Autoblog

DetNews: UAW convention in Detroit draws protestors

Chris Shunk — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:19:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, UAW/Unions

The United Auto Workers are gathering in Detroit this week through Thursday to elect new leadership, and delegates from around the country are filing into Cobo Hall - home of the Detroit Auto Show - to have their votes counted. And even though union membership has been cut in half over the past decade and automakers have won many concessions, many UAW Representatives feel that leadership did the best they could under difficult circumstances.

That sentiment hasn't been shared by all, though, as The Detroit News is reporting that about 50 active and retired UAW workers are picketing across the street from the Motown convention center. Many protesters picketed to show support for government-run single payer health care, while some were reportedly also critical of UAW leadership. The protesting even lead to one detention, as UAW retiree Al Benchich was put in handcuffs for handing out pamphlets at the main entrance of Cobo. Benchich was let go with a warning.

The delegates will elect new national, regional and local UAW leaders during the convention, including a successor to long-time President Ron Gettelfinger.

[Source: The Detroit News]

DetNews: UAW convention in Detroit draws protestors originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: Fire breaks out at Cobo, Detroit Auto Show evacuated

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:09:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Etc., Safety

Instant gratification can be an amazing thing, a fact evidenced once again by the always-on-top-of-things nature of Twitter. Apparently, Detroit Auto Show attendees were evacuated from Cobo Hall a short time ago after a reported electrical fire broke out at the Audi exhibit. Says the official NAIAS Twitter feed:

There was a small electrical fire inside Cobo. The fire is out and everything is under control... The building was cleared as a precautionary measure. The show will reopen in a couple hours.

Reports are unclear as to how the fire actually started, with some witnesses seeing sparks and others reporting flames as high as the ceiling with pieces of display falling down. Regardless, it's clear that thick smoke currently fills Cobo Hall and police, firefighters and other emergency personnel are on the scene.

Showgoers can get their hands stamped in order to get a voucher to come back another day, or wait until 5PM when the doors are currently scheduled to reopen. More info as we get it. Click here for a few photos posted on Twitter. Thanks for the tip, Chris!

[Source: Twitter]

BREAKING: Fire breaks out at Cobo, Detroit Auto Show evacuated originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Event Alert: January Calendar of Automotive Events

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Motorsports, Classics, Auctions, Europe, Misc. Auto Shows, India, Event Alert

January 2010 not only kicks off a new year, but also signals the end of the Naughties. The automotive landscape has changed quite a bit since the days of the Y2K scare, but some things remain the same. January still hosts the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Cobo Hall in Detroit, the racing season roars to life with the Rolex 24 at Daytona, Barrett-Jackson and the rest of the auction houses will still be propping up their tents in Arizona, and the RetroMobile classic car show and auction will return to the banks of the Seine in Paris.

Classic and collectible car fans will also be treated to the Cavallino Classic, La Jolla Motor Classic, Grand National Roadster Show, and Kruse South Florida Collector Car Auction. Meanwhile, consumers get a chance to kick tires and take notes on the 2010 models at the San Diego Auto Show, Washington Auto Show and Portland International Auto Show domestically, and internationally at the European Motor Show Brussels and Auto Expo India. Besides Daytona, race fans can look forward to events as diverse as the IRC's 78th Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo and the World Drag Expo swapmeet in Schaumburg, Illinois.

If none of those events appeal to you, check out our Google Calendar after the jump for even more listings, all with detailed info and links. And please don't forget to use the Comments to modify listings.

Continue reading Event Alert: January Calendar of Automotive Events

Event Alert: January Calendar of Automotive Events originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Detroit Auto Show main floor is full, recession officially OVER

Chris Shunk — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 09:13:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Infiniti, Nissan, Porsche

The 2009 North American International Auto Show was a bit of a disaster. The very difficult and uncertain economic conditions resulted in several high-profile automakers dropping out of the exhibition. Among the absent automakers were Nissan, Infiniti, Mitsubishi and Porsche, and a quick jaunt around Cobo's main floor revealed the empty spaces left by those big-time players. The future of the Detroit Auto Show is already looking brighter, however, with the approval of a much-needed overhaul of Cobo Hall, and more good news is coming in the way of a full main floor.

