 
Southwestmap
Member
Username: Southwestmap
Post Number: 641
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 10:22 am: |    |
A potential blow to Detroit's image is outlined in this article in yesterday's NYT:
"Is that the Sound of Stealing Thunder Heard in Los Angeles?"
The article, about the new prestige of the Los Angeles Auto Show, ends with this:
"Could a rise in the prominence of a Los Angeles show hasten the decline of Detroit as the industry's center of gravity? Will journalists and auto executives find thay prefer the warm glow of the Los Angeles sun to the wintery slush of the Motor City? Both developments are possible."
Also, in today's times, an article "Westward Ho! To Auto Museums" enthusiastically listing the many auto collections in CA and the Southwest. |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 3159
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 11:48 am: | |
As long as the auto big whigs come to Detroit, it seems unlikely the journalists won't follow...
And as long as our local companies keep doing their major unveilings here in Detroit, having Chicago or New York or Los Angeles change their automotive dates isn't going to steal our thunder. But we must be vigilant! |
Livernoisyard
Member
Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 1833
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 12:01 pm: | |
I heard on WJR this morning that the LA media do not put much effort into promoting the LA auto show. Also, the typical vehicle for CA is a foreign model, by far. Not good for the Detroit Three. |
Ndavies
Member
Username: Ndavies
Post Number: 2340
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 12:14 pm: | |
Moving the LA show earlier should help the Big 3. The Big 3 always present their best concepts in Detroit. With the LA show previously being the same week they couldn't show those concept vehicles at both places. They are too expensive to build more than one of. Now they can get their best concepts into the LA show. This should help generate excitement for their current line up.
You have to ask what would help us the most? Having a great Detroit show but poor Big 3 California sales, or two great shows with an increase in Big 3 sales in LA. |
Gravitymachine
Member
Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 1406
Registered: 05-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 12:57 pm: | |
on the international level, the NAIAS still has more pull....now if only the convention space lived up to international levels. |
Bob
Member
Username: Bob
Post Number: 1244
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 1:08 pm: | |
They said on WWJ this morning that NAIAS gets 60% of the press coverage while the other three shows (New York, LA, and Chicago) split the other 40%. Detroit will still be THE show. |
Lmichigan
Member
Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 4781
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 3:46 pm: | |
Gravity, that's the real concern. It's not that the LA show is better, but the NAIAS's lackluster venue really hurts the image of the show. They've been preaching the rise of LA's show and the death of Detroit's for years. It's more of the press' want than the reality of the situation. I'm sure they'd LOVE it to be moved to LA, or destroyed to prop up LA's. It's all about the image, here. |
Southwestmap
Member
Username: Southwestmap
Post Number: 642
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 3:53 pm: | |
Just as for a Super Bowl venue, the press corps has a lot of pull. If the LA show is compelling - and it suddenly is- the press will go to LA rather than Detroit in January.
Unheard of previously that Rick Wagoner/GM would make a big announcement in LA , not Detroit - but that's just what's happening with Wagoner announcing in LA that GM will shift toward producing more fuel-efficient vehicles and highlighting the I-car.
Cobo is just too small for all the new vehicles, the weather doesn't help. Unless Detroit gets way more aggressive, the bell will toll. The NYTImes article is the prediction. The auto press corps will be buzzing. |
Lilpup
Member
Username: Lilpup
Post Number: 1500
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 4:26 pm: | |
All the enviro friendly stuff has to be highlighted in LA. That's the only way to curry favor out there. One rather b*tchy S. Cali woman I know refused to buy domestic because they weren't eco-friendly. She bought a Toyota Highlander and totally ignored me when I pointed out that the Escape hybrid gets the same mpg as the Highlander. |
Jerome81
Member
Username: Jerome81
Post Number: 1204
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 6:48 pm: | |
It is up to the manufacturers. If they continue to roll out more new models and concepts in Detroit, it will remain the premier show in the world. Its all about the metal in the building, not the building itself or the city outside.
There are plenty of better convention centers and better cities BEFORE LA. Why would this change anything? Cause it is LA and sunny? Please.... |
Lmichigan
Member
Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 4782
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 8:33 pm: | |
You'd be surprised with how many Americans made decisions based solely on the fact of a warmer climate. I've heard it far too often, and in this case it would take nearly nothing to move the show completely out west, where they've already been building a base for quite a few years/decades, now. |
Yvette248
Member
Username: Yvette248
Post Number: 268
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 06, 2006 - 9:28 pm: | |
This is reason #1 for regional cooperation in expanding/updating Cobo Arena. If we don't get our act together in order to compete against other regions, we are giving them good reasons to pull out and focus on LA, Chicago, and NYC. |
Just_for_the_halibut
Member
Username: Just_for_the_halibut
Post Number: 7
Registered: 06-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 06, 2006 - 9:35 pm: | |
McCormick Place is pretty huge and could handle NAIAS. I think its making people nervous. However, I went to the Detroit Show then the Chicago show in the same year and the one in Chicago was sub par compared to the one in Detroit. All the hype glitz and glamour build it up. |
Yaktown
Member
Username: Yaktown
Post Number: 67
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, December 07, 2006 - 12:01 am: | |
Does anyone else here think the LA and Detroit show dates should be flip-flopped? It always seemed like a crappy time of year to me for worldwide journalists to descend upon Detroit in the dead of winter. Plus, there was the debacle a few years back with the blizzard. That didn't put us in a good light. |
3420
Member
Username: 3420
Post Number: 84
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 07, 2006 - 1:08 am: | |
I say move it to the the 3rd week in June ending around the same time as the International Freedom Festival. Warmer climates gives the automaker a chance to set up some stage props outdoor and be more creative. That way you don't have to put all your money into the exhibition space inside. You could simply showcase some vehicles during events outdoors.
By January being the first month of the year, auto makers feel that this is the best way to show what is to come later that year and beyond. I would prefer a warmer climate, but don't mind the cold either. More people would attend in a warmer climate anyway because it would be more comfortable to get around instead or walking in the snow or slush. They could possibly get 1,000,000+ in attendance if they switch. But no matter what, our show is better because we have more glamour and glitz as some have said what makes us more unique.
Don't want to see LA take nothing else from Detroit. |