Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Detroit Auto Show, Nissan
Nissan pulls out of Detroit and Chicago auto shows
by John Neff on Nov 24th 2008 at 7:01PM 
Following the lead of Porsche, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Ferrari, Land Rover and Rolls-Royce, Nissan has announced that it won't be present at the 2009 North American International Auto Show, otherwise known as the Detroit Auto Show. But Japan's third largest automaker is going one step further than the others and also pulling out of the Chicago Auto Show in February.
You may recall that Nissan blew its wad, so to speak, at last week's LA Auto Show where it unveiled the new 370Z, Cube and Infiniti G37 Convertible. With nothing left to show save for a commercial van concept called the NV2500, Nissan felt its marketing money could be better spent elsewhere. No word yet on what'll happen to the NV2500 that was supposed to debut in Detroit, but at this rate we fully expect to have a large team of bloggers on hand in early January who are bored to death on the show floor of Cobo Hall. Thanks, economy.
[Source: The Detroit News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JDC 7:15PM (11/24/2008)
D'bags!!
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zamafir 7:24PM (11/24/2008)
nah it just makes no sense.
happy_penguin 7:19PM (11/24/2008)
I'll still be there. Come see me. :P
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P.V. 7:25PM (11/24/2008)
It makes sense that given that they have shown off their big guns now, as they have nothing major to show (other than products specific to other local markets), their money is better spent elsewhere.
On the other hand, I think this spells doom for the 2009 NAIAS.
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IK 7:27PM (11/24/2008)
if this is happening to detroit, what will happen to toronto's?
dsharp23 9:58PM (11/24/2008)
NAIAS is die'n fast. once LA changed its dates, it was all over. why else would anyone want to go to detroit?
Judy Zik 10:09PM (11/24/2008)
Different market. The Canadian market is still doing pretty good and Toronto is the key show so ironically Toronto will probably have more automakers there than Detroit this year. Unfortunately though it isn't the same. You don't get too many world premieres of new designs in Toronto. In the golden years every automaker pretty much unveiled all their new stuff for the North American market in Detroit. One auto show with all the excitement. In Toronto we are lucky if they ship the concepts they already unveiled at the other shows though they are promising a few "North American premieres" this year you wont see anything you haven't already seen pictures of on the net. It is nice to at least see the ones they do send in real life though.
I was thinking of making the trip down the 401 to the Detroit show this year but I am starting to wonder if it is worth it. Not that Nissan has ever been much of a highlight for me.
Torrent 7:34PM (11/24/2008)
lol
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TheRedMonkey 7:37PM (11/24/2008)
There are too many of these industry auto shows anyway. There is one like every week. One has to go away.
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Mobius_1 7:49PM (11/24/2008)
What's left? The Detroit ones, VW Group, BMW, Mercedes, Chinese cars?
Usually Ferrari booth babes are some of the best though :(
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Tagg 8:03PM (11/24/2008)
Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Lamborghini, and Hyundai are all still pretty important. Plus there usally isn't much of a shortage for hot auto show babes!
I'm just glad I took a bunch of pics of the GT-R last year!
Andrew L 11:35PM (11/24/2008)
Land Rover pulled out, does that mean Jag is also out?
Omer 7:46AM (11/25/2008)
totally agree about the babes comment. I was NYC auto show two years hands down Ferrari girls were the most good looking. By good looking I don't mean slutty they looked really elegant.
Tagg 7:56PM (11/24/2008)
Yeah, this is bad.
I think this is because of some polling done at the L.A. auto show where it was something like 80% of the people attending where NOT in a market for new vehicle. So it does make sense and since Nissan has already shown it's two new entries there is no point to go to Detroit and Chicago.
Before everyone says "goodbye Detroit" remember Nissan is skipping Chicago as well. So it's not a nail in the coffin or anything but it will look ugly. I just hope it doesn't damper the move to renovate and expand COBO because it desperately needs it.
On a funny note, Detroit lost Nissan and a few others for the show and it cannot even hold onto the top spot in crime! Jeez, way to go New Orleans, thanks!!! ;-P
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ebm14 8:34PM (11/24/2008)
Well, I hope they can afford to go to the auto show in Philly. It shouldn't be that expensive and they better show up in NY.
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sk 9:03PM (11/24/2008)
I just wonder how much they already paid to the NAIAS organization. Usually down payments for a booth reservation have to be made well in advance. And all the exhibit builders, I'm sure they got paid too. Damage control, I guess?
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bh 9:10PM (11/24/2008)
Does this mean there won't be any Nissans on display or that there won't be any new Nissans unveiled? Local dealers can still bring out some Sentras and Quests for people to sit in, right?
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the vegas style guy 9:16PM (11/24/2008)
IT'S OK, WE'RE HAVING AN AUTO SHOW THIS WEEKEND HERE IN VEGAS!
I'M SORRY, I JUST HAD TO.
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Kitko 9:30PM (11/24/2008)
It says more about US auto market and related industries than about Nissan and other "pull-outees"
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Level 9:34PM (11/24/2008)
since everyone gave such a big fuss over the big 3 CEOS flying private jets, I think the Big 3 should pull out of the Detroit show as well to show that they are not going to waste money on a lavish show...
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