Detroit show organizers aren't yet ready to tip their hand as to which automakers will be attending the show, but among those likely to return are Nissan and Infiniti, as Japan's number three automaker is just too big to stay out of the North American International Auto Show two years in a row. The Detroit Free Press reports that Porsche has been unhappy with the lack of major media coverage at the L.A. Auto Show, and the German automaker could turn to Detroit to get its media fix. Porsche could also find itself sharing space with its new parent, Volkswagen.

While Detroit looks bring back some automakers that were lost last year, North America's biggest auto show could also bring in some newcomers. Fiat's partnership/ownership of Chrysler could mean that Fiat and Alfa Romeo models wind up parked near the Chrysler booth. India's Mahindra group, which is looking to sell trucks and SUVs here in the States, could be another option, as could China's BYD. We're really looking forward to this year's NAIAS, and it will be nice to once again see a full main floor. Another Detroit January, on the other hand, is something we can do without.

[Source: The Detroit Free Press]

2010 Detroit Auto Show main floor is full, recession officially OVER originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 09:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cobo Hall expansion reportedly cleared, paving way for NAIAS to stay in Motor City

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Government/Legal

It's been a long road with more than its fair share of protracted negotiations and questionable decisions along the way, but the Detroit City Council has finally cleared the path for Cobo Hall to get the much-needed expansion, repairs and ongoing maintenance it's deserved for years. By choosing not to vote on the plan at all, the Council will allow Cobo Hall to be turned over on lease to a regional authority that will oversee the building's day-to-day operations. Says Council President Kenneth Cockrel Jr.:

I know this has been an emotional issue and a controversial issue. But it's real simple: We don't have the money to do this on our own. This thing is a go, and it's something they should be happy about. It's going to allow us to re-position Cobo to make it competitive, to secure the (North American International) Auto Show and attract other kinds of convention business.

With this potential roadblock out of the way, it now seems likely that the North American International Auto Show will indeed stay in the Detroit - assuming, of course, that the world's collection of automakers is willing to continue making the annual trek to the Motor City in January.

[Source: Detroit News]

Cobo Hall expansion reportedly cleared, paving way for NAIAS to stay in Motor City originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: North American International Auto Show likely to move out of Detroit, see other people

Chris Paukert — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials

In car-related news that will further disappoint an already reeling city, the chairman of Detroit's North American International Auto Show has gone on record that he is exploring ways to move the event out of the city.

The very public battle to expand the show's home, Motown's Cobo Center appears to have failed for good, after the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Detroit City Council, in effect killing plans for a $288 million expansion, a plan voted down by council members in February. For his part, city mayor Ken Cockrel Jr. is evidently declining to go to the state Supreme Court to force the issue.

So now, the search is on to take the show to a new venue, likely beyond Detroit's city limits, and potentially beyond the bounds of Southeast Michigan, as well. Automotive News quotes auto show co-chair Douglass Fox as saying:

At this point we need to consider any viable option that might be out there for us... There have been leaders -- (Oakland County Executive) L. Brooks Patterson comes to mind - who have made those overtures. We need to explore those options.

Fox and his team are expected to move quickly, but given the scope of the planning required for a major international auto show, it is perhaps likely that the NAIAS will still be hosted by Cobo next January. Beyond that, though, the city of Detroit looks set to witness yet another auto-related casualty.

[Source: Automotive News - subs. req]

REPORT: North American International Auto Show likely to move out of Detroit, see other people originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michigan's Oakland County to grab NAIAS from Cobo?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Government/Legal

We can't blame Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson one bit for thinking the North American International Auto Show might be better served by moving locations away from Detroit's troubled Cobo Center. The building itself has been in disrepair for years, with a leaky roof and a poor electrical system generally cited as its most urgent needs. When an agreement was finally reached that would have fixed most of Cobo's many woes and expanded it with an additional 166,000 square-feet of floorspace, we all let out a collective sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, in what our own John McElroy called "a stupefying move at the 11th hour," the Detroit City Council voted down the proposed plan by a five-to-three tally, saying that the $20 million the city would be paid to give up power over the dilapidated building wasn't enough. Naturally, this action drew ire from a number of important sources, not the least of which being the automakers who are growing increasingly fed up about the horrid state of affairs at the Detroit Auto Show.

