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NEWS > BUSINESS > DETROIT SURPRISES WORLD AT AUTO SHOW WITH CARS, VISITORS

DETROIT SURPRISES WORLD AT AUTO SHOW WITH CARS, VISITORS

January 13 2008

Detroit, MI – The Detroit Auto Show opened this past Sunday with a bang. The annual gathering, one of the world’s largest, comes amid continuing economic turmoil which continues to threaten the ostensible hosts of the show, Ford, GM, and Chrysler. Despite the economic chaos that has provoked a worldwide decline in automobile sales many manufacturers decided to attend the show and bring cars with them. And much to everyone’s surprise people showed up to see them.

The show is not without its absentees though. Nissan, Suzuki Mitsubishi, Ferrari, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, and Porsche have all been no shows, preferring to save their money to pay employees rather than shipping expensive cars overseas for an adoring public that has no longer has an ability to buy them.

“BMW and Audi both are both displaying cars but for the most part the more expensive car makers have stayed away. Most felt it a little like slumming anyway. A Rolls-Royce in the streets of Detroit isn’t exactly the height of class and practically speaking no one who can afford say a Ferrari is going to be slumming it in Detroit,” said Scrape TV business analyst Ken Green. “It’s maybe not so surprising that people are looking to attend the show even in this rough time. After all if you can’t buy, you might as well look.”

The public portion of the show doesn’t start until January 17th but show organizers are already anticipating big crowds not only for the much hyped electric cars being displayed, but also for the insurance money.

“Organizers expect that most people are going to be driving into the city and leaving their cars in some of the lesser areas in hopes of having them stolen. Many people are depending on insurance money for their next car purchase and when you live in greater Michigan, Detroit is the best place to go to have your car lifted,” continued Green. “It’s an easy excuse and there are precious little other reasons to be driving into the city for a day, unless you’re watching the Lions play. Oops, maybe not so much. Manufacturers though are hoping for a major lift in car theft to help through this first quarter, especially the big three. People aren’t going to suddenly be buying R8’s with insurance dollars.”

Insurance plans aside, automakers are hoping for a big splash for the new breed of cars in particular the Chevy Volt which is being lauded as a revolutionary step forward in hybrid vehicles. At forty thousand dollars though, the already troubled motor giant faces an uphill battle in changing not only the future of motor vehicles, but the very existence of their company.

“The Volt may have been a revolution five or ten years ago but today it’s just the last gasp of a dying manufacturer, or should I say last charge,” continued Green. “One car will not save Detroit they have much more fundamental problems. Better manufacturing and cheaper cars from overseas; limited markets in Europe and Asia; continued economic problems in the US. The reason that non-Detroit manufacturers have had success is because they have made cars for the world, not just their own country. The volt isn’t some kind of magic car that will resurrect an entire industry, I mean it’d be really cool if it was a magic car, but I sincerely doubt that. Keep in mind people will still have to plug those cars in and electricity isn’t getting any cheaper.”

The Volt is expected to begin production next year, should General Motors survive that long.

“The best news about the success of the auto show is that the companies won’t have to be going out and buying dust rags without any hope of return. All those people milling around will keep the dust in the air and whatever cleaning supplies they do have to buy will be more than paid for,” concluded Green. “Of course saving on cleaning supplies won’t help the industry in the long term. Insurance cheques might, but cleaning supplies likely not."

The Detroit Auto Shows official website can be found here. Insurance claims should be managed through an individual’s personal insurer.     

William Ashford, Business Correspondent 

NEWS > BUSINESS > DETROIT SURPRISES WORLD AT AUTO SHOW WITH CARS, VISITORS

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