Saturday 26th February 1972

Nearly 550 vehicles were shown on the opening day of the 1972 Chicago Auto Show, including the five-millionth Chicago-built Ford, a Galaxie 500 hardtop. Decades of progress in design were apparent, as it sat proudly displayed beside a 1914 Model T. That year, it was in Chicago that Lincoln gave the public its inaugural viewing of the Continental Town Car, Jensen offered the premiere showing of the Interceptor III, Lotus introduced its new Europa Twin Cam model, and Squire and TVR were seen for the first time in the US.