If you’re bummed the next Detroit auto show won’t happen until June, you will still have an option for seeing automotive sheet metal in the area next January.
A new effort, the Southeast Michigan Auto Show, is planned for early January at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi. The event will be a different animal than the glitzy North American International Auto Show, which is switching to June from its traditional January time slot next year.
Blair Bowman, president of the Suburban Collection Showplace, said the Jan. 3-5 show will be distinctly different from the North American International Auto Show, focusing on vehicles that are available at dealerships.
“We’re very excited about the event, and it is planned to be consumer-focused, consistent with a very high quality regional auto show effort,” Bowman said, noting that no active sales would be occurring at the event. “Consumers are going to be able to come and see a tremendous amount (and) variety of brands.”
The showplace is dedicating 220,000 square feet to the event, Bowman said, noting that it would fill an important gap in the schedule for dealers.
Asked if the new show could be seen as undercutting the North American International Auto Show, Bowman said the two shows could be “mutually enhancing” of each other.
“We would like to do anything we could to help support (the reimagined North American International Auto Show) and know that it’s going to be very, very successful,” Bowman said.
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Amanda Niswonger, a spokeswoman for the Detroit auto show, provided a statement saying that the NAIAS and the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, the group behind the Detroit show, are not involved in the new, “three-day local dealer event.”
“We are focused on making the 2020 NAIAS the biggest and best event of its kind, creating more opportunities to engage industry, media and consumers from around the globe and showcasing the industry’s latest products and technology in the beautiful city of Detroit,” the statement said.
The 2020 North American International Auto Show in Detroit kicks off with The Gallery on June 6. The public show runs June 13-20. The shift to summer will allow organizers to take advantage of outdoor space beyond Cobo Center, offering an expanded experience for attendees and allowing the show to evolve beyond a showcase for the latest vehicle models and concepts.
The change in schedule has been seen as an effort to help the show retain its relevance in an era when traditional auto shows have been pushed to evolve. Detroit also faced pressure because of its calendar proximity in January to CES in Las Vegas, which is a showcase for technology. Several German brands had opted out of Detroit’s final winter show.
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