The Chicago Auto Show was for years North America’s biggest with more vehicle introductions than other shows and about 1 million visitors annually.
Since 1989, however, the Detroit Auto Show has become the premier North American event. In early January, 50 production and concept vehicles made world debuts and 10 more made North American debuts in the three-day press preview. Unveilings included the redesigned Ford F-150 and Lexus RX330 and Nissan’s first full-size pickup, the Titan. About 16 models are being unveiled at McCormick Place at this year’s media preview, including the sporty SS models of the Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, a redesigned Ford minivan and a four-door Toyota Tundra pickup.
Richard Tyler, a retired business owner who lives near Joliet, has attended Chicago Auto Shows for 25 years or so, and he notices Detroit now gets more attention.
“It [Chicago] doesn’t carry the same luster it used to have. It was more of a gala event. Detroit seems to have more press coverage now,” Tyler said, adding that doesn’t stop him from going to McCormick Place most years.
“I still like to get a sense of what’s out there, especially when we’re in the market for a new vehicle,” he said. “I love seeing the concept cars.”
Others, such as annual show visitor Irene Burke, see no difference.
“We merely look forward to February, when we know the show will appear. Basking in the luxury of the very expensive cars we could never afford elates us,” said Burke, who describes cars such as Rolls-Royce “awe inspiring.”
Jerry Cizek, president of the Chicago Automobile Trade Association, the dealer group that sponsors the show, says consumers aren’t cheated because a vehicle was introduced elsewhere.
“They don’t care where the car debuted as long as they can see it in Chicago,” Cizek said. “Ours is a consumer show. Detroit is the place where the manufacturers show the rest of the industry and their suppliers what they have.”
But Chicagoans don’t always see the vehicles that debut elsewhere. This year, no-shows include two ultraluxury entries, the Rolls-Royce Phantom and Bentley Continental GT.
Concepts and pre-production models are often one-of-a-kind vehicles, and the Continental GT concept went to Japan for private showings to potential customers. The Phantom was shipped to California to be prepared for use as a demonstrator.
Also missing is the Aston Martin AMV8 concept unveiled in Detroit. It is on its way to Switzerland for the Geneva Auto Show, which opens March 6.
Audi’s Pikes Peak Quattro, a concept sport-utility due for production in a couple of years, has gone back to Germany.
Spokeswoman Jennifer Cortez said Audi’s German executives prefer to display concept vehicles at only one show per major market, and Detroit provides the most exposure in North America.
Chicago also competes with hundreds of shows in New York, Los Angeles and abroad to get new production and concept vehicles in McCormick Place.
Among competitors is the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, which this year runs on the same dates as Chicago.
Last year, Chrysler showed the 2004 Pacifica in Toronto (it is here this year), and General Motors did the same with its AUTOnomy fuel-cell concept.
This year, the Dodge Durango RT Hemi, a preview of Dodge’s 2004 SUV, heads to Toronto, along with the Mazda Washu and Suzuki Concept S. Toronto attracts about 300,000 visitors.
“That’s beyond our control,” Cizek said. “That’s usually a corporate decision made in the home country. Sometimes European or Asian automakers bring the cars to Detroit so their suppliers can see them.”
Detroit is “a media-driven show, but the consumer benefits the next week because all the product that’s coming in two to three years is there,” said Rod Alberts, executive director of the Detroit show, which drew 810,699 visitors this year.
Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, the show sponsor, says a high number of vehicle introductions–it has commitments for 24–helps boost attendance.
“When we can advertise all the exciting new products they’re going to see at the show, that really helps get people to come,” he said.
Some 1.3 million people visited the New York show last year, the highest attendance in North America. The CATA stopped reporting attendance a few years ago, when it said 1.2 million people visited.
Besides being the U.S. media capital, New York lets car companies cater Wall Street analysts whose recommendations affect stock prices. Investment firm Morgan Stanley and auto-industry forecasting firm J.D. Power and Associates sponsor a conference before the show that attracts analysts, auto executives and financial reporters.
As Nissan recovered from financial trouble in recent years, it used the Big Apple to announce it would build the 350Z sports car and let reporters and analysts know it had a future.
This year, Nissan rolled out three production models in Detroit and will introduce three more in New York in April. New York also benefits from later show dates than Los Angeles or Chicago, opening to the public the day before Easter.
Los Angeles opens to the public by the first Saturday in January under a contract with the city to use the Los Angeles Convention Center.
That puts it just ahead of Detroit.
“With Los Angeles being so early in January, they’re always going to be second fiddle [to Detroit],” Schienberg said.
“Chicago’s difficulty is that it is so close to Detroit in geography and in dates. They show so much product and tell so much news in Detroit that there’s not much left for Chicago,” he said.
Cizek says the CATA has no good alternative to its traditional February slot.
“Unlike other venues that don’t have other shows to compete with, McCormick Place is booked 50 weeks a year,” he said. “They’ve offered us other dates, but those dates fall on top of auto shows in Tokyo or Frankfurt or Geneva. If we went to the fall, we’d compete for parking with the Bears in Soldier Field.
“We’ve looked at other times, but the purpose of the show is to sell cars and dealers like the timing now as a kickoff to the spring buying season,” Cizek said, adding that the show perks up interest among large numbers of consumers.
