Another very solid show this year. I was able to get in a little early with the BMWCCA and was treated with an outstadning Q&A session with the BMW North America M Brand Manager Tom Salkowsky. He did a great job not only with the initial presentation but with talking one on one with current owners. We actually got a chance to talk for quite awhile about all things BMW, MINI, and as it turns out Apple computers!

I managed to take a good amount of photos
of some of the various displays around the show. Here are some of the highlights:

  • The new X Activity (the new X3?) by BMW was very impressive in person. The first SUV that I've seen that made sense.
  • The new 330i Sport is a fairly impressive looking car – BMW will sell a ton of these I suspect.
  • SMG on the Z4 looks and feels very impressive
  • The Monster Garage MINI was in attendance and I can safely say pictures just don't do this car justice.
  • The Maybach was most unimpressive (especially at 300k+)
  • The Ferrari Enzo – wow
  • Once again the BMW display (along with MINI) was enormously popular – obviously more so than Mercedes or Jaguar (which were just next door)
  • Scion? I guess you have to give some sort props to a car company that launches it's brand on a car that's designed after a Chevy Astro Van.

Here's the photo site: www.motoringfile.com/chicago_autoshow_03