ABOUT THE DETROIT AUTO SHOW
The North American International Auto Show -- aka NAIAS or the Detroit Auto Show -- is generally regarded as the most important auto show in the United States. Taking place right in the Big Three's back yard, the show is traditionally the launching ground for lots of new products and concept vehicles, both domestic and imported.WHEN TO GO
The 2012 Detroit Auto Show is open to the public Saturday, January 14th through Sunday, January 22nd, with a special charity preview on Friday evening, January 13th.
Hours:
January 14th through January 21st: 9:00 am to 10:00 pm (last admission at 9:00 pm)
January 22nd: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm (last admission at 6:00 pm)
Note: Early access for handicapped individuals opens at 8:00 am at the Oakland entrance.
Admission:
Adults: $12
Group tickets: $8 each for groups of 30 or more
Senior citizens and children 7-12: $6
Children 6 and under: Free with a parent or guardian
Purchase tickets online
Note: If you purchase tickets at the door, you must use the automated ticket kiosks for credit card purchases. Staffed ticked booths only accept cash.
Charity preview:
A black-tie charity preview is being held on Friday, January 13th, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, with proceeds to benefit various children's charities. Admission is $250, $240 of which is tax deductible.
Purchase charity preview tickets online
HOW TO GET THERE
By car:
The Detroit show takes place at the Cobo Conference and Exhibition Center, One Washington Boulevard in Detroit.
On-site parking is available for $10 at the Cobo Roof Desk (625 West Congress), Millennium Garage (425 West Congress), and the Joe Louis Arena (900 West Jefferson). Handicapped parking is available in the Cobo Hall Garage and Cobo Roof Deck. Parking fills up fast, so you may want to consider paying for parking in advance ($10 + $3 service fee).
By bus/train/monorail:
Detroit being the Motor City, public transportation options are limited, and last year's shuttle service from the Detroit Zoo and Henry Ford Museum has been eliminated.
Cobo Center has its own stop on the Detroit People Mover, which makes a short loop around downtown Detroit, and is useful for local hotels and off-site parking lots.
Cobo Center is about half a mile from the Rosa Parks Transit Center bus station, which is served by local buses from Detroit Department of Transportation and SMART. You can walk or take the People Mover to Cobo. The Transit Windsor Tunnel Bus provides cross-border service from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and stops at the Cobo Center (passport required for the border crossing).
Amtrak's Wolverine provides morning, mid-day, and evening train service from Pontiac, Birmingham, and Royal Oak. The Detroit station is about 4 miles from Cobo; DDOT bus service is available to the Rosa Parks Transit Center.
WHAT TO SEE
If you have kids, head on over to the Ford display. Along with their full-motion driving simulator, they have a nifty movie about the future of in-car connectivity. What makes it so nifty is that it's in the ceiling -- viewers sit on a round hydraulic platform that rises up to the screen high above the show floor. There are other activities, too, but we expect long lines.
Grown-ups might want to head next door to the Lincoln booth. The MKZ Concept is the center of attention, but go to the second level to take a look at the Model 40 Special Speedster, which was commissioned by, and designed and built in-house for, Henry Ford's son Edsel, then president of the Ford Motor Company. The Speedster gives us a clue as to Edsel's vision, which sadly often gave way to the will of his domineering father.
The General Motors display is a definite must-see, with exciting new production models like the 2013 Cadillac ATS and two intriguing concept cars from Chevrolet, the Code 130R and True 140S.
Closet Japanese car buffs will want to stop by the Acura booth for a glimpse at the NSX concept.
And if the line at Ford's driving simulator is too long, you can swing by the Mazda booth for a virtual full-motion ride around the Laguna Seca raceway (sans steering wheel). Best not to try this immediately after lunch.
See all the new vehicle introductions in my 2012 Detroit Show Auto photo gallery.
