Hot Wheels 2008

January 04, 2008

In about two weeks or so, the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) will open at the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit. It is one of the biggest auto shows in the world and a must- see event on this side of the planet.

This year, I plan to be there having missed the last two years of the event. And if you're a car buff, you're going to love it.

Let me just give you an idea of how big and prestigious this event in the Motor City with this blast from the past...

The 2005 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) was held from January 14- 22 at the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit, Michigan, USA. Hundreds of thousands of car lovers and enthusiasts converge in the Motor City to watch the latest and trendiest car of their dreams- from the traditional high- end auto makers to the affordable ones; they made the 2005 edition a roaring success by their new and innovative designs that were a feast to the eyes of everyone.

The show was a showcase of the latest technological achievements and innovations of the different car makers in the world that came out with their best gear forward and gave the people their money’s worth for the entire duration of the said event. Every car maker literally went to town from the red-hot Ferraris to the sleek Maseratis to the flashy yellow Lamborghinis down to the simple Honda CRVs and Minis just to name a few. The Americans, Europeans and Asian Powerhouses made their presence felt for the eventful nine -day exhibition.

There’s the sentimental favorite, the new Concept Aluminum Ford GR-1 Shelby with a V-10 engine which boasts of a top speed of more than 200 mph is a reminder that the American Muscle cars are here to stay, the invasion of Porsches and Beemers notwithstanding. The Thunderbirds, Mustangs and Corvettes were show stoppers too. The Chrysler 300 was adjudged as the 2005 Motor Trend Car of the Year. The new F-150 in partnership with the king of motorcycle Harley- Davidson is a crowd- favorite as well. The Jeep Hurricane Concept where it can spin 360 degrees on its axis is a jaw- dropping hit! The strong Hummer is an example of brawn and power and the luxurious Maybach of beauty and elegance.

The traditional British’ timeless but cool and elegant craftsmanship can be seen in the Rolls, Jags, Bentleys and Aston Martins. The German giants like BMW (who had their futuristic Hydrogen Powered Concept Car), Porsche, Mercedes Benz and Audi were in a class of their own with their time -tested designs. While Swedish automaker Volvo unveiled their environment friendly one that electrified the crowd with the electric 3CC model although this time it was made not in their Swedish factory but in sunny California. Toyota had their compact and environment- friendly Prius too. Honda, not to be outshined by their rivals unveiled its new line of the ruggedly built Ridgeline designed to capture a piece of the lucrative American Truck market.

The Sports world presence can be felt as several race cars from NASCAR to the IRL and Formula One were displayed prominently. The 7-11 Honda racecar of Brazilian driver Tony Kanaan of the Andretti Green Racing Team and Toyota’s Target number 9 racecar of Kiwi driver Scott Dixon of the IRL IndyCar Series fame were certified crowd- drawers. What with the 2004 Formula One World Champion Ferrari F4 race car lurking conspicuously within the Ferrari exhibit booth? You can’t ask for a far better deal than this!

For nine days in January 2005, the Motor City was abuzz with people coming from all walks of life and from all over the globe as they were spun and wheeled to the sight and scent of the dizzying arrays of the trendiest and futuristic automobiles on this side of the planet.

Motown right in the heart of Michigan will always be the automobile capital of the world where the beautiful concepts and designs of the now and future automobiles rules.