Here's where Patterson comes into play: "If this thing goes down, I'm done," Patterson has told The Detroit News. "I'm not going to go back to Detroit to try to resurrect the deal. Five years is enough." Unfortunately, Patterson's plan to move the annual event to another location in the Detroit area has a few potential snags of its own. The next largest nearby venue is the Pontiac Silverdome, which is about two-thirds the size and has been empty since the Detroit Lions left the stadium in 2002.

And what does the embattled Detroit City Council have to say about Patterson's proclamations? "He's bullying us as usual... he just wants everything on his own terms" says councilwoman Barbara-Rose Collins.

This is one sordid affair that seems likely to drag on for years with no end in sight.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Michigan's Oakland County to grab NAIAS from Cobo? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Amazingly Stupid Detroit City Council - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

John McElroy — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:26:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Autoline on Autoblog

Nobody reading this blog needs to be told how much trouble Detroit is in. Whether it's the Detroit Three, the city of Detroit, or the greater Detroit area, the story's the same: we're in trouble!

One of the very few events that provides positive media coverage for Detroit every year is the North American International Auto Show. I'd rate it as one of the top three auto shows in the world. It brings in thousands of members of the media, as well as executives from automakers and suppliers in Europe and Asia. They fill up every hotel for a 40-mile radius. Thanks to the exhibits that get built, the special events that are held, all the restaurant meals that are ordered and all the taxi rides needed to get around, the show brings in a half billion dollars of desperately needed economic activity every year.

The show is held in Cobo Hall, which was built in 1960. Everyone has known for years that it needs to be renovated and expanded, but that's going to take several hundred millions of dollars and the city is broke.

So it's taken years to carefully craft a deal that involves the governor, the state Senate and House, three different county executives, as well as the mayor and the city council of Detroit. But in a stupefying move at the 11th hour, the city council voted 5 to 3 to reject the deal.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.

Continue reading The Amazingly Stupid Detroit City Council - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

The Amazingly Stupid Detroit City Council - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit City Council kills plan to expand NAIAS home

Chris Shunk — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:03:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show

Each year, thousands of journalists arrive in Detroit to see the best and brightest concepts and production vehicles automakers have to offer. It's estimated that the Detroit Auto Show brings in $500 to $600 million dollars annually to the region, which is struggling more than most due to the global recession. For years, the City of Detroit has failed to expand Cobo, and each year there are threats that the NAIAS will be taken away from the Motor City. The state of Michigan has been working with executives from Wayne and Oakland counties and the city of Detroit to upgrade Cobo, but yesterday the Detroit City Council voted down the proposed plan by a five-three tally. The proposed expansion was to add a much needed 166,000-sq. ft. of floorspace at a cost of $288 million.

The part of the plan that isn't sitting well with Detroit officials is a stipulation that hands control of the aging facility to a regional authority controlled by the tri-county area and representatives from the city and state. The city would receive $20 million dollars in funds to cede power of Cobo, but the council feels they aren't getting fair value for the venue. The city, which has been knee-deep in debt for years, operates Cobo at an annual loss of between $13 and $15 million. Due to disrepair, analysts say the building is worth a negative $284 million dollars.

We love the Detroit show, but the fact is that Cobo is a bit of a dump. The escalators don't always work, the cars are crammed into the limited floor space, and last year a fork lift collapsed into the Cobo floor. Automakers have been making their concerns known, with several pulling out of Detroit this year and a few more revealing no new products. NAIAS organizers say that Cobo must be repaired in 2010 or the city could lose its International designation. Exactly what the struggling city and region don't need right now.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Detroit City Council kills plan to expand NAIAS home originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No Spark: What happened to GM's promised 5-door microcar in Detroit?

