Detroit Auto Show Revving up for Next Month

Dec. 18, 2015

Despite a major recession and retooling, Detroit is still the Motor City and it’s still the site of the biggest car show in the country. The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), aka the Detroit Auto Show, takes place Jan. 11–24 at the newly renovated (to the tune of $300 million) Cobo Center.

Of course, everyone wants to see the coolest cars debuting at the show.

“You can see cars here for the first time ever,” said Max Muncey, the show’s public relations manager.

So what will the automakers roll out this year? It seems no one knows, other than the manufacturers themselves — and they’re not talking. That includes Muncey, who said he didn’t have any idea what this year’s show would bring.

“The automakers don’t tell us,” he said. Last year, the NAIAS featured 55 vehicle introductions, the majority of which were worldwide debuts. Vehicles such as the Volvo S90 sedan and the Ford GT were among those seen for the first time. Muncey said people had no clue the latter car even existed.

“People scour the web [for hints]. It helps build anticipation,” he said.

Brett Lirones said he doesn’t really know what to anticipate, but he speculated at least some of the premieres would be of high-performance, powerful vehicles.

“Maybe a Camaro convertible or a new Mustang. Maybe a higher-performance version of a Cadillac, some sort of performanceoriented [auto],” he said.

Lirones works for the classic car insurance company Hagerty and has been an auto enthusiast his whole life. He, his brother, Luke, and their father, Bruce, have been to the show the last four years and he’s hopeful they’ll go again. So is his dad, if he can arrange everyone’s schedules.

“Last year we saw the new Buick. It was beautiful,” said Bruce. The Alden doctor grew up in Flint and went to the auto shows there every year with his dad and uncle. “Uncle Loren knew every gear. He was just the ultimate car guy.”

Another favorite at the 2015 show was the Ford GT 500.

“They turned the engine over and all the car guys’ hearts just started going,” the elder Lirones said with a laugh. “I thought they should have defibrillators on hand.”

Though the show doesn’t open until the middle of next month, exhibits have been under construction for weeks.

“Los Angeles and New York, the other big [North American] shows, build out in two weeks,” said Muncey. “It takes us two weeks just to install the overhead lighting.”

Muncey said construction on some of the exhibits starts 12 weeks prior to the show, but that’s not the only part that gets underway before the actual opening.

This year, the show is partnering with America’s Car Museum (ACM) in Tacoma, Wash.

Three classic cars from the museum — a 1966 Ford Mustang, a ’61 Chrysler 300 and a ’57 Chevy Nomad — will be driven from the museum to the show.

ACM CEO David Madeira said the cars represent the era when Detroit was the undisputed center of the automotive world and celebrates the city’s resurgence, along with the industry’s.

“Cars are meant to be driven, not sit idle in a museum. Driving these vehicles from the big three American auto manufacturers will be a celebration of Detroit’s automotive heritage,” he said.

Along the way, the cars will stop and/or be accompanied by auto enthusiasts from car clubs across the country. This plays into this year’s theme: All Roads Lead to Detroit.

The NAIAS encompasses several shows: The Gallery, an ultra-luxury automotive event; a Press Preview; an Industry Preview; a Charity Preview; and the nine-day Public Show.

It remains the show for car enthusiasts, no matter their preference. Cory Wade runs the Traverse City location of GR Auto Gallery, a classic car reseller. Despite his stated preference for classic and vintage cars, he said seeing the new models and displays is always a kick.

“I’m an old car guy, but I like to see what everybody is coming out with,” he said.

“I’ve been [to the show] about 10 times.

It’s cool how you see some of the designs of the old cars in the new ones.”

Brett Lirones said he also gravitates toward some of the older cars on display.

“I’m a fan of Corvettes and I always like those displays. I always check out all the Corvettes. You can hop inside one. Some of the other non-debut cars you can get in and check out.”

Brett said there’s really nothing else like the show.

“It’s all lights and commotion,” said Brett. His dad concurred. “It’s wall to wall people. You just can’t believe it. You don’t see a lot of these cars where we live,” he said.

For those interested in attending the event, Muncey points to the brand new website as the source for all the information they’ll need: directions, places to stay, other points of interest, and, of course, tons of information about the show itself.

“The new website is mobile-friendly, with a section called ‘Stay and Play in Detroit.’ It has information on where to eat, park and stay. There are over 300 restaurants and bars in the downtown area,” he said.

The busiest days are during weekends and Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, Jan. 18). Muncey said around 100,000 people will visit the show over the weekend and, last year, more than 800,000 attended total.

For more information, visit NAIAS.com.