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One of the vehicle models that Ford Motor Company has displayed at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show was the 2013 Ford Taurus. The latest version of the Taurus was displaced along with the other vehicles presented by Ford and most of the car experts and enthusiasts became interested with the full-size sedan. These individuals were probably amazed with current appearance of the Taurus since Ford has subjected this sedan to a series of revisions and the outcome of what the company did was somehow exhilarating.

The 2013 Ford Taurus was not an all-new model at all. In fact, the current model was a reinvigorated version of the 2010 Ford Taurus. However, the vehicle's previous design was totally concealed by the changes that the company has implemented. This was probably one of the reasons why a lot of individuals who were able to take a quick glance at the 2013 Ford Taurus thought that Ford has created an all-new vehicle to carry the Taurus' iconic label.

Many car experts have noted that the exterior and interior appearance of the said vehicle are more attractive compared to its predecessors and this impression was quite true. This is because Ford's engineers and other personnel involved in revising the Taurus sedan revised all of the features of the previous model. The hood that was used on the previous Taurus was removed and this was replaced with a recently built version. Due to this, the Taurus looks muscular when viewed in front. This new image was further enhanced by the larger wheels and tires, the raised quarter panels on the rear, and the new LED taillights.

Ford has also conducted a few changes on the vehicle's interiors. The appearance of the sedan's cabin was enhanced by using upscale materials instead of the cheaper types and hard plastics. The interior space of the Taurus was also stretched and this means that the sedan will comfortably accommodate a maximum of 5 passengers.

Aside from that, Ford has also changed the type of engines used by this model. In fact, the Taurus will be the first car included on the company's North American lineup for this year that will be powered by the advanced 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine. This engine could possibly deliver a maximum power output of up to 237 horsepower and 250 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine is expected to deliver the best highway fuel economy in its class which is around 31 miles per gallon.

The sedan will also be offered with a 3.5-liter V-6 engine which is also used in the previous models. However, Ford has improved the engine's mechanism and this has increased its overall performance.  The 3.5-liter V-6 engine is capable of producing up to 290 horsepower and 255 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine as well as the EcoBoost is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The 2013 Ford Taurus is also available with a standard front-wheel drive system and the all-wheel drive as optional.

Marty Bay is an Automotive Journalist providing helpful tips and advice which powers the Car Finder at the Car Finder Service website.

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After its previous appearance in a Super Bowl spot with a Motley-Crue-inspired theme, the 2013 Kia Optima SX Limited made its official launch at the Chicago auto show as a range-topping model included on this year's mid-sized Optima line-up.

Upon its debut, a lot of car experts, automotive journalists, and observers at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show noticed that the 2013 Kia Optima SX Limited is not just an ordinary Optima. In fact, these individuals have suspected that the Limited is fully loaded with a lot of features not found on its siblings. As time goes by, these suspicions were eventually proven to be true.

Compared to the other Kia Optima trims, the Limited flaunts a unique look and more intimidating stance. These characteristics were highlighted by the Limited's new fascias in front and rear. In addition to this, the LED running lights located on top of its fog lamps, the lower door sills, and the rear spoiler tipped with chrome further suggest that the Optima SX Limited is very much different from its siblings.

Under the hood, the Limited is powered by a 2.0-liter Turbocharged 4-cylinder engine sourced from the Kia Optima SX. This engine is capable of producing 274 horses and 269 lb.-ft. of torque. The transmission as well as the sport-tuned suspension used on the Limited was also sourced from the SX. Due to this, the Limited's fuel economy ratings of 22 miles per gallon in the city and 34 miles per gallon on the highway are similar to that of the Optima SX.

When viewed inside, the 2013 Kia Optima SX Limited looks more upscale compared to the other Optima models included on the line-up. The Limited's cabin provides a more elegant and prestigious feel. Its door trim, shift knob, and steering wheel are adorned by genuine would trim and this layout further improves the overall appearance of the Optima SX Limited. In addition to this, the door panels, center console and seats were embellished by Nappa leather.

On top of these, the 2013 Kia Optima SX Limited is offered with the standard equipments such as the paddle shifters on the steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, heated rear seats, and heated and cooled front seats. Aside from those, the SX Limited is also equipped with metal pedals, Infinity audio system with speakers, and a navigation system with a built-in back-up camera.

