The Chicago auto Show is more of a consumer happening rather than a "just for the industry" event. Two dozen automakers from around the world came to the Windy City with more than 1,000 of their latest wares. I asked Jody Victor  to tell us about some of the favorites.

Jody Victor: While the number of new car reveals was down compared with last year, there are still some very cool rides to think about. Here's just a sampling.

2011 BMW Alpina B7 - The independent tuner Alpina has been tweaking BMWs since the 1960s. In Chicago, it unveiled the second-generation BMW Alpina B7, which is as close to an M7 as we'll likely ever see, to the North American market. Offered in short- or long-wheelbase models, the B7 features a 500-horsepower 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that vaults the car from zero to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds. To aid handling, it has an adjustable suspension with active roll stabilization and shorter springs that lower the ride height. Exterior changes include exclusive 21-inch wheels, front and rear spoilers, and tailpipes integrated into the rear bumper. The 2011 BMW Alpina B7 will go on sale this spring.

2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD pickup - Capability is the name of the game in the heavy-duty pickup market, and the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD is ready to deliver. Built on an all-new frame with a new asymmetrical rear leaf spring design, the Silverado HD can haul up to 6,335 pounds and tow up to 16,000 pounds, or 20,000 pounds with a fifth wheel, all tops in the class. An optional 6.6-liter Duramax turbodiesel V8 engine is available that can run on B20, a blend of 80 percent standard diesel fuel and 20 percent biodiesel. New features include Hill Start Assist, mobile wifi, and a smart exhaust brake that varies resistance based on load and grade. The 2011 Silverado HD will go on sale this summer.

2011 Chevrolet Suburban 75th Anniversary Diamond Edition - In 1935, Chevrolet placed an all-steel wagon body atop a half-ton truck frame and called it the Suburban Carryall. Seventy-five years later, the Suburban is still going strong and is, in fact, the longest-running nameplate in North America. Chevrolet celebrated in Chicago by introducing a special edition of the full-size sport ute. The 2011 Chevrolet Suburban 75th Anniversary diamond Edition is based on the well-equipped LTZ model. It comes with a White Diamond Tricoat paint scheme, a cashmere interior, unique 20-inch chromed wheels and new roof rack rails, plus special badges and lettering inside and out. Limited to 2,570 units, the 75th Anniversary Suburban will hit dealer showrooms early this summer.

2011 Ford Edge - The crossover Edge is rapidly replacing the Explorer as America's favorite family hauler from Ford. With the changes made for 2011, the Edge should become even more popular. Restyled inside and out, the Edge also expands its powertrain lineup from on choice to three. In addition to a 235-horsepower  3.5-liter V6 engine, the Edge adds a turbocharged 2.0-liter Ecotec 4-cylinder for base models and a 305-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 for the Edge Sport. Inside, it gets the new MyFord Touch control interface, as well as improved materials and craftsmanship. The company says the Edge is also quieter and smoother, while a re-tuned suspension makes it lighter.

2011 Ford Shelby GT500 - The Mustang power surge continues. After unveiling new V6 and V8 engines at previous shows, Ford took the wraps off a2011 Shelby GT500 with a lighter and more powerful engine at the Windy City show. The new all-aluminum, supercharged 5.4-liter V6 is 102 pounds lighter than the outgoing engine and delivers 10 more horses than its predecessor for a total output of 550 horsepower. Fuel economy is also improved, eliminating the gas-guzzler tax. Convertible versions of the Shelby benefit from additional body bracing, while both the ragtop and coupe get electric power steering and improved noise reduction. A new SVT Performance Package turns up the heat even more. Watch for the new Shelby this summer.

Thanks, Jody! What a line-up!!

Joe Victor

In the car world names have come and gone - some have lasted for decades, others for a lot less. I asked Jody Victor to tell us about some more of those funny names that couldn't quite make the grade.

Jody Victor: I'm sure when some cars were named the marketing gurus thought they would last forever. When you look back it is easy to see why they didn't, but that's hind-sight for you! Here's the rest of the list.

