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The Detroit Auto Show was a great event. I have assembled here, a pictorial review of the show. It isn't all inclusive, but it is the highlights of my experience and I will give my impressions of each.


This is one of the many entrances. It doesn't look like much, but as you will see the action is on the inside.

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As we first walked in, we were greeted by a news conference. It was just swamped. If you can picture a people standing in every space and flashes going off in rapid succession, that is what it was like.

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After we walked around some, Kacey or Mike wanted to post something, so we sought out and found the famous Michellin Media Room. This is a great place for us "journalists" to gather and do our journalistic stuff. They had a great breakfast and lunch food spread. Thank you Michellin for the hospitality.

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After a bit of a posting, it was back to the show. This is a pic just inside another of the entrances.

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Then Kacey had to stop at the Honda exhibit. Under raps, is the CRZ. More on the later.

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The next few pics are of the Honda Clarity. This is a great car even without the Hydrogen fuel cell. I just like the size and shape of the car. They should release it in one of the hybrid models now.

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Another pic of the Clarity, it has a great aerodynamic shape.

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One quick look at Acura and then it is off to the Ford Exhibit.

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By far, Ford had the largest exhibit and was the best prepared at the show.

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Here is a pic of the Transit Connect it won the 2010 North American Truck of the Year. It is a great truck.

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The empty spot is where the Concept C car will appear after the Ford Press Conference.

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This is the start of the Ford Press Conference. Press Conference is not the right word to describe this event. It was dazzeling. This presentation was one of the best I have ever experienced. Afterwards, I remember thinking, I would have paid to see that. Ford put on a great presentation and they were the star of the entire show. They spent the most by far and definately made a splash at this show. The show started off with the cars appearing to hover over the power/start button. It was a fantastic effect.

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Several speakers were brought out but all was focused on the start button. Both the screen and stage were constantly changing and displaying graphics.

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OUt of the start button on the floor, comes thier new "C" Concept car. It was a great presentation, and after the car comes out of the floor, it rotated 360.

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They also drove out another car and I must say that this show was a masterfull presentaion of visual and sound effects. Now if they could just spray the theatre with new car smell, that would be the tops.

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Now back to the show. This is one of the many isles.

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Kacey seeing if he can fit into a Smart.

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Tesla had a great display. This pic is of the roadster. It is dirty because it is the one that is making the cross country tour. Notice the route drawn on the side of the car.

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The next two pics are of the new "S" model. Tesla made a dramatic announcement, that the S would be valued at $35,000 for a lease. WOW, even I could afford that. Where is the sign up sheet.

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I just couldn't resist taking this pic as the Ah.. Um... the car (yea that's it) was just so apealling.

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This is a shot of the Toyota news conference. It was packed. If the Ford presentation was Glitzy, Toyotas presentation was substantive. Toyota made several dramatic announcements. These included the Prius family of vehicles and the new FT-CH which will get better MPG then the current Pruis.

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The show included a history of the company.

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Then they unveiled the new FT-CH

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It was a great looking car, with a good feel to it.

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After Toyota, it was the VW Press Conference. If one word described it was arrogant. I kept listening to them and what the words that I heard, didn't match their actions over the last several years. For example, they now have a "me too" hybrid, but spent the last year bashing hybrids

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I kept thinking at any time I would here "Ve hav vays to mak you vuy it.

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This is an interesting model I saw in one of the display cases.

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Up next was the Honda Press Conference. If there was one word to describe Honda it is Practical.

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It was packed. Standing room only.

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A blur of information

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This is a shot looking backward from where I was seated.

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The leader of Honda.

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Then came the unveiling.

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The new CRZ

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There was also a cutaway. It looked like it was still driveable.

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We got to climb all over the CRZ

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The CRZ is a very impressive vehicle. It remindes my of a modern MGB.

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The white color was my favorite.

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One of the most dissapointing Press Conferences was from GM. This picture sums up my reaction.

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I had the opportunity to go a see the Plug in Prius Display at the Toyota exhibit.

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They had a very nice and informative cut away display.

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With great graphics.

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Nice car. I wish it was for sale now.

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The jeep brand continues to be an eye catcher. Terrible fuel economy numbers though.

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Where there is a lot of people you always find these. Politicians.

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How do you tell if a Politician is lying? There lips are moving.

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Wayne grilling the Honda rep.

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For me the highlight of the show was seeing the Nissan Leaf

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At first, I thought Nissan was absent from the show.

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They only had the Leaf on display and nothing else.

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It was very impressive.

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They have a nice cutaway display.

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Showing details of all the major components.

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Here is the inverter.

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The plugs. I am not sure which one is which.

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Up close of the battery pack, with a cutaway of one cell.

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The battery pack mounts below the car and is accessible as a one piece unit.

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Another shot of the battery assembly and how it attaches below the car.

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This last pic, I snapped as I was departing the show. I don't know the make or model, but it is 1/2 of a car.

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Fantastic pics. I also like a Ferrari in red.

What is this a picture of? It is part of the Nissan Leaf?
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The last pic of the tandem seat car who makes that? - Dale

I think the one on the right is the new regular charge port standard. The one on the left might be a fast charge port which also might be a standard.

Yes, it is the charge ports for the Leaf

That 1/2 car is the Commuter Cars Tango EV.

Hi Jud:

___Fantastic post covering the 2010 NAIAS in Detroit. I hope you had as much fun as I did ;)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Great pics. The honda CRZ looks great and so does the Leaf. The tango is quite a car I hear.

Thanks for the pics from the show, wish i could've gone =)

Just found this thread. Excellent pics and writeup. Thanks!

Well, it looks like money is pouring back into the car-show biz.
You know how much it costs to rent that forest of moving lights??
I probably would have been all over the production tech and later
asked "oh, there were cars to look at???"
.
Still...
.
Is the Clarity a hatch? That could be sweet from a camping and
freight-hauling perspective.
.
The Leaf batteries are really interesting -- like little bags
of plates , or something. Too bad the manufacturer website (http://www.eco-aesc.com/en/)
is so poorly written. How do we think the QC on those packs
might stack up, so to speak??
.
The Honda rep appears to be giving Wayne, or us, the finger...
.
_H*

Hi, Al -- unfortunately it is a sedan. The (media rich) site for the car can be seen below:

http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/

I'm not sure what the QC will be like on the Leaf's batteries but Nissan has been developing/testing lithium motivated electric cars since 1998. I rather think they've got some expertise in this area. ;)

The Honda rep appears to be giving Wayne, or us, the finger...
.
_H*

I noticed that also :)

Hi Al:

___It would not be the first time :D :D :D

___Jud, I want to add an intro, format this thread as an Article and move it to the article forum if that is ok with you?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Thanks for the pictures. Funny how you said Ford was on top of things at this show. I made the same observation at the Auto Show here in Pittsburgh. They were the only one of very few that I remember that was jumping on anyone that walked into their show area. VW was also out there pressing the flesh and answering show goers questions. I really can't remember anyone else caring whether people were looking at their cars or not. They were all too busy in conversation with each other to worry about the paying show visitors.

Hi Al:

___It would not be the first time :D :D :D

___Jud, I want to add an intro, format this thread as an Article and move it to the article forum if that is ok with you?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

OK, I will work on it tonight.