It’s taken us a bit of time to recover and get our photos together from this years North American International Auto Show trip to Detroit. Usually there are clearly presented directions the industry is looking to move in. However this year the show seems to be more adrift. Even though Tokyo is regarded as the official kick-off show of the season, Detroit’s mid January date still feels like the opening show.
For those that have never been, the NAIAS has evolved into more than just a bunch of cars stuck in an exhibition hall. It has become a spectacle where each manufacturer creates a space in the hall that immerses you in a brand experience. The stands for the Detroit show are specific to that show. Bits may travel to some of the second tier show locations like Chicago and New York, but you won’t experience anything like them except at Cobo Hall.
We’ve been going to the show for many years, over the past few, it’s become more tame. The late 90’s represented what is probably it’s most recent peak in terms of intensity. During that time, manufacturers constructed multi-floor stands and many had half a dozen new concept cars each on display. Millions of dollars were often spent on just a single large screen video display. The industry has gone through a lot of difficulty in the past few years and it’s noticeable in the scaling back of money spent at the show.
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