Chris Paukert — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Budget, Geneva Motor Show, Etc., Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Chevrolet Beat Groundhog Day edition

Earlier this week, when General Motors rolled out the very same 3-door Chevrolet Beat concept that it showed back in 2007, we were a bit confused. After all, GM's Ed Welburn teased all of America when he pulled back the tarp on a related (but clearly different) subcompact during NBC's Today Show (video here), only to trot out the same vivid green three-door that has been steadily making the show circuit rounds for some time now.

Well, Kicking Tires has unearthed the back story, and evidently the tarp-pulling session with Matt Lauer revealed a foam model of the production Spark five-door. Understandably, GM couldn't very well drive a foam block up the ramp and onto the stage, so it simply left it out of its press conference and substituted the old concept. We thought GM might quietly put the five-door out on the floor later, so we checked back at their display during yesterday's supplier days, and unfortunately Chevrolet's stand never did get the mockup.

Kicking Tires evidently had to place repeated calls to GM's communications team in order to get them to admit that they had pulled a switcheroo. Eventually, GM's Klaus-Peter Martin noted that: "...any misunderstanding was unintentional, and that the company had always intended to reveal the production Spark in Geneva." That may be true, but we have trouble understanding why the car was teased on national television and a press shot of the five-door was circulated with the Detroit Auto Show press release.

Regardless of GM's intent, we look forward to seeing the production Spark in March, and eagerly await its arrival on America's roads in 2011.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: Chevy Spark, aka Beat

[Source: Kicking Tires]

No Spark: What happened to GM's promised 5-door microcar in Detroit? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit Auto Show: Green driving comes to Cobo's basement

Noah Joseph — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Green, Electric

Unless you're trying to outrun a Corvette in a Fiesta, driving indoors is not typically recommended, what with the toxic fumes and all. Low-emissions vehicles may change that and the Detroit Auto Show's organizers will illustrate it by converting Cobo Center's Michigan Hall into a green test track. Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the MEDC EcoXperience will offer show-goers the chance to drive a variety of environmentally-friendly new vehicles around a forested 1/8-mile test track.

The list of participating vehicles has yet to be confirmed, but it could include some six to twelve different (almost assuredly all American) vehicles, including the Chevy Equinox hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle. Public visitors will have the chance to put-put around the track at 10 mph with a professional co-pilot in between trees and waterfalls. And just in case the low- or zero-emissions vehicles manage to spew a bit more fumes than the trees can convert, there will be air quality monitoring devices in place.

Of course, none of this would have been possible if all those automakers hadn't withdrawn from the show, allowing the Chinese companies that were previously relegated to the Michigan Hall to move upstairs, thus clearing the way for the forest track to be installed. We'll check it out for you next week when the Autoblog caravan rolls into Detroit.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Detroit Auto Show: Green driving comes to Cobo's basement originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese CEOs sitting out Detroit show, scale back the glitz

Noah Joseph — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Honda, Toyota

Honda and Toyota may not be joining their colleagues at Nissan, Mitsubishi and Suzuki in canceling their participation in this year's Detroit Auto Show, but they still won't be laying on the glitz and glamor that have become the mainstay of past events.

For starters, both Honda's and Toyota's CEOs won't be attending, even though the market is vital to their success. Beyond that, neither will be holding press conferences to unveil their new hybrids, simply placing the vehicles on their show stands and waiting for questions. No parties, either, as they acknowledge the economic state of the industry leaves little to celebrate this year. The automakers didn't give any specific reasons for their decision to scale things back, but sources suggest that the move was made out of deference to the difficulties faced by their rivals in Detroit.

[Source: The Detroit News | Image: Junko Kimura/Getty]

Japanese CEOs sitting out Detroit show, scale back the glitz originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cobo Hall expansion plan approved... will NAIAS recover to need the space?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Government/Legal

Automakers have been fleeing the Detroit Auto Show in droves over the last few months. Porsche, citing slow sales in metro Detroit, was the first to announce it was pulling out of the NAIAS, but Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Ferrari, Land Rover and Rolls-Royce all followed suit shortly thereafter. While much of the blame can be placed squarely on the broad shoulders of the global economic meltdown, organizers of the event also point to the quickly deteriorating conditions at Cobo Hall and the lack of available space when compared to such venues as the Chicago Auto Show.

