber engine cover, shift knob and floor mats appease the dress-up crowd.

When installed by an authorized dealer, the TRD-developed performance parts carry a 12-month warranty on their own or for the balance of the new car warranty. We're looking forward to getting some seat time in a fully-kitted IS 350 equipped with all the F-Sport goodies, so stay tuned for a thorough review. Make the jump for a listing of all the F-Sport parts.

Twenty years ago, Mazda took the wraps off the first generation Miata/MX-5 in Chicago. Over the next two decades the lightweight roadster solidified its place in the enthusiast hierarchy and evolved with larger engines, more gears and extra amenities. Amazingly, it never lost its edge.

Mazda wanted to commemorate the Miata's milestone at this year's Chicago Auto Show, but rather than trot out a 20th Anniversary Edition with a few badges and a custom color, Mazda dusted off a handful of concepts, one-offs and notable MX-5s that defined the roadster and help create the Cult of Miata that a few Autoblog staffers continue to worship at to this day.

General Motors used the Chicago Auto Show to introduce the world to its latest concept vehicle, the Corvette Stingray, which will be featured in the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen movie on June 26th. According to GM, the vehicle is nothing more than a styling buck that was influenced by the original 1959 Stingray racer when it was spotted by director Michael Bay while he was touring GM's operations looking for inspiration for the first Transformers movie. Don't expect this concept to spawn any sort of production vehicle, which, needless to say, is a shame.

In robot mode, the Corvette Stingray Concept will take the form of Sideswipe, who will reportedly be a skater with wheels for feet. The General doesn't have anything in the way of new product to show off here in Chicago, so it's using the blockbuster movie to drum up interest instead. It's working... sorta.

Check out CorvetteGuys.com and their large selection of Corvette Apparel.

In addition to the Corvette Centennial Concept, Chevrolet showed three more AUTOBOTS at the Chicago Auto Show that will make their big screen debuts in the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen live action flick, along with one that we're all very familiar with. While we've seen images of the Chevy Volt on the Transformers set, this is the first time that GM has displayed the vehicle for public consumption. This is no show car, as the vehicle on display showed significant wear and tear from its day job. In robot form, the Volt will be known as Jolt, which makes us hope for some shocking footage this summer.

The other two vehicles were the Chevy Beat, which will be called the Spark when it enters production soon, and the Chevy Trax. These two vehicles will be known as Skids and Mudflap respectively, and we're hearing these two 'bots could provide a bit of comic relief to what will otherwise be a sobering storyline. Lastly, we have the yellow and black Camaro, aka Bumblebee, which was represented in both car form and in 17-foot-tall robot form.

Hyundai has been one of the few companies keeping us busy at the Chicago Auto Show. Besides showing the Rhys Millen drift car and announcing pricing for the Genesis Coupe, the automaker trotted out the R-spec enthusiast model.

While the car they brought to the show is basically a concept, the R-Spec package will be available through dealers and will give performance junkies more in some areas and less in others. The full list of equipment is in the press release after the jump, but the highlights are a 210-hp turbo'd inline-four that returns 30 mpg and a top speed of 137 mph. Available only with the six-speed manual, it comes with stability control, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, 19-inch wheels, Brembos, a Torsen limited-slip differential, a beefier suspension and summer-only Potenzas. To reduce cost and weight, the R-Spec doesn't include Bluetooth, automatic headlights, cruise control, trip computer, chrome interior accents and steering wheel audio controls. Basically, the R-spec is packing all the heavy-hitting hardware from the Track model and ditches the frippery that drivers and customizers aren't interested in.

The Genesis Coupe R-Spec will be available mid-2010 with a base price of $23,750, or $3,000 less than the 2.0T Track model. That should allow a lot of extra cash for some tuner bits. Besides the performance tweaks, the R-Spec will only be available in three colors: Karussell White, Bathurst Black and Tsukuba Red. Good names, good colors, good kit and a good price.

Professional drifters will have a new competitor to contend with this year as Hyundai jumps into the mix with Rhys Millen. The Genesis Coupe is still a couple of months from going on sale here in the U.S., but Hyundai is ramping up its promotional efforts. The latest is a sponsorship deal with Rhys Millen Racing to run the new coupe in several different series. Millen is building a drift/race car based on the coupe with a 550-hp Lambda V6. While roadgoing Genesis Coupes get a normally aspirated 3.8L V6 as the top engine, Millen's machine is punched out to 4.1 liters and boosted with a Turbonetics turbocharger.