Due to the abundance of standard features included on the vehicle, the 2013 Kia Optima SX Limited became one of the most admired vehicles that were presented at the 2012 Chicago auto show. In addition to this, a lot of individuals that were able to take a closer look at the vehicle agree that this was probably the best vehicle that Kia has produced.

Marty Bay is an Automotive Journalist providing helpful tips and advice which powers the Car Finder at the Car Finder Service website.

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One of the most popular vehicle models that bowed at the 2012 Chicago auto show is the 2013 GMC Acadia. Upon its first introduction into the market, this model was able to establish itself as one of the best in its class. As a result, General Motors has decided to upgrade this model and this eventually led to the production of the 2013 GMC Acadia.

When the 2013 GMC Acadia was unveiled at the 2012 Chicago auto show, a lot of car experts have noticed that the latest version of the iconic crossover model has received a major facelift from General Motors. This simply means that most of the dominant features of the previous year's version were changed and these changes allowed the new Acadia to have an image of its own.

When viewed in front, the 2013 GMC Acadia has a muscular stance. Due to this, the latest version looks more capable and intimidating. Thanks to its new upright design and the three-bar grille that was installed on the vehicle's front fascia. In addition to this, the vehicle is now fitted with a pair of LED running lights and these are offered as a standard feature of the vehicle.

Aside from the upgrades that were implemented in front, the Acadia's rear was also subjected to a few changes. The current model is now equipped with a wraparound rear glass and a new rear spoiler. The vehicle's rear bumper was redesigned and the primary purpose of this was to make the Acadia's front and rear portion quite coordinated.

General Motors has also revised the interior layout. But instead of using hard plastics and other cheap components, the company's designers decided to use more soft-touch materials   inside the vehicle's cabin. Aside from that, the stitching that was used to fasten the soft-touch materials in place was also remarkable. On top of these, the ambient lighting that was installed inside the Acadia makes the vehicle's cabin look more elegant and upscale most especially at night.

In terms of performance, the 2013 GMC Acadia is still capable of towing a maximum load of up to 5,000 pounds. Its 3.6-liter direct injection V-6 engine allows the Acadia to generate a maximum power output of 288 horsepower. The engine is mated to an improved 6-speed automatic transmission that provides a better shifting response and drivability. Given this engine and transmission, the 2013 GMC Acadia with a front-wheel drive system obtains the fuel economy ratings of 17 miles per gallon in the city and 24 miles per gallon on the highway.

Marty Bay is an Automotive Journalist providing helpful tips and advice which powers the Car Finder at the Car Finder Service website.

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Ford Motor Company has recently unveiled the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 convertible at the 2012 Chicago auto show and this has captured a lot of attention from the event's audience since this model promises to provide almost all of the features found on the Mustang coupe.

The 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 convertible is powered by a supercharged 5.8-liter V-8 engine. This engine which is capable of producing up 650 horsepower is also the same engine used on the Shelby GT500 coupe. Due to this, the Shelby GT500 coupe and convertible currently holds the crown as the most powerful Mustangs that were produced by Ford.

Most of the car experts that were present at the Chicago auto show when the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 convertible was unveiled were quite amazed by the maximum power output that the vehicle is capable of producing. These car experts were expecting that the convertible will only be producing a limited amount of horsepower since it is equipped with a droptop. Most of them are thinking that excessive power might ruin the vehicle's capability to launch and detach its roof while running but their assumptions were spoiled with what they have seen on the new GT500 Shelby convertible.

The remarkable features that were seen on the topless Shelby GT500 simply proves that Ford engineers and vehicle developers were able to find a way to allow the convertible to handle the possible challenges that the supercharged V-8 engine could  pose against its roof's mechanism. Obviously, Ford has used a lot of modern components to deal with this condition and the results were evidently impressive.

But aside from the improvements implemented on the vehicle's roof, Ford has also did a great job in improving the overall performance of the supercharged V-8 that was used on the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 convertible. The company successfully bored out an additional 0.4-liter on the 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 engine that was used on the previous version of the GT500 and this allowed the 2013 model to produce more horsepower than its predecessor.  In addition to this, the latest version's engine is using the updated cylinder heads, new piston squirters, and the newest TVS supercharger.

Finally, the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 convertible's external appearance has also impressed all almost all of the observers that were able to take a closer look at the vehicle. Its blunt nose, newly-installed LED tail lights, and brand-new set of headlights made the GT500 convertible look more trendy and sporty.

Marty Bay is an Automotive Journalist providing helpful tips and advice which powers the Car Finder at the Car Finder Service website.

