Chinese automakers move to main floor of 2009 NAIAS thanks to no shows
11/25/2008, 8:02 PM
By Drew Johnson
The Detroit Auto Show can’t be happy that several big name automakers have pulled out next January’s show, but, as the saying goes, there is always a silver lining. Due to the vacancies on the main floor, two Chinese automakers will be presenting in Cobo’s main hall for the first time.
China’s BYD Auto Co. and Brilliance Jinbei Automotive Co. will be setting up shop for the first time in Cobo’s main hall come January. Chinese automakers have been attending the Detroit show for years, but have only presented in Cobo’s lower – and often overlooked — Michigan Hall.
“They’ve been waiting, all the exhibitors in Michigan Hall, so it’s a wonderful opportunity for them,” Joe Serra, show co-chairman, told Automotive News.
BYD and Brilliance have been allotted 11,000 square feet on the main show floor.
So far Nissan, Infiniti, Land Rover, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Mitsubishi, Suzuki and Porsche have pulled out of the Detroit show, with several other automakers rumored to be mulling the trip to the Motor City.
11/25, 8:11 PM
posted by:
desertdriver
The Detroit automakers are so screwed
11/25, 8:33 PM
posted by:
Astonman12
this is gross :-0 blahhhhhhhhhhh.
11/25, 8:59 PM
posted by:
carbonsigma
ROFL!
11/25, 9:00 PM
posted by:
GT40
This years show is going to suck thanks to Nissan, Infiniti, Land Rover, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Mitsubishi, Suzuki and Porsche.
11/25, 9:04 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
Oh come on. It’s not like no one will notice, since the Chinese cars look just like the ones that are missing.
11/25, 9:21 PM
posted by:
DB9
@LLN
^”So far Nissan, Infiniti, Land Rover, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Mitsubishi, Suzuki and Porsche have pulled out of the Detroit show, with several other automakers rumored to be mulling the trip to the Motor City.”
They’ll be there; well, sort of:-)))
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtTmnchkuR8
DB9
11/25, 9:29 PM
posted by:
carbonsigma
@beatusmongous,
So true. Gotta love the half-arsed BMW badge on the BYD pictured.
11/25, 9:34 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Hopefully the refuse containers in the surrounding area are clearly labeled so as to deter patrons from tossing their empty beer cups and hot dog wrappers through the windows.
11/25, 10:04 PM
posted by:
Impulsive
Hey, the Hondas and Acuras look as bad as the Chinese products … have them side by side and no one will be the wiser.
11/25, 10:58 PM
posted by:
bcjohnso99
in 2020, people will look back on this as the lucky break they needed to crack into the most lucrative auto market in the world.
11/25, 11:04 PM
posted by:
wideopenthrottle
Beatus, so true. Read an article somewhere (probably here or possibly MotorTrend mag) about BMW suing a Chinese automaker for copying the X5
11/26, 1:47 AM
posted by:
KarLoveBoy88
This remind me of the Lexus LS460Lh
11/26, 1:50 AM
posted by:
Bremen_Koenigsegg
They were in the basement last year… beside the DUB custom cars and XM Satellite Radio.
When I went, the lot of us sat inside this one car that looked like a CTS from the early 90’s… and we were just ruining it by sitting inside it. Honestly… the dome light fell out, the glove compartment simply stopped functioning, the sun visors were a disaster, and all the knobs went on strike. The roof lining adopted a completely different shape by the time we got out. The brochures, however, were COMPLETELY worth the trip to Detroit. God… classic Engrish!
11/26, 11:32 AM
posted by:
beatusmongous
“All your base are belong to us!”
11/26, 10:38 PM
posted by:
Commodore
Is the Lexus rip off in the picture a Brilliance or a BYD?
11/29, 3:23 PM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
NAIAS is TOT!
This is a good opportunity for the Chinese manufacturers