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ACTION DETROIT |
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A Publication of the Detroit Metropolitan Airport News
www.dtwnews.com
Entertainment * Airlines * Hotels * Night Life * Restaurants
2003 AUTO SHOW
‘03 North American International Auto Show Hits Detroit
by tom yates
If it’s January it must be time for the auto show and time for people from not only Southeastern Michigan, but visitors from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Canada to head for Cobo Center to lust after the latest offerings from US, Asian and European automobile and light truck manufacturers. For almost one million people it’s a given that Cobo will be their destination some time during the Show’s week long run. If DTW NEWS readers haven’t checked, this year the NAIAS runs from Saturday, January 11 through Monday January 20.
According to NAIAS spokespeople the show will be a little different this year. For the first time the Show will make a special effort to make things easy for those who haven’t been affected by the recent economic slowdown. Grouped together in an L-shaped area at the front of the show will be the ultra-luxury and ultra-performance European imports. There you’ll find Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Maybach and Rolls-
Royce displays. The grouping will be near other, more pedestrian, European luxury brands such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes. If your checkbook doesn’t have a balance in the high five to low six figure area a visit to the exhibit will just be an exercise in self abuse and temptation. It will undoubtedly make you think harder about making a run to Indiana when the Power Ball jackpot gets in the double-digit millions zone. According to Bill Demmer, NAIAS 2003 Senior Co-Chair, “In the last few years, luxury and exotic
vehicles have taken on an increasingly prominent role at auto shows around the world. Given the growth in this market segment, we decided that collectively showcasing these premium luxury models - side-by-side - would add yet another element of excitement to the NAIAS.” It will be interesting to see so much luxury, performance and stratospheric price tags in one small area.
A sidelight of the “ultra” exhibit area is it will mark the first time that Bentley and Rolls-Royce
appear as individual brands. Over their 71-year history both models were manufactured by Rolls-Royce but as of January 1, 2003 they will separate. BMW takes charge of Rolls-Royce models while Volkswagen assumes control of the lower priced Bentley line.
One highlight of the “ultra” exhibit area will be the introduction of Bentley’s new Continental GT. The 500-horsepower grand touring coupe is powered by a 12-cylinder engine with twin turbochargers paired with
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