New Armada, Power Wagon debut at Chicago Auto Show

The 2017 Nissan Armada will be assembled in Kyushu, Japan. The SUV's 390-horsepower V8 is built in Tennessee. The 2017 Nissan Armada will be assembled in Kyushu, Japan. The SUV's 390-horsepower V8 is built in Tennessee. Photo: Nissan Photo: Nissan Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close New Armada, Power Wagon debut at Chicago Auto Show 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

In early February, there's no better sanctuary from Chicago's single-digit and low-teen temperatures than the Chicago Auto Show, which ends its run Sunday. Each year automakers select the Windy City to unveil some of their newest production or concept vehicles. Here are three noteworthy examples.

2017 Nissan Armada

An armada is headed our way. That would be the 2017 Nissan Armada, which is getting its first complete overhaul in 12 years - an eternity in the auto business, especially when it's your flagship sport utility vehicle. The three-row SUV gets a spiffy new exterior design and the warm brown leather interior of the display example in Chicago was definitely a cut above.

After crawling through and sitting in the Armada, we think the makeover definitely skews the big SUV toward the Infiniti zone of the scale. But the second-gen Armada updates go deeper than cosmetics and electronic gadgetry. For starters, it's now built on the same platform as the Patrol, a tough 4x4 used for decades almost everywhere except the United States. Under the hood is a 5.6-liter "Endurance" V8 that kicks out 390 horsepower, 73 more than its predecessor. The eight-passenger SUV gets a seven-speed automatic and, properly equipped, can tow up to 8,500 pounds.

Buyers will have three trim level choices - SV, SL or Platinum – in rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel drive. All 2017 Armadas come with Nissan Navigation and 8.0-inch color display, heated front seats and a 13-speaker Bose audio system. The climate control system incorporates tasteful vents in the headliner that will likely help cool or heat the vehicle more quickly. Taming noise was one of Nissan's priorities and the automaker said thicker glass and more insulation will make the Armada "library quiet" at idle.

As you might expect, there's a slew of optional, modern-day safety and driver "assist" systems, but more on that alphabet soup in a future report on Nissan's newest people mover.

2017 Ram Power Wagon, heavy-duty 4x4 off-road package

For the 2017 model year, Ram will be doubling down in the battle for off-road supremacy with a new Power Wagon, its Godzilla 4x4 pickup, and a off-road package for the regular 2500 heavy-duty.

Arriving in the fourth quarter, Ram's monster pickup starts out as a 2500 heavy-duty 4x4 crew cab but is treated to a Frankenstein list of factory modifications, including a 2.3-inch lift. If that rock-crawling attitude isn't enough, a new, model-specific tailgate, hood, retro vertical stripe and blacked-out grille shout that onlookers are in the presence of a Power Wagon, a truck whose roots go back to Dodge military vehicles used in World War II.

The drivetrain is also exclusive, starting with the engine calibration for the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 (410 hp and 429 lb.-ft. of torque), standard locking front and rear differentials and beefed up axles and shafts. The off-road optimization carries on with 33-inch diameter Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires, disconnecting front sway bar, Bilstein shock absorbers and stouter control arms and springs.

One our favorite aspects of the 2017 Power Wagon is the way the black powder-coated front bumper melds with the blacked out grille and light surrounds and manages to cloak the lion's share of the standard Warn 12,000-lb. electric winch. At the other end, the Power Wagon has a 10,300-lb. towing capacity.

If you hanker for the special off-road hardware but prefer to keep a low profile, the Power Wagon comes in Tradesman crew cab 4x4 guise. The Tradesman drops the interior and exterior design elements, but includes the same Power Wagon off-road running gear, including the winch, locking differentials, up-sized tires, disconnecting sway bar, suspension and under-body shielding.

Starting in the third quarter, Ram will make it easy for owners of 2017 2500s to better equip their trucks for off-road duty. The new Ram 2500 4x4 off-road package includes a transfer case skid plate, hill-descent control, rear anti-spin differential. The off-road package is available in crew cab and mega cab, gas and diesel powertrains and short- and long-wheelbase models and all trim levels.

Ford/BruanAbility MXV Explorer

Driving isn't just about the convenience or necessity of getting from point A to point B – a vehicle empowers and provides independence. But it only takes a split second for a catastrophic injury suffered in an accident or combat, to rob a driver of that freedom.

In Chicago, Ford and BruanAbility unveiled what they are calling the first volume-produced SUV for drivers who are wheelchair-bound. The BruanAbility MXV is based on Ford's 2016 Explorer and features a sliding door, removable driver and passenger seats, and a power in-floor ramp that's 28.5 inches wide. Both the door and ramp are controlled by buttons on the key fob. (Watch how the MXV works at http://bit.ly/1LrZ6BO)

The MXV is flexible; the driver can drive the adapted Explorer from her or his wheelchair or ride as a passenger. Available in base, XLT and Limited trims, all run Ford's 3.5-liter V6 and should achieve about 20 mpg, overall, BruanAbility said. The vehicles can be tailored to a customer's needs and typically wind up running about $60,000. The BruanAbility MXV is available at more than 200 mobility dealerships around the country.

Ford and BruanAbility donated an MXV to Life Rolls On, a nonprofit group dedicated to improving the lives of those with spinal cord injuries through activities such as adaptive surfing and skating.

Life Rolls On was founded by surfer Jesse Billauer, who was just 17 when a wave pounded him headfirst into the sand, breaking his 6th cervical vertebra and leaving him a quadriplegic. But last week Billauer was all smiles, stoked that Ford and BruanAbility's Explorer conversion means he and others no longer have to settle for a minivan, quipping, "I can roll around in style with a smooth profile!"