2009 Detroit Auto Show: Less glitz and glamour...finally

Perhaps what’s most noticeable about the 2009 Detroit auto show is what’s missing. Contrary to shows in the past, there isn’t much food or drink--shell-shocked journalists used to truckloads of free food have their therapists on speed-dial because they can’t find any shrimp. Also absent is all the swag; sorry, boys, no giveaways this year.

I’m sure all car companies are looking for ways to save money, and this stuff was pretty easy to axe. Things seem pretty tame with the presentations, as well. It’s less boisterous, not very flashy and more subdued. I don’t mind the change. I don’t miss the loudest music this side of Metallica; fog/dry ice machines that make the debuting car impossible to see; laser lights and animation shows that would put Pixar to shame; and celebrities trying too hard to be funny.

But the biggest void is the missing car companies. There are several Detroit no-shows for 2009, the biggest, however, being Nissan. Is the company MIA to save money, or do they have nothing newsworthy to show?

And industry reports say that Honda and Toyota are choosing not to debut significant models with much of a splash.

That’s amazing.

I can understand a company such as Porsche pulling out of Detroit--I’ll bet that the entire state of Michigan doesn’t buy a significant number of its cars--but a company the size of Nissan skipping out? Weird. And Nissan corporate didn’t even want Detroit-area Nissan dealers at the show. Auto industry reports indicated that the Detroit’s Nissan dealers wanted to bring in some vehicles, have people on-hand to talk them up, and hand out a few business cards. Isn’t every car dealer these days simply begging for people to walk through their doors? When you think about the number of locals that are going to visit the auto show, wouldn’t you think that some might be interested in buying a Nissan or Infiniti? Why would any car company leave its dealers high and dry?

--Mike Quincy

See Consumer Reports' coverage of the 2009 Detroit auto show.