Plymouth Cricket (1971-1973) - There's nothing inherently wrong with naming a car after an insect. Hudson had the Hornet and Wasp. Dodge had the Super Bee, and of course the VW Beetle was a success. But a cricket's sound - cheap, cheap, cheap - was just too appropriate for this dreadful little compact imported from Chrysler Europe. The poor quality of the Cricket, built in the United Kingdom, was made even more apparent in 1973 with the appearance of the well-made Dodge Colt, which was manufactured by Mitsubishi.

Chevrolet LUV (1972-1980) - Today even compact pickup trucks are sold as burly, manly-man kinds of vehicles, so it's hard to believe Chevy would try to sell a truck called the LUV. The name was supposed to be a military-type acronym for "light utility vehicle." The little truck, which was built by Isuzu, was intended to battle Datsun and Toyota on the West Coast, and was named 1979 Truck of the Year by Motor Trend magazine. Despite the goofy name, the truck sold well.

Chevrolet Beretta (1987-1996) - General Motors claimed the company used a computer program to create the name for its new sporty coupe. The Italian gun manufacturer Beretta was not amused, and sued the carmaker for $250 million in a trademark infringement claim. The case was settled in 1989 when GM contributed $500,000 to a Beretta cancer foundation, and exchanged a Beretta GTU for a Beretta hunting rifle and shotgun.

Ford Aspire (1994-1997) - A replacement for the subcompact Festiva, this hatchback was made in South Korea for Ford by Kia with a 63-horsepower engine provided by Mazda. Owners quickly aspired to own a car that offered more quality and performance. Ford hopes its new Fiesta world car will make us forget the Aspire.

Volkswagen Touareg (2002-present) - VW sought to give its high-end sport-ute/wagen an air of exotic adventure by naming it after a north African Berber tribe. But the tag is so awkward that VW had to invest marketing dollars on ads that showed consumers how to pronounce the word (it's too-ah-reg). Turns out these historic inhabitants of the Saharan interior have also been enthusiastic slave-owners. Yikes!

Thanks, Jody! Some interesting names from the past!

Joe Victor

Take a look back through automotive history and you'll find many car names that were marketing home runs: A Dodge Charger must be powerful, a Cadillac Coupe de Ville sounds elegant, and a Buick Roadmaster oozes authority. However, sometimes a moniker comes along that makes you wonder what the marketing gurus were thinking. I asked Jody Victor  to give us a list of some car names that missed the mark by a mile.

Jody Victor: Naming a new car is a difficult task. Imagine having to pick a name for your newborn and being limited to names that have not been used, that are fewer than three syllables and that you can trademark. Here's some names that fit the criteria but just didn't quite make it any farther than that.

Dodo (1912) - One of the first cyclecars, the Dodo was a compact, 2-passenger vehicle powered by a 9-horsepower engine. It was meant to be affordable transportation that bridged the gap between the motorcycle and the automobile. The name was prophetic, because the Dodo was extinct in a year.

Lulu (1914-15) - This name probably sounded better at the time, when "lulu" was slang for something remarkable, and according to the "Standard Catalog of American Cars," this cyclecar manufactured in Beavertown, Pa., by the Kearns Motor Truck Co. was a well-made vehicle. This little 2-seater had a 12-horse engine and a 3-speed transmission, but arrived at the end of America's short-lived fascination with the cyclecar.

Edsel (1958-1960) - A spectacular marketing disaster, the Edsel was such a big flop that the name became synonymous with business failure. Intended to slot between the Ford and Mercury brands in the Ford Motor Co. product line, this new family of cars was named for Edsel Ford, the only son of founder Henry Ford, who served as president of the company from 1919 until his death in 1943. The name, which consumers later said sounded like "weasel" or "dead cell," was not the only reason the Edsel failed - its styling was suspect, and Ford failed to persuade the public to buy a car that was essentially a restyled Ford or Mercury - but it did not help. Other names considered for the line, including Citation and Pacer, were used instead to name Edsel models, and both were later adopted by other car companies.

