The Dodge Durango SRT, right, and Dodge Charger add plenty of attitude to the FCA US stand at the Chicago Auto Show. 

Auto Shows | February 09 2018

FCA US warms Chicago with Dodge, Mopar, FIAT debuts

February is a great time to visit Chicago. Yes, we mean that.

The city has years of experience managing the weather, the people are as warm and inviting as the local cuisine, and the expansive McCormick Place is filled with the Chicago Auto Show, open to the public February 10-19.

You want to talk warm and inviting (or more like hot and inviting for the Dodge//SRT crew), the FCA US stand at the show is the place to find pulse-quickening vehicles and get you revved up for warmer days ahead.

Our debuts in Chicago are:

  • Upgrade accessories for the Dodge Durango R/T and SRT that help make them crackle with visual and audio energy. It starts with a set of dual stripes, offered in five colors, which run down the center of the SUV nose to tail and tailored to the NACA duct in the hood. Working with Mopar, Dodge also offers customers bolt-on, free-flowing exhaust systems for the Durango R/T and SRT. Dodge//SRT engineers tuned the exhaust systems for a signature sound and performance. Mopar also developed a spring kit that lowers the Durango by 15 millimeters (0.6 inches) for a more-aggressive stance. Inside, the SRT Appearance Group adds premium materials to the instrument panel and headliner and authentic carbon fiber bezels.
  • Mopar applies its creative talents to the all-new 2019 Ram 1500 pickup with accessories that include an adjustable Ram Rack mounted in the truck bed (this is not a concept, the Ram Rack will be available in the near future). Mopar also outfit the Ram 1500 with a few of the more than 200 available items: 2-inch lift kit, off-road fender flares, beadlock-capable wheels and off-road style running boards. Under the hood is a “Ram Airflow” cold-air intake.
  • The 2018 Fiat 500 debuts in Chicago with its now standard 135-horsepower 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo engine, a package that also includes twin intercoolers and a sport-tuned exhaust. Buyers can choose the standard 5-speed manual transmission or optional 6-speed automatic. Other changes for the Pop and Lounge trims include standard 16-inch wheels, sport suspension and a sportier appearance. The Fiat 500 Abarth sits at the top of the lineup, delivering 160 hp and Abarth-tuned hardware for enhanced performance.

FCA US has been busy the past few months unveiling all-new or significantly redesigned products. But if you couldn’t be in Los Angeles or Detroit for those shows, the spacious Chicago show gives you a chance to get a close look at:

  • The all-new 2018 Jeep Wrangler, modernized with the latest in engineering and technology yet staying true to its iconic design heritage.
  • The all-new 2019 Ram 1500 pickup, redesigned to deliver more capability, comfort and better fuel economy with the eTorque mild hybrid system on the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 and 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8.
  • The restyled 2019 Jeep Cherokee, produced in Belvidere, Illinois, includes a new look for the grille, hood and headlights, and the addition of a 270-hp turbocharged direct injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine to the lineup.

The Jeep display also includes the popular Camp Jeep indoor track experience, which gives you the chance to experience the capabilities of the Jeep lineup in real time from a passenger seat.

Would you like a test drive in the ground-breaking Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan? You can do that, courtesy of the Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition.

Or, just browse the full lineup of vehicles from the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and FIAT brands.

Just remember to save some energy everything else Chicago has to offer (did someone say pizza?)

Dale Jewett

Do you know your blood type? Mine is 100 octane (not your standard blood bank classification). At any given moment, I’m thinking about cars – driving one, fixing one, buying one or (in my dreams) restoring one. So I love to tell stories that involve horsepower, brake and wheel diameters
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Do you know your blood type? Mine is 100 octane (not your standard blood bank classification). At any given moment, I’m thinking about cars – driving one, fixing one, buying one or (in my dreams) restoring one. So I love to tell stories that involve horsepower, brake and wheel diameters and 0-to-60 times – and the people who make it happen. Because behind every awesome vehicle are amazing people with vision and the desire to make it a reality. I cover Mopar, Dodge, SRT and motorsports for Stellantis Digital Media. I learned to drive on a 1973 Jeep CJ-5 with the rare Super Jeep option package and three-speed manual transmission. I still belong to the dwindling club of people who prefer to shift their own gears, and think the best way to drive is with the top down!