2012 NAIAS: A Glimpse into the Future of the Automotive Industry
December 20, 2011
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January 9th is the official opening of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), and of course Mintel will be there to cover all the exciting new production and concept vehicles. NAIAS dates back to 1907, when the first auto show was held at the Beller’s Beer Garden in Detroit. The show has been held annually since 1907, with a exception between 1943-1952. In 1989 the auto show was renamed North American International Auto Show, and has been held in the iconic Cobo Center since 1961. For the automotive industry, NAIAS is a mix between New York Fashion Week and the Academy Awards. Automotive companies plan new vehicle and concept introductions for the press and industry analysts. The show is also the platform where the North America Car and Truck of the Year are announced. The winners of the NACTOY are selected by a group of automotive journalists from the U.S. and Canada.
The show itself was a true spectacle in pre-recession years. One of the biggest attention grabbing events was for the launch of the 2009 Dodge Ram, which was a true game changer product. Chrysler, which is the parent of the Dodge brand, has always been known for its stunts at NAIAS. The company has crashed a Jeep through the front of the Cobo convention center, and when Chrysler unveiled the Chrysler Aspen, there was a simulated indoor snowstorm in Cobo.
In an attempt to outdo itself, Chrysler, took to the streets of Detroit and launched the 2009 Dodge Ram with a herd of 120 cattle. The Dodge Ram trucks drove the herd of cattle down the streets while riders on horseback made sure the cattle did not stray too far.
While extravagant events such as cattle drives through the streets of Detroit have stopped since the 2008 recession, there may be some show stopping plans this year.
The 2012 NAIAS will bring a large list of new product launches and concept vehicles to Detroit. With 35-40 new vehicles expected to debut at NAIAS. A partial list is below.
2012 Bentley Continental GT V8
2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe (North American Debut)
2012 BMW 3 Series (North America Debut)
2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5
2012 Mini Roadster
2013 Acura MDX
2013 Ford Fusion
2013 Buick Encore
2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid
2013 Cadillac ATS
Ford Evos (North American Debut)
2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS
Nissan EV Van Concept
2013 Dodge Dart
Lexus Concept Car
2013 Honda Accord Coupe Concept
Volkswagen EV Concept?
AMP Electric SUV
2013 Nissan Pathfinder Concept
Acura ILX Concept
Buick Encore
Acura NSX Concept
Lincoln MKZ
