North American International Auto Show

One word could describe the 2011 North American International Auto Show ELECTRIC. I’ve attended the auto show in years past experienced first-hand the growing sense the Detroit show had lost some of its prestige but this year brought a buzz and excitement not seen in quite some time and I was able to experience this with my Detroit SmugMug friends, with my camera in hand.  With the political wrangling over the future of Cobo Hall having been resolved, the people of Detroit have finally reclaimed our position as the unquestioned leader of the automobile world.  Gone is the sense of despair left in the wake of bankruptcy and bailouts, and the big three auto companies, which comprise the economic lifeblood of our region, are finally showing some real signs of life as shown in just a few of the up and coming concept cars and cutting edge vehicles.

Of course the star of this year’s shows is the North American Car of the Year; The Chevy Volt. There were so many photographers looking for the perfect angle to showcase this special car. All of the electric and hybrid cars have generated a lot of interest but the Volt has come to represent more than just a car but a symbol of hope that Detroit is still on the cutting edge of innovation in the 21^st century.  The cool sporty feel of this vehicle gives you the sense that hybrid/electric cars may in fact take the next step and actually look like something you wouldn’t mind driving if you were bigger than 4’ 3”.

Any auto show would not be complete without the absolutely absurd concept cars, of which plenty could be found like this pimped out police segway (not sure if I would want to chase down criminals in that).  My crazy cool award definitely goes to the Green Hornet car.  I keep thinking of all the useful things I could do if I had those cannons mounted on my Suburban. I’m not one for road rage but it would be pretty cool to see people get right out of my way if they seen those babies pop out.

The auto show is a great experience to take in, if you love cars or if you just want to see some interesting colors, shapes, and dimensions. One things is for sure, things are starting to look up. Big thanks to the Detroit Smuggers, it was a great time and I look forward to sharing great shots, tips, and more.