2018 Ford Mustang voted 'Best of Show' at Chicago Auto Show

(February 24, 2017) CHICAGO — For the 12th consecutive year, consumer voters selected their favorites in five categories in the Chicago Auto Show's "Best of Show" balloting. The Chicago Auto Show is the only major auto show that polls its attendees' favorite vehicles and exhibit.

Voting was conducted over the 10-day public run of the nation's biggest auto show.

Winners in the contest's five categories were:

Best All-New Production Vehicle: 2018 Ford Mustang
Best Concept Vehicle: LEGO Batmobile from Chevrolet
Best Green Vehicle: 2018 BMW 530e
Best Exhibit: Chevrolet
Vehicle I'd most like to have in my driveway: 2018 Chevrolet Corvette
   
"We think of our attendees as one enormous focus group that we can leverage to analyze data and assess trends," said Chicago Auto Show General Manager Dave Sloan. "Best of Show voting has become a benchmark measure of what the public deems the most exciting, impressive and innovative on the show floor."

Each of the first four winners beat out seven other vehicles. The eight finalists in Best All-New Production Vehicle, Best Concept Vehicle, Best Green Vehicle and Best Exhibit were selected by a jury of automotive experts. In the fifth category, "Vehicle I'd most like to have in my driveway," voters could choose from any of the hundreds of vehicles on the show floor.

According to the results, voters considered the 2018 Ford Mustang the Best All-New Production Vehicle. Though the Mustang was a runaway favorite, the Porsche Panamera and Chicago Auto Show world introduction Ford Expedition also garnered a considerable number of votes, finishing second and third, respectively.

Voters exhibited a bit of whimsy selecting the LEGO Batmobile from Chevrolet as Best Concept. In a year that was "concept lean," attendees clearly found the 350,000-brick Batmobile entertaining. Ranking second in Best Concept voting was the Mazda MX-5 Speedster.

The all-new 2018 BMW 530e took the honors for Best Green Vehicle. The unique hybrid-electric sedan has a battery range of roughly 20 miles and total of more than 250 horsepower on tap. It topped runner-up Cadillac CT6 Plug-In Hybrid by a slight margin, showing luxury buyers are considering "clean" performance.

For the second year in a row, Chevrolet took top honors as Best Exhibit. The display featured four 20 feet high, transparent screens with coordinated LED lighting and music surrounding a centerpiece screen that was 73 feet long.  Four turntables around the exhibit highlighted Chicago world introduction Redline vehicles. Posting a close second was the extremely popular Jeep display followed by the Ford exhibit.

Every year the tightest race of all is the pick for "Vehicle I'd most like to have in my driveway." This year was no different as the Chevrolet Corvette and Ford GT battled neck and neck to the last day.

Bowtie fans mashed the gas on the final day to put the Corvette on top.
The manufacturer awards for Best of Show will be presented to the winners at the annual Midwest Automotive Media Association Spring Rally, held annually at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.