Toyopet (1958-1960) - This name of the first car imported to the United States by Toyota had been popular in Japan since 1947, and it proved apt for an underpowered sedan ill-suited for American roads. Toyota's first sales administrator, James McGraw, says he thought the name was wrong from the get-go. "It starts with toy," he is reported to have told his Japanese bosses, "and ends in pet, which sounds like a dog." Toyota withdrew the Toyopet in 1960, and returned in 1965 with the Corona, a car designed specifically for the American market. The rest is history.

Dodge Swinger (1969-1976) - So maybe the term "swinger" meant something a little different in 1969, like "he's a swinging cat." But no real swinger would be seen driving a 2-door Dart hardtop. So by the mid-1970s, sexual innuendo made the name seem even more ridiculous.

Thanks, Jody! More about failed car names next time!

Joe Victor

As we said last week the concepts are out there this year and they showed up at the Detroit International Auto Show. I asked Jody Victor  to tell us about more of these unusual cars.

Jody Victor: Sometimes concepts are just that 'Concepts' - someone's dream car actually developed. But not all of them go into production as you will see in this next group from the Detroit Show.

Hyundai Blue -Will - Hyundai's weirdly named Blue-Will  plug-in  hybrid showcases the Korean automaker's next generation electric drivetrain technology, some of which will debut on the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid that goes on sale later this year. Its "eco-sleek" design, with sweeping character lines, hints at what future Hyundai models might look like. The basis of Hyundai's new hybrid system is a 152-horsepower 1.6-liter gasoline engine and a 100-kilowatt electric motor powered by a lithium-polymer battery. It gets an estimated 50 to 55 mpg. The Blue-Will concept's plug-in system will reportedly get an estimated 106 mpg thanks to extended  electric only capability that enables it to drive up to 40 miles on a single charge. It can be recharged from regular household power outlets.

MINI Beachcomber - The Beachcomber Concept givers a good idea of what MINI's new crossover might look like, but you have to picture it with doors and a roof to get the idea. The open-air cockpit theme isn't slated for production at this point; MINI is gauging people's reaction to it to see if it holds promise. The Beachcomber Concept's  Jeep-like form was conceived as a way to tie the forthcoming MINI crossover to the classic cool MINI Moke, which was a stripped down MINI Cooper produced from 1964 through 1993 that looks like a cross between a World War II Willys Jeep and a dune buggy. The Beachcomber Concept's interior features an innovative rail system running between the front seats to the rear of the cabin, onto which cupholders, bins and mounts for electronic devices can be mounted.

Toyota FT-CH - The Toyota FT-CH is a compact hybrid designed to target young buyers and fill a slot just below the company's already-small Prius. The car has a broad, sporty stance, nearly two feet shorter than that of the the Prius, even though the FT-CH is just as wide as its older brother. Toyota didn't give specs on the drivetrain or mention definitive production plans. The FT-CH illustrates the company's strategy to expand its hybrid line with multiple Prius variants in a play to remain the leader in the segment. Toyota sold 530,000 hybrids worldwide in 2009; 195,000 of them were sold in the United States.

Subaru Hybrid Tourer - Expect to see more of the Hybrid Tourer's design cues from Subaru in the future. But don't expect the concept car's fanciful gullwing doors to make it onto production models - they're a common concept-only feature designed to better showcase the interior. The 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and twin electric motors, on the other hand, could find their way into production. The Subaru Hybrid Tourer made its North American debut at the Detroit Auto Show, but was first shown at the Tokyo Motor Show last fall.

Volkswagen New Compact Coupe - With its New Compact Coupe, Volkswagen finally gets into the hybrid game. Until now, the German automaker has largely placed its bets on clean diesel as the fuel of the future. The New Compact Coupe is capable of up to 45 mpg, thanks to an efficient 1.4-liter direct-injection turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline engine and a powerful electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery. The combined output should be close to 177 horsepower. The car has an electric-only mode or it can be powered by the gas engine and electric motor together. While the car is coasting in hybrid mode, the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission disengages from the engine for added efficiency. Volkswagen didn't say when it will start offering a hybrid system.

Thanks, Jody! Great autos to come!

Joe Victor