The team has taken a stock coupe chassis and stripped it down to the bare essentials. They will be stitch welding all the seams to improve rigidity and then adding carbon fiber body panels with a goal of getting the car's weight down to 2,400 lbs. Along with support from the factory, the Millen car will also be wearing Red Bull colors. Millen will run the car up Pikes Peak this summer and spend the rest of the year campaigning it in Formula Drift Professional Drifting Championship, as well as selected races of the Redline Time Attack series.

Acura fans have something to rejoice about today as the Japanese automaker just released a new model here at the Chicago Auto Show. Before you get too excited, know that it's not rear-wheel-drive or powered by a V8 engine, but it's still a nice addition to the line-up. For the 2010 model year, the front-wheel-drive TSX sedan will be available with a 280-horsepower 3.5L V6 engine (most likely a version of the same engine offered in the Honda Accord, though Acura didn't confirm). The package also includes a slightly revised front fascia, retuned suspension system and new 18-inch wheels that are a full inch larger than the ones that come standard on the four-cyliner model. Acura says this new TSX model is a harbinger of good things to come, as the automaker plans to heavily revise all of its models for the upcoming model year. While we wait for that to take place, sales of the new V6 TSX should begin later this summer.

In the metal, the Blue Oval's highest-performance SHO builds very discretely on the standard Taurus's muscular new bodywork, with a unique dark-gray grille and matching 19- or 20-inch alloys, along with distinct parking lamp bezels, a modest decklid spoiler and obligatory badging. Much to our editor-in-chief's chagrin, Ford chose to roll out the new model in maroon and silver, oddly foregoing the SHO-only Atlantis Green hue, but both examples looked attractive in their respective paints.

If Ford has missed an obvious aesthetic trick with the SHO, it's with the engine, which is hidden under an innocuous black plastic cover. SHO enthusiasts have practically made scale jewelry out of the first- and second-generation Taurus SHO's Yamaha V-6 engine and its prominent intake runners, and the new Ecoboost engine looks utterly undistinguished. Thankfully, the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 should provide enough performance to win over the diehards.

Given how many Tauruses (Taurii?) are likely to populate America's roads over the next few years, the SHO is likely to be a first-class sleeper, so subtle are its visual modifications. In any case, Ford isn't shying away from comparing their new baby with flashier, more expensive cars, casually noting that the car's performance figures should compare favorably with BMW's 5-Series and Chrysler's 300C all-wheel drive, the latter of which marketing and communications vice-president, Jim Farley, proudly notes is $900 pricier.

In addition to rolling out the hotly anticipated Taurus SHO, Ford has also unveiled a gaggle of Transit Connect commercial vanlets in Chicago, including five customized examples for the winners of Blue Oval's "Connect with Connect" contest. The small-business owning winners were on-hand for the presentation, and although they knew they had won themselves new vehicles, they evidently had no idea that Ford was customizing their TCs.

Ford plans to release the Transit Connect to dealers this summer with a starting price of $21,475 (including destination charges), and although the upright commercial vehicle will operate in what is essentially a class of one, several comparisons were made to the Chevrolet HHR, which has a markedly smaller cargo and weight capacity. In any case, Dearborn says the 135-cubic foot interior can swallow a six-foot ladder and carry a payload of 1600 pounds (more than a standard-cab Dodge Ram, Ford notes), and it returns up to 40% better fuel-economy than full-size commercial vans.

During the press conference, Ford restated their commitment to roll out at least four pure EVs in America by 2012, of which a flotilla of pure-electric Transit Connects will be the first, likely for commercial fleet use only.

Flush from the news that its F-150 pickup performed markedly better than many of its primary competitors in a new series of IIHS side-impact crash tests, Ford has rolled out its latest larger-than-life Harley-Davidson model.

Outside of the appearance items, the HD is essentially a Platinum Edition F-Series in motorcycle leathers, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Available in either Lava (dark maroon) or Tuxedo Black, the Harley looks very aggressive in the metal – and the effect is not just a function of scale. The bold six-bar grille and 22-inch Harley-branded polished/painted alloys clearly set it apart as a distinct model from other F-Series pickups, and Ford has also slathered the pickup in oversized emblems and strange red "swoosh" marks on the rocker panels. While we could do without the latter flourishes, the truck still strikes us as particularly good-looking in Lava.

