Autorama Chicago 2024 concluded with resounding success, leaving attendees awestruck by the array of hot rods and automotive marvels on display. As the gate closed on this three-day event, we want to recap the highlights of America’s Premier Customer Show Car Series that has been a staple of the automotive calendar since its foundation in 1962.
From March 1st to March 3rd, 2024, the Convention Center in Rosemont transformed into a haven for automotive enthusiasts, drawing a diverse crowd of visitors, from seasoned collectors to families eager to check out personal tuned cars, hot rods and retro cars. Of interest were the demographics.
Over half of attendees own a project car and around 80% perform some or all vehicle repairs themselves, making this crowd one of the most knowledgeable and dedicated to the auto lifestyle. All in all, there were over 90,000 attendees at the Chicago event, making it the largest after Detroit.
Autorama Chicago 2024 was co-located with the 61st World of Wheels, adding an extra layer of excitement to the proceedings. While Autorama is an exhibition of custom cars of any generation, hot rods and classics, World of Wheels is specifically dedicated to Hot Rods and classics. This synergy resulted in a comprehensive automotive experience, offering something for everyone, whether they were drawn to the classics, the customs, or the contemporary marvels of automotive engineering.
The heart and soul of Autorama Chicago 2024 lay in its stunning lineup of vehicles. Whether it was meticulously restored classics, prototypes inspired from the retro genre or modern interpretations, every vehicle told a unique story of the inspiration behind the vehicle, its owner and crew captivating all who saw them.
Additionally, this year the lineup included five generations of the iconic Batmobile, and three of The Great Even Knievel’s historic stunt vehicles. The Batmobiles were:
- 1966 Original Batmobile driven by Adam West’s Batman
- 1989 Batman Returns driven by Michael Keaton
- 1995 Batman Forever driven by George Clooney
- 2005-2012 Dark Knight Trilogy Tumbler driven by Christian Bale
- 2016 DC Universe driven by Ben Affleck
List of notable guests was lengthy and included Dee Snider, the lead singer and songwriter of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister, and Noel Gugliemi, who played Hector in various installments of the Fast and Furious franchise. However, our favorite was David Kindig of Kindig design. He displayed one of this famous pieces there and, of course, won one of the top awards.
Without a doubt, Autorama Chicago 2024 was an unforgettable event that was more than just a showcase of cars; it was a celebration of automotive history, passion, creativity, and the spirit of automotive culture. Although the event closed its doors in Chicago for now, it continues its US and Canada tour and you can catch the next event in the US or Canada wisiting official website.
