This month, needless to say, has been extremely cold. VERY COLD. And I promise, I’m not sensitive to the temperatures after living down south for the past eight years. It’s the coldest winter Detroit has experienced in twenty years, so it’s not just me. Due to this cold, I’ve been staying in quite a bit. I’ve been reading (Sycamore Row by John Grisham is PHENOMENAL. His best in years) and reflecting on my time in Detroit. However, the one thing that I did go out and do this month was attend the International North American Auto Show. Love is an understatement.
Since I can remember I have always been into cars. Now I’m not an expert-I cannot tell you about the newest engine for example- but I’ve always loved just looking up the newest cars and admiring them on the road. Prior to moving to Detroit, I had never heard of the auto show, but once I heard about it from a friend, I knew I had to go.
From the moment I walked in, I was taken aback by the displays and by the enormity of the event itself. I was like a kid in the candy store: where do I go first?! Ford? Mercedes? BENTLEY!?! Every automotive maker had a display complete with their newest cars and many had LED screens that had videos showcasing their cars. You were welcome to sit inside the cars and see them firsthand (except for the Bentleys. Only those who were invited to look at the Bentleys were allowed on the display). Talk about exclusive.
Having some event experience under my belt now, I’ve become aware of just how much planning and execution it takes to plan something of that scale.How were they able to get all these cars in here? How did they plan the layout of the Cobo Center for this event? Was placing Ford in the front of the display on purpose? Since Detroit is in fact the birthplace of the Ford car. Who is sponsoring all of this? After pondering this, I immediately went to the different displays and sat behind the different cars of my choice. Some of my favorite cars on display included the new Range Rover, the new Corvette and my two personal favorites the Mercedes SL 550 and new Porsche (I cannot recall the exact name. I told you I’m not an expert). All in all it was a great experience. I also had the chance to attend with one of my adopted mentees, a local high school student who had never had the opportunity to go to the car show even though he has lived in the city all is life. What an event for a non-Detroiter like me and even a native Detroiter to enjoy.
