2009 Detroit Auto Show Preview
Detroit's North American International Auto Show is supposed to be an annual celebration of the automobile -- a carnucopia of concept dream machines and gleaming production sheetmetal all unveiled at over-the-top, glitzified extravaganzas.
Boy, have times ever changed. The 2009 Detroit auto show is taking on the trappings of an expensive funeral, the only thing missing from the cars will be the orange flags used to keep the procession moving along. Several automakers, including most notably Nissan and Mitsubishi, have decided to strike Detroit off their calendar altogether.
And of course, there are the trials and tribulations of the bruised and bloodied Detroit Three. Like a trio of soldiers charging into a hail of gunfire, their futures remain frightfully uncertain -- even with the recent cash infusion GM and Chrysler recently secured from the Bush administration. It's too bad, too, because GM and Ford especially have several top-notch offerings planned for the show, including the new Ford Taurus and Buick LaCrosse.
Happy to say, the Germans are coming. Audi has three world debuts, including the amazing V-10-powered Audi R8, and the BMW Z4 will make an appearance. Mercedes is bringing its critically important 2010 E-Class and BlueZero concepts, and VW has something in store as well. Japanese heavyweights Honda and Toyota have also decided to show up and will play a my-hybrid's-better-than-yours game -- with the new Honda Insight Hybrid and the updated Toyota Prius vying for top green billing.
Other interesting debuts teased so far include the Volvo S60 and Subaru Legacy concepts, a high-powered Jag or two, and a new hybrid Lexus.
So while the bite in the January air will probably seem a little more frigid and most of the pomp and circumstance of shows past won't find their way to the Cobo Hall floor this year, as the cliche tells us -- the Detroit show must go on.
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