Detroit Auto Show Profile

Detroit's North American International Auto Show (called NAIAS for short) is held in January of each year, and is one of the most important auto shows for new vehicle introductions.

NAIAS unveilings have traditionally been flashy stage shows, and it wasn't unusual for automakers to bring in celebrities to help introduce their cars and trucks to the crowd. This year, a combination of slow sales and government loans (not just in the U.S.) will no doubt force manufacturers to replace the glitz with more conservative exhibits. Ferrari, Land Rover, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Rolls-Royce and Suzuki have have done more than trim back -- they aren't even attending the show.

Pickups won't take center stage at Detroit, but Ford gave me a new F-150 truck to test drive while I'm here. It's snowing and the city is expecting 5-6 inches before tomorrow morning -- testing the truck on winter roads should be fun.

_{Photo © Dale Wickell}