Ford's 14th Harley-branded product also has a seriously dolled-up interior that is likewise not for introverts. The prevailing theme behind the cabin's styling is that of a Harley biker jacket, and the materials, color choices, and the gigantic badges on the seats and center console (including a serialized plate) are unsubtle but appropriate.

Stop by AmericanTrucks.com and check out their large selection of F150 Accessories.

When it comes to consumer loyalty, you'd be hard pressed to find a more dedicated group of fans outside the heavy-duty pickup segment. Recognizing this, Dodge has brought a slew of full-size trucks to the Chicago Auto Show in the form of the 2010 Dodge Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 HD Chassis Cabs.

Dodge started the heavy-duty retrofit with the highly-competent 1500 model introduced last year, then proceeded to create a crew cab variant that's claimed to be packing the most room in its class. Both regular and Mega Cab variants will be offered, along with two bed sizes (six-foot, four-inch or eight-foot) and five trim levels: ST, SLT, TRX, Laramie and Power Wagon.

Pickup aficionados will notice the new bumper treatment, larger grille (with chrome, black or body-colored trim), wider fenders for the dually models and the subtle tailgate lip to improve aerodynamics.

The HD comes standard with Dodge's HEMI 5.7-liter V8, putting out 383 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque through a beefed-up 545RFE five-speed automatic. However, with a take-rate of over 90% for the diesel engine on HD models, Dodge is offering the optional 6.7-liter Cummins inline-six that channels 350 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque to a 68RFE six-speed automatic featuring low-speed "creeper" mode and Electronic Range Select, allowing the driver to limit which high gear is used while towing. Two 4x4 models will be offered, along with four different axle ratios, and on the topic of towing, the Ram 3500 HD, equipped with the Cummins turbodiesel, dual rear wheels, 4x4 system and a 4.10 rear axle ratio can handle a maximum payload of 5,110 pounds and a towing capacity of 18,500 pounds.

As Will Ferrell once said, "If you've got it, flaunt it." The boys at SRT are quite proud of the Viper ACR's 7:22.1 run of the Nürburgring, and they have brought the car out to Chicago to let everyone know who sits atop the podium. We would've assumed it was just your everyday Viper ACR except that the team that set the record has signed the carbon fiber rear wing including the driver, SRT engineer Tom Coronel. The record-setting run, which was done back in August, bested the likes of the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (7:22.4), Maserati MC12 (7:24.3), Pagani Zonda F Clubsport (7:24.7) and Ferrari Enzo (7:25.3). We've included a new gallery of the car from the show and embedded the video of the lap after the jump in case you missed it the first time around.

Along with Barack Obama, the Cubs, Al Capone and the Sears Tower, Chicago is home to the world's most famous Mopar dealer, Mr. Norm's legendary Grand Spaulding Dodge. While Mr. Norm sold the dealership in the late 1970's, the Mopar Hall of Famer has recently made a resurgence, officially introducing the 1968 Dodge GSS Hemi Dart last year in Chicago as well as the Super Cuda and Challenger at SEMA just a few months ago. The Challenger is making an appearance here in Chicago as well, with a slick new two-tone paint scheme and 900 supercharged horsepower underneath the hood. Other features include a carbon fiber front and rear spoiler, Katzkin leather interior, SSBC eight-piston front brakes, and a Hurst pistol grip shifter. Like the Hurst and its HEMI Challenger, Mr. Norm is selling a production version of the car with a a variety of styling options and performance levels ranging from 600 to 900 horsepower.

While we've already told you pretty much everything we know about the new-to-these-shores Nissan Cube, what we haven't shared are many pics. We covered the asymmetrical Cube when it appeared at the LA Auto Show, but based on your comments, more is better in this case. When we saw the special Cube Krom on the eve of the Chicago Auto Show, we figured we could remedy that situation by adding a fistful of new photos to the database.

Whether in blinged out Krom trim or regular old just-Cube form, this is one unique vehicle with an attitude that reminds us of the first-generation Scion xB. It should, as these two vehicles came from the same Japanese market that values quirky, versatile and small in the same package. In addition to the plain white model that was in Los Angeles, Nissan brought along the Krom and another customized version seen here. This green example shows the customization possibilities that Nissan wants to promote in this new model. The body kit, wheel upgrade and rear spoiler really make this Cube shine.