TweetThe 2013 North American International Auto Show yielded some grand debuts. It is no secret which vehicle was the star of the show. It certainly caused a huge amount of discourse from its fans and its detractors. Yet, it was the most visible debut of them all given the live streams a few outlets – …
TweetIt was great to be back in Detroit. It was in 2006 when I first visited the Motor City. It welcomed me with a trove of history unlike any city I had planned to visit. Despite some bright spots, the Detroit was still trying to find itself. The city felt knocked down with neighborhoods too …
Tweet 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.0T AWD Premium Collection. All photos by Randy Stern A Victory & Reseda review of the 2013 Cadillac ATS This past Super Bowl, a gauntlet was thrown down. It had nothing to do with the victors who emerged from the stadium. Nor did it have to do with some halftime entertainment …
TweetLast year was simply a breakout year. This year eclipsed it. All told, I drove over 35 vehicles of all stripes throughout this year. They stretched from brief moments at a drive event to having two to choose from at the house for the week. Every vehicle brought a new challenge as I try to …
TweetEven mature adult working professionals can be "kids in the candy store." How so? Put a group of people working within the same confines of their work – regardless of where they came from and other individual foibles they might have – and let them do what they love to do. The "geek" comes out …
Tweet Amongst the new fall arrivals. Photo by Randy Stern It is time to address a joke. Last weekend, I posted on Facebook something cryptic. It reads as follows: "Tonight, I will be attending something I never thought possible considering where I am at today in my writing career and such…" Of course, I was …
A long time ago, the tag line "Standard of the World" stood for something special.
Over 100 years ago, the Cadillac Motor Car Company earned the right to call itself a "standard" above all else by advancing the automobile on several fronts. In 1908, Cadillac won the Royal Automobile Club's Dewar Trophy for demonstrating vehicle reliability with extensive use of interchangeable parts. Cadillac engineers disassembled one their cars, built it back up again and drove off in it. Back in 1908, that was considered revolutionary. A second Dewar Award was earned in 1912 for Cadillac's revolutionary key-initiated electric starting system.
These award-winning innovations are things we take for granted today. By giving the automobile a much-needed boost at a time when not a lot of people even considered one as part of their lives, we could appreciate Cadillac's right to proclaim itself as the "Standard of the World" a century ago.
For decades, Cadillac was the best selling luxury car in the world. It retained its leadership by being audacious in every way. We recognize the fins of the 1959 Cadillac – and the staggering detail of every inch of that model. There had to be a point where Cadillac's claim of being "Standard of the World" would no longer become relevant.
Consider how large the Chicago Auto Show's exhibition space is. That is 1.2 million square feet of space that has everything and anything you will need to navigate through the automotive world. Couple that with in-show experiences – ride-alongs, an area celebrating the United States Army, fun areas for the kids, vendors, and so forth – then you understand why one would come to McCormick Place in mid-February.
Between the two auto shows I attend annually, Chicago offers more bang for the buck. The First Look for Charity is considered one of the top events to do for the socially mobile in the Chicagoland Area. The show attracts an entire region to McCormick Place with new vehicles that are currently on sale or coming soon to a dealer near you.
As a member of the working automotive media corps, if I was unable not attend the shows in Los Angeles, Detroit, New York, Houston, Washington, or anyplace we are welcome, Chicago is a great place to catch up on what I missed throughout the calendar.
Let’s do some catching up, shall we?
No, I was not there this year.
If you read my Twitter, you'd probably wondered if I were to show up at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Unfortunately, the stars did not align properly. Yet, I was asked by fellow journalists, media relations people and other industry support people whether I would make the trek to the Motor City for this very important exhibition of the automobile. Not this year. I will someday.
Because of the speed of information available online and the ability to see video and images from the show readily, I was able to ascertain the big debuts and the most curious appearances at Cobo Hall. This helped in my coverage last year from my home in the Twin Cities.
Of course, there's nothing like being there. You get to see and touch these new products ahead of consumer sale. You get to see whether you'd feel comfortable behind the wheel of one. That’s why we go to auto shows, right?
Without further ado, here are my picks from NAIAS…