Detroit Auto Show

The Detroit based North American International Auto Show went on a couple weeks ago and I had the pleasure to attend.  This isn't something that we would regularly cover but I thought it was worth a brief glimpse.  The show highlights all the current models from nearly every manufacturer as well as new models and concept cars.  

It is starting to become clear that the American automotive landscape is changing, with a move toward smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles.  Ford unveiled its Fiesta which has been for sale in Europe for some time, but now will be available for sale in the states, Mazda coincided that with the Mazda 2, which also will makes is US Debut.

Chrysler Showed its parent company Fiat's 500, a trendy little italian hatchback thats most direct competition will probably be the Mini.

The emphasis at every turn was green and efficient, clean diesels from Volkswagen, Hybrids from nearly everyone and pure electric cars from a bunch more.  

Along with this came some very small car manufactures aiming to break into the market with electric vehicles, its interesting to think that we might be living in a time when once again auto makers come from one persons vision to grow into vast companies.

For so long the American Auto Industry was dominated by the big three who owned a bunch of other names, its easy to forget that at one time most of those were started by a few people John and Horace Dodge, Henry Leland (Cadillac), Henry Ford and so on.  Over a hundred or so years and they are all household names, who knows what we will be driving in a hundred years more or what name will be on the badge.
-Charles Dykstra