Welcome to 2001 and the 100th anniversary of the first Chicago Auto Show. It’s not the 100th show, mind you. The sponsors took time out for World War II so the 100th show won’t be held until 2008.
But without further ado, let’s look back at 100 years of the Chicago Auto Show:
1901:
– First official Chicago Auto Show, in the Chicago Coliseum on Wabash Avenue
– Samuel Miles is manager; will be for the next three decades
– Visitors can ride in (or drive) cars on circular indoor track
1902:
– 100 vehicles shown, of 36 makes; 22 are gasoline-powered
– Sponsored by Chicago Auto Club and National Association of Auto Manufacturers
– No driving track
1903:
– Bad weather for auto show, held Feb 14-21
– 1903 show has 24 exhibits not seen at New York’s auto show
– 325 vehicles from 80 makers
– Notable vehicles: Cadillac, Rambler,
1904:
– 70 accessory exhibits
– Chicago Automobile Trade Association formed; Howard Tucker is president
– Manufacturers’ convention held at show
– Ford displays famed 999 racing car
1905:
– Chicago show is gaining reputation for elaborate, artistic decor
– Demonstration cars are available outside the Coliseum
– Trend: cars that hold more than two occupants
1906:
– Show held in Coliseum and adjoining First Regiment Armory
– Lavish decor with nature motif (yellow/green)
– Waltz and march music played during show
– Many visitors now arrive at Coliseum in automobiles
– Race-driver Barney Oldfield visits
1907:
– Show held in Coliseum, and First and Second Regiment Armories
– Airship is displayed at auto show (by H.H. Wixom of Chicago)
– Food available at new cafe
1908:
– Show occupies Coliseum, First and Seventh Regiment Armories and Annex basement
– Several manufacturers exhibit at nearby Michigan Avenue showrooms
– 6-cylinder engines growing in popularity
– Demand grows for closed autos
– Despite debut of Model T, Ford no longer exhibits; refusing to join Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers
1909:
– Arches and statuary in Coliseum are bronze papier-mache; colonnade arches are filled with reliefs depicting modern race–cars manned by muscular humans
– Car engines can be started on show floor
– Foot-operated accelerator gaining favor
– 19 motorcycle makes are in separate area
1910:
– Coliseum has look of English garden; green, with real trees
– Some cars are positioned over mirrors to show off underside
– Torpedo-shaped bodies growing popular
– Many young women are behind the wheel of show cars
– Ford displays its vehicles at Michigan Avenue showroom
– Hudson is shown for first time
1911:
– Second week of show is for commercial vehicles
– Louis XV decor includes four fountains
1912:
– Self-starter, in 70, makes appeals especially to women
– More equipment on cars (top, windshield, speedometer, etc.)
– More four-door cars
– Huge canvas in Coliseum yields effect of blue sky
1913:
– Imitation stained glass is decor theme; glass-like dome is like Greco-Roman homes
– 6-cylinder engine offered by most manufacturers
1914:
– Separate cyclecar exhibit (fad)
– Decor is like Palace of Louis XIV; gold scrollwork
– Thousands of tiny electric lights show off mechanism details
1915:
– 302 exhibits; 215 are accessory manufacturers
– 8-cylinder engines and streamlined bodies are gaining popularity
1916:
– Twin 6 (V-12) engine debuts
– Gearless magnetic drive is featured
– Price range of cars: $295 to $6000
1917:
– English cathedral decor; pillars with globes and hundreds of ceiling lamps
– Several makes seen in Chicago that weren’t at New York show: Glide, Maibohm, Chicago, etc.
– Dual-powered (gas/electric) Woods car is shown
– Studebaker exhibits gold automobile
– U.S. will enter World War 1 in April; but little evidence at show Jan. 27-Feb. 3
* War began in 1914
1918:
– Blizzard on opening day, Jan. 26
– French Colonial motif in Coliseum
More cars in colors other than black
– One Ford dealer has its own exhibit space
1919:
– Show is under dealer auspices; they decide at last minute that show will proceed despite effects of WW I
– Chicago show leads auto-season for first time
– Admission is 50 cents plus “war tax”
1920:
– Trucks on exhibit in International Amphitheatre on Halsted Street, after downtown parade
– 250 war wounded are guests
1921:
– Salon now held at Drake Hotel
– Cars are even more colorful
– Accessories include turn signals
– Mercer exhibits a bare chassis
– Marmon has one-quarter-scale models
1922:
– Start-off parade goes down Chicago boulevards
– Many cars have taillight “stop” signals
– Cars are lighter and a bit racier; prices are down
– Accessory: pneumatic windshield cleaner
1923:
– Closed bodies are seen at every display space
– Many innovations and novelties are shown, including built-in trunk and vanity case
1924:
– Balloon tires are promoted
– Thinner front pillars are seen on closed cars
– Industry leaders acknowledge a growing “used-car problem”
1925:
– Big Jubilee Tower flashes 360 multicolored floodlights through Coliseum
– Even low-priced cars now have balloon tires and four-wheel brakes
– Camping equipment is seen at some displays
– Many cars have front and rear bumpers
– 37 cars feature turn signals
1926:
– Balloon tires rule
– Closed cars dominate
– Open cars have their tops down, for a sportier look
– Pontiac is new
1927:
– Murals depict age of Darius (King of Persia)
– Model T Ford ends production; Ford still shuns auto show
1928:
– New makes: Erskine, LaSalle, Durant, Graham-Paige, Plymouth
– Outdoor-like decor features sky with twinkling starts,
– Most manufacturers stress style and low-slung lines
– Cars are appealing more to women
1929:
– DeSoto new this year
– Three taxi makes are seen at show
– Ford has its own show, at the Armory
– Many auxiliary shows are held at same time
1930:
– Cadillac has V-16 engine
– Auto show open on Sunday (Jan. 25) for first time
– Front-wheel-drive is promoted on Cord, Ruxton, Gardner
– Several cars have radios
– Bodies are lower, with more sweeping lines and suggestion of speed
– Ford is at 131st Armory; includes Tri-Motor plane
1931:
– Knute Rockne is speaker at CATA dinner
– Lincoln is at auto show; but other Ford products are not
– General Motors has its show at Stevens Hotel
1932:
– More new models debut despite Depression
– Automatic clutch standard on many cars
– Many have automatic starters
– CATA sponsors Salon at Drake Hotel
– Samuel Miles dies
1933:
– Show admission still 50 cents
– Cars are more aerodynamic, with sloping-front grilles, bigger fenders and tilted windshield; gauges airplane-style
– Several cars have power brakes
– Shatterproof glass is growing
1934:
– More streamlined bodies
– GM promotes new “knee action” (independent front suspension)
1935:
– CATA takes over operation of auto show
– Ford is at show for first time in many years
– Some cars have split vee-type windshield
1936:
– Auto show moves to Amphitheatre and is held in November 1935 (for the ’36 models)
– First revue: 20 “manikins” are in fur fashion show; women ride into arena in cars to accompaniment of orchestra
– Radical-styled Cord seen for first time in Chicago
– More cars have hydraulic brakes
1937:
– “Brides of the Nations” revue features women of 22 nationalities
– Fisher body has “door slam” exhibit to demonstrate its new turret-top bodies for GM cars
– 25 trailer coaches are exhibited at show
1938:
– “Fashions of the World” revue; women in native costumes, gowns, furs under 40-foot revolving globe
– Educational exhibits: cutaway bodies and engines with labels and lectures
1939:
– “An Age of Wheel Prints” revue depicts evolution of transport since Civil War
– 11 “nationality queens” are featured
– New used-car section successful
– Sliding sunroof seen on Cadillac and LaSalle
1940:
– Auto-show visitors can watch TV, courtesy of RCA-Victor
– “Dame Fashion” revue; cars emerge from ruffled skirt of 18-foot figure
1941:
– Last auto show until 1950 (no passenger cars produced during WW II)
– Seven automakers have station wagons
– 20 “neighborhood queens” are part of revue
– Military equipment is exhibited
1950:
– “Wheels of Freedom” revue features neighborhood “queens”
– Redesigned 1951 Kaiser seen at Chicago show
– Nash displays new compact Rambler, plus experimental N-X-I (which will become the Metropolitan)
– Cadillac displays Debutante show car; Oldsmobile has Palm Beach model
1951:
– Community “queens” model State Street fashions at revue
– Chrysler launches Hemi V-8 engine
– Hudson introduces Hornet
1952:
– Cinderella is part of “Motor Modes of ’52” stage revue
– Allstate car debuts (sold at Sears Roebuck)
– Cadillac exhibits Eldorado show car
– Chrysler engineering exhibit features K-310 dream car
– Showgoers get first look at new Nash-Healey
1953:
– “Stars of Freedom” revue has astronomical theme
– GM has three limited-edition models: Cadillac Eldorado, Buick Skylark and Oldsmobile Fiesta
– New European-inspired Studebaker coupe draws big crowds
– Chevrolet Corvette appears
– New Kaiser-Darrin with sliding doors appears
– Show cars include Cadillac Le Mans customized roadter and Buick Wildcat
1954:
– “Winner’s circle” displays competition cars; but downplays speed
– Ford and Mercury offer transparent Plexiglas roof panels
– Hudson Italia draws attention; will go into limited production
– Ronald Reagan appears at auto show; seen in Cadillac La Espada roadster dream car
1955:
– GM “dream cars” (Nomad, Bonneville, etc.) are in separate wing
GM shows three foreign makes: Holden, Vauhall, Opel
– New Nash and Hudson get advance showing in Chicago
– Experimental Lincoln Futura is at auto show
– Studebaker Speedster debuts
1956:
– All exhibits are now on ground floor of Amphitheatre, which features park decor
– Performance Plymouth Fury debuts
– Dodge exhibits female-oriented La Femme
– Ford demonstrates development of X-1000 “idea car”
– Import makes include Simca, Volkswagen and newest Citroen
1957:
– 11 import makes are at show, including Morris, Renault, Volvo
– Ford has jet-engine exhibit
– Gadget-laden Mercury Turnpike Cruiser appears; evolved from show car
1958:
– “Motorevue of 1958” features decor in gold lame and moonbeam satin
– Many more imports (Skoda, Triumph, Panhard, etc.)
– “Motor Memories” area features antique/classic automobiles
1959:
– Toyota at show for first time
– Compacts are the trend, led by Studebaker’s Lark and Rambler American
– Wide-track Pontiac Bonneville also is new
– Rockets and missiles are exhibited
1960:
– Last appearance of the community “queens”
– Nearly three dozen import makes are shown
– Economy compacts are the trend: new Ford Falcon, radical Chevrolet Corvair and Chrysler Valiant, which would be produced the following year as a Plymouth
1961:
– Show moves to new McCormick Place
– 28 makes are in import salon, in lobby
– Amphicar (car/boat) is featured
– Fire Department snorkel lifts visitors 45 feet, in truck’s bucket
1962:
– European cars are shown in fountain setting
– Dodge and Plymouth feature experimental gas turbine cars
– Notable new models: Chevy II and Ford Fairlane
1963:
– Sports Car Club of America has exhibit
– Auto Manufacturers Association has exhibit on air pollution
– Hillman Super Minx, first economy import with automatic transmission, bows in Chicago
– Notable new models: Studebaker Avanti, Buick Riviera
1964:
– “Motorevue” brings familiar ads “alive”
– Performance is dominant theme: muscle car era is beginning, including new Pontiac LeMans GTO and concept Ford Mustang II
– Buick and Oldsmobile station wagons have raised roof
– Last Indiana-built Studebakers seen at show
1965:
– Datsun sells its first car in Chicago, right at auto show
– Chevrolet gives away Monza Jr. each day (on Go-Kart chassis)
1966:
– Safety influence is noted
– Mercedes-Benz 250S makes U.S. debut
– AMC shows experimental AMX
– Dodge Charger seen for first time
– Final Studebakers seen at show, as company folds
1967:
– Fire destroys McCormick Place, weeks before the auto show; quick move back to Amphitheatre
– Chicago Police Department has safety exhibits, including demonstrations of canine corps and stripped stolen car
– Fiat 850 Spyder makes U.S. debut
1968:
– Last stage revue
– Seen for first time: Continental Mark III and production AMX
– Dodge has ventriloquist, magician, stock-car drivers and “fever girls”
1969:
– Debuts: American Motors SC/Rambler Hurst and Pontiac Trans Am
– Sports stars on hand: Quarterback Bart Starr, track star Jesse Owens, running back O.J. Simpson and skier Jean-Claude Killy
– Second-generation “Freddy Ford” robot answers questions
– Slot-car races held at Lincoln-Mercury display
1970:
– Small cars are dominant with subcompacts from domestic manufacturers as well as imports
– Buick shows performance-oriented GSX
– Compact (relatively) Dodge vans bow
– Debut: second-generation Chevrolet Camaro and Corvette and Pontiac Firebird
1971:
– Auto show moves to new McCormick Place
– Chevrolet shows Astro II concept
– Lincoln-Mercury’s Montego Sports Hauler holds small vehicle
– Opel 1900 seen for first time in U.S.
1972:
– Debut: Lincoln Continental Town Car, Squire and TVR (English auto chassis makers)
– Large RV exhibit
– Duplicate of lunar rover is shown
1973:
– Mazda shows cutaway of its rotary engine
– Experimental safety vehicles are displayed
– “Muscle car” era waning before OPEC oil embargo
– Woman serves as “hood ornament” on Dodge Charger
1974:
– Oldsmobile has air-bag exhibit
– Ford debuts scaled-down Mustang II
– Free pollution tests offered near McCormick Place
– Two experimental Corvettes are shown
– 5 Chevrolets shown in “Spirit of America” colors
1975:
– AMC Pacer is new
– Visitors participate in taping of ads for new Ford Granada
– Two live cougars are at Lincoln-Mercury exhibit
1976:
– Ski team performs at Dodge
– “Motorized” mannequin challenges visitors
– Last convertible seen: Cadillac’s Eldorado
– Showgoers are surveyed on future of automobile
1977:
– Japan leads in number of imports at show
– GM downsizes its full-size models
– Volkswagen offers diesel Rabbit
– Showgoers can win $20 by spotting visitors wearing lapel patches
– Biggest-ever truck/camper display
– Football star Walter Payton is at Buick
1978:
– Cars are generally smaller and lighter
– Neo-classics shown: Clenet, Stutz, etc.
– Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon introduced by “space people”
– Presenters no longer wear skimpy costumes and are expected to know facts about cars
– Oldsmobile and Cadillac offer ill-fated diesel V-8
1979:
– Redesigned Ford Mustang is notable new model
– Others: Buick Riviera, Oldsmobile Toronado, Cadillac Eldorado, Ford LTD
1980:
– GM’s X-cars are popular; but soon will develop bad reputation
– “Bustleback” Cadillac Seville is new
– AMC launches four-wheel-drive Eagle
– Specialty cars are exhibited on lower level
1981:
– New electric car is denied permission to exhibit; prompts picketing by civil rights groups due to minority company ownership
– Notable new models: Dodge Aries/Plymouth Reliant
– Prototype of Reliant convertible is shown
1982:
– Convertibles are back: Chrysler LeBaron/Dodge 400 and Buick Riviera
– Aluminum, gull-wing DeLorean is shown
– Downsized Chevrolet Camaro/Pontiac Firebird are notable
1983:
– Ford display has spokeswomen dressed in business suits
– Chrysler offers “sneak peek” at Dodge Daytona
– Rumble-seat convertible shown at Dodge; won’t be built
– Nissan has gymnasts to entertain
1984:
– Minivans from Chrysler are big news: Lee Iacocca visits auto show
– Chevrolet shows Astro prototype, hosts public clinic
– Talking robots look like Dodge brothers
1985:
– Chevrolet Nova unveiled in Chicago; joint venture with Toyota
– 1986 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable bow
– Break dancers entertain at GMC Truck
– Three models assembly Pontiac Fiero body
– Mercedes-Benz deploys air bag on show floor
1986:
– Concept Pontiac Trans Sport suggests ’90 minivans
– Notable new makes: Yugo and Hyundai
1987:
– New models: Dodge Shadow/Plymouth Sundance, redesigned Chrysler LeBaron, Subaru Justy, Cadillac Allante, Ford Festiva
1988:
– AMC workers protest before show opens, regarding a plant shakeup at Kenosha
– Jeep-Eagle division is formed
– Cadillac Voyage concept is shown
– Honda Accord (U.S.-built) debuts
1989:
– 1990 Mazda Miata debuts
– Also debuting in Chicago: Acura NSX and U.S.-built Subaru Legacy
– Dodge Viper show car draws enough attention to be produced
1990:
– Motor Trend import car award made at Chicago show
– Lamborghini Diablo makes world debut
– Pontiac Sunfire concept has rear half-doors
– Eagle Optima concept features cab-forward styling
– Chrysler Voyager III holds smaller vehicle
1991:
– Environmentally focused Dodge Neon concept shown
– Chrysler 300 concept car has V-10 engine
1992:
– Debuts: Mazda 626 and Mustang Cobra
– Chrysler has Concorde and New Yorker concepts
– Mercedes-Benz shows gullwing C112 concept coupe
– Notable GM concepts: Ultralite and Pontiac Salsa
– “Vince and Larry” crash-test dummies at show for first time
1993:
– Chrysler shows bold Ram pickup, shows concept Thunderbolt and Plymouth Prowler
– Ford concepts: Ghia Focus and Mustang Mach III
1994:
– 50 Little Tikes coupes “driven” at media preview
– Toyota Avalon debuts
– Chrysler concepts: Venom and Expresso, plus Ram VTS pickup with Viper V-10
– First appearance of Pontiac Firebird convertible
1995:
– Redesigned Oscar Mayer “Wienermobile” appears
– Mazda has M-Speedster concept
– New Taurus/Sable station wagons debut
– Infiniti I30 debut
– Acura’s CL-X concept predicts forthcoming production CL
– Plymouth Back Pack concept is blend of small SUV and pickup
– Ford shows Triton pickup that predicts forthcoming F-Series
1996:
– Three debuts to the public on Saturday: Oldsmobile Cutlass, Acura RL and Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible; “Motorweek” TV show broadcasts from McCormick Place at that time
– Honda shows CR-V as concept
– GM promotes new OnStar system; Lincoln has RESCU, Securitire system
1997:
– Auto show moves to McCormick Place South
– Performance models are prominent: Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Speedster, Ford SVT Contour, Dodge Dakota R/T and Sidewinder concept pickup
– Lexus Sport Luxury Vehicle predicts forthcoming RX300
– Mercedes-Benz has F200 concept with no steering wheel
1998:
– Mitsubishi Galant debuts on Saturday, to public
– New Beetle is a highlight of show Chrysler has 300M and LHS
– Ford has topless Libre four-door convertible concept
1999:
– Chrysler PT Cruiser draws attention Daewoo is brand-new make; sold via Campus Advisor program
– Honda shows Civic Si, S2000 and hybrid vehicle
– Nissan launches redesigned Maxima Toyota shows MR-Spyder that will evolve into MR-2 Spyder
2000:
– Speed Racer Mach 5 draws attention from young folks
– DaimlerChrysler’s expanded Fit for a Kid campaign gets attention
– GM features Buick Rendezvous, Chevrolet Traverse
– Nissan’s new Frontier pickup shows off bold look