Even if they can't fix the economy, the ~~U.S.~~ Michigan Senate has stepped in to fix Cobo. A total of 166,000 square-feet of space will be added to the 700,000 that is already present. NAIAS officials are hopeful that this added room, along with a general tidying up of the joint, will bring those manufacturers back and keep any others from leaving after '09. To reach a deal, a five-member board will oversee Cobo Hall, including the governor of Michigan and representatives from Detroit and Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. We're sure negotiations will go just swimmingly from here on forward.

[Source: Detroit News]

Cobo Hall expansion plan approved... will NAIAS recover to need the space? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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$90m upgrade to Cobo being pushed as automakers drop out

Chris Shunk — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Etc.

The North American International Auto Show is by far the largest auto show in North America, but the small, aging facility that houses the new car party is prompting automakers to ditch the event all-together. In response to news that Suzuki has joined Porsche in bowing out of the 2009 show, the city of Detroit is rushing a $90M plan to increase floor space by 80,000 sq. ft. The move is seen as a stop-gap measure, with other more grand plans still on the way at a later date. With far superior facilities in New York, Chicago, and LA, Detroit may not have long to act.

For people in the Detroit area, the Cobo expansion has been a hot topic of conversation, but one that typically doesn't get beyond the talking stage. If area executives continue to try to one-up each other, argue and get nothing done, more automakers are likely to bow out in the future.

[Source: Detroit News]

$90m upgrade to Cobo being pushed as automakers drop out originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Suzuki bows out of 2009 Detroit Auto Show

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:33:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Trends, Marketing/Advertising, Suzuki

Porsche and Suzuki rarely come up in the same breath, but here is something they both share: neither will be in Cobo Hall when the Detroit Auto Show opens in January. Joining the Stuttgart sportscar/SUV/SUS maker in skipping the show, Suzuki has said that they are pulling out for a slightly different reason. Whereas Porsche had said that Detroit wasn't a very important market for them, Suzuki is saying they didn't like the space they were offered. Here, Suzuki is hitting closer to what many people feel is the real problem with Cobo, there just isn't enough room. It's a fine hall with a storied past, and as a journalist it's nice to be able to get to any press conference within a minute from the media center, but it's not very big compared to the other halls around the world. With a name like "2009 North American International Auto Show" it needs more square-footage. It's still the most important auto show in the country, if not the world, and maybe losing Suzuki and Porsche don't hurt it too much, but this move by Suzuki could be marking a trend that can only be stopped with a major expansion. Back in January, we mentioned that a plan is being formulated to expand Cobo Hall, but the project is still in the financing stage as far as we know. Hopefully something can be done before long to save this great show's reputation.

[Source: Detroit News]

Suzuki bows out of 2009 Detroit Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2007 Detroit Autorama sneak peek

John Neff — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 12:55:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Misc. Auto Shows

As we mentioned earlier, the Detroit Autorama is this weekend. The doors of Cobo Hall in downtown Detroit opened up to the public about an hour ago, and while we won't be on hand ourselves to take pictures, an industrious Autoblog reader by the name of Jason Stoddard has already reported back with pics of the show before it even opened. You can check out his Flickr gallery here.

Jason's gallery gave us an idea. We're sure many Autoblog readers in the Detroit area and beyond will be attending the Detroit Autorama this weekend. Take your cameras, shoot liberally, and send us your best photos. We'll compile them in a mega gallery so that Autoblog readers around the world can enjoy all the custom steel the Detroit Autorama has to offer. Just make sure that if you shoot a car at the show, you also get a clear shot of its placard with all of its info so we know what we're looking at. SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO AB RESEARCH AT GMAIL DOT COM. We'll create a gallery when the first batches roll in and update it throughout the weekend.

2007 Detroit Autorama sneak peek originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Mar 2007 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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