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The audience at the 2012 Chicago auto show witnessed Volkswagen's unveiling of the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI. In addition to this, those who were able to drop by at the event have known the significant features found on the latest version of the Beetle after Volkswagen has subjected this to a major upgrade.

According to Volkswagen, the 2013 VW Beetle TDI has dropped a few things that its predecessor has previously offered. First off, the Beetle has dropped the word "New" in its name and this was considered by a lot of car experts as a move that does not only try to revive the model's former glory but also as the simplest way of saying that the latest version has a lot of impressive features to boast for.

Secondly, the launch of the Beetle at the Chicago auto show was also intended to showcase the changes that were implemented on the vehicle's external areas. The revisions made on the Beetle's exterior mainly focused on its styling and overall dimension. The height of the Beetle's roof has obviously grown by a few inches and this could mean a mild increase on the vehicle's interior space. Aside from that, its exterior design became more slippery and Volkswagen's engineers tweaked the curves on the vehicle's body were carefully upgraded.

Volkswagen has also revealed that they have changed the engine used by the Beetle. The 2013 version is currently using the company's corporate 2.0-iter turbodiesel 4-cylinder engine. This is capable of producing a maximum power output of 140 horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. of torque.  The engine used in the Beetle is also the same engine used on the VW Golf, Jetta, and Passat. Since they are using the same engine, the performance figures of the Beetle are almost similar to what the other 3 models are producing.

Volkswagen has also confirmed that the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI will be offered in three trim levels. This includes the base, the TDI with Sunroof and the Sunroof, Sound, and Navigation-equipped top-dog TDI. The base model will also be equipped with a lot of standard features such as the leatherette seating surfaces, multifunction steering wheel wrapped with leather, and the keyless entry and start.

The TDI with Sunroof has all of the standard equipments found on the base model plus the touch-screen audio system, six-disc CD changer, and of course the panoramic sunroof. The top-dog TDI obtained the touch-screen head unit with navigation and the 400-watt Fender audio system with subwoofer.

Marty Bay is an Automotive Journalist providing helpful tips and advice which powers the Car Finder at the Car Finder Service website.

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The Chicago auto show that is held annually is definitely one of the most popular events that most car manufacturers wouldn't want to miss. This is because the auto show allows them to unveil and launch the latest and the upcoming vehicle models that they want to introduce into the market within a year as well as those that they intend to release in the near future.

The auto show also serves as one of the most effective options for car these car makers to present the latest car models into the buying public hoping that doing this would eventually increase the demand for the vehicles that they offer. Due to this fact, the 2012 Chicago auto show became a venue for the launching of the different vehicle line-ups that might hit the market this year.  Among the most popular car makers who participated in this year's Chicago auto show are the following.

1. Volkswagen

Volkswagen has presented the North American version of the VW Beetle at the Chicago auto show. This event has also marked the availability of the diesel engine-propelled Beetle in the United States and the rest of the North American market. The presentation revealed some of the significant changes that Volkswagen has implemented on its longest running model expecting that these would encourage more buyers to purchase the iconic Beetle.

2. Toyota

Toyota took the opportunity to unveil the mid-cycle refreshed Land Cruiser at the 2012 Chicago auto show. Toyota has upgraded the Land Cruiser's looks and other features to make this more attractive to buyers. The upgrades that Toyota has conducted are aimed to improve the vehicle's appeal to buyers since Toyota has somehow realized that the Land Cruiser is one of the company's rarely purchased models in the US despite of its impressive performance and features. Aside from the Land Cruiser, Toyota has also unveiled the more luxurious Lexus LX 570 during this event.

3. Nissan

Just like Toyota, Nissan has also featured two of its latest models at the Chicago auto show. The first model was the mid-cycle upgraded 370Z sports car. Nissan has upgraded the 370Z and this effort has provided the sports car with a new look and a number of added features. In addition to this, Nissan launched the 12-passenger version of the NV200 to cater to the needs of buyers who are in the market for vehicles with larger interior and cargo space.

4. Kia

The 2012 Chicago auto show also served as the venue for Kia's presentation of the Track'ster concept. The Track'ster was a two-door sport-oriented version of the Kia Soul and this is intended to capture the segment dominated by younger buyers who prefer to purchase cars with unique styling and features.

Marty Bay is an Automotive Journalist providing helpful tips and advice which powers the Car Finder at the Car Finder Service website.

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