German Car Manufacturers Not at 2010 Detroit Auto Show?

By Henny Hemmes
Senior European Editor
Amsterdam Bureau
The Auto Channel

Jan 30, 2009

Amsterdam, NL - According to my sources, there is a fair chance that the North American International Auto Show will have to do without the German car manufacturers.

After the media days of the Detroit Auto show that was held this month, the representatives of Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen got together to talk about their possible absence in Detroit next year.

According to a source from within one of the German brands, nothing has been decided yet. But it is clear that the LA Auto Show has gained more interest since the date of the exhibition was moved from January to mid November a couple of years ago. The November date is a better match for the new model year and the L.A. location is better for the Germans who see most of their cars sold in California.

If the Germans don't go to Detroit, NAIAS might possibly lose its International Auto Show status. Many in the industry already feel that the growth of the much larger Chicago International Auto Show has allowed the importance of the Detroit show as an International showcase to diminish.

This year Porsche, Ferrari, Land Rover, Suzuki, Nissan and Mitsubishi skipped Motown.

Toyota, which did have a press event at the show, and Honda which held the world premiere of its new Insight Hybrid off site, not at a Cobo Hall press event, can hardly add to Detroit’s future as an international auto show, as they have a slew of plants in North-America and many consider them a domestic car maker there in the States.