Chicago Auto Show: That New Car Smell, Blowin’ In The Wind
Chicago Auto Show: That New Car Smell, Blowin’ In The Wind
The Chicago Auto Show, which has historically been ‘up’ on the show calendar within a few weeks of Detroit’s, has built its own distinct brand based on available show space (the McCormick Convention Center is HUGE), decent media participation and a few notable intros from those OEMs not wanting to blow their budget at the expensive Detroit. In the ‘City of Big Shoulders,’ it remains the stage for what is typically a few interesting, viable intros.
Thirty years ago, Mazda chose Chicago as the entry point of its all-new Miata roadster. And while ‘Chicago’ and ‘February’ aren’t what we think of when thinking Miata, it was a launch that fully reverberated within the enthusiast community. Subsequently, when Mazda introduced a redesign or the inevitable special edition, they did it in Chicago. If you’ve done the math you’ll know that this is the 30th anniversary of the Miata’s launch, and rather than waiting for the 31st anniversary Miata, Mazda introduced an anniversary tribute this year.
Finished in what looks to be a KTM-inspired orange, and limited to but 500 U.S. copies, the limited run was reportedly sold out within a few hours of its introduction. And in a market as crossover-and-SUV-obsessed as this one, the attention we continue to pay the Miata is both surprising and reassuring.
Not yet ready for an anniversary is Alfa Romeo’s 4C, but that didn’t dissuade Alfa Romeo from showing its 4C Italia. Finished in a blue that would easily transport you to the Mediterranean, Alfa’s roadster was a great reminder that the 4C Spider remains on the market. In the absence of specific 4C marketing, someone should remind us.
Of course, crossovers, pickups and SUVs were also in attendance. Land Rover revealed its Range Rover Evoque, Toyota showed an updated Tacoma, and Ford announced an ‘ST’ version of its all-new (and well-received) Explorer.
The idea for Garages of America—founded as Garages of Texas—was born in 2007, when co-founder Fred Gans was in Denver, looking for land for a traditional self-storage facility. Gans stumbled upon something he had never seen before: a condominium storage project for luxury cars. A bit of market research revealed that Colorado was saturated with such developments, but his home state of Texas was not.
Coppell resident Anjan Shenoy is transforming his new garage at Garages of America Carrollton II into an elevated space that will be a hub for his passions; cars, photography, music, design and perhaps most importantly, time with family.
Garages of America’s founding partners Jack Griffin and Fred Gans were recently featured on the iHeart Media CEOs You Should Know podcast. Hear the story of how a chance discovery in Denver sparked a business built around car culture, community, and the social side of collecting.
Garages of America, a premier developer of luxury garages designed for automotive enthusiasts, collectors, hobbyists and entrepreneurs, is bringing its signature garage lifestyle to Colleyville.
As the seasons shift and warmer weather arrives, the car enthusiast community is back in full swing. From scenic rallies and legendary motorsport events to packed local car shows, excitement is building across the garage community. In this blog, Garages of America reflects on the growing energy surrounding its Frisco and Carrollton locations, highlights the 25th anniversary of the iconic Hill Country Rallye, and celebrates the passion that continues to drive the collector car lifestyle forward.
Garages of America, pioneers of the luxury garage concept, is expanding with the Carrollton Phase II community and will add the new P1 Motor Lounge, a division of Texas Collector Car Storage and Club. Located within the Garages of America Carrollton Phase II, and future GoA locations, the 21,000 sq. ft. P1 Motor Lounge will offer monthly car storage space for members, but that is just the first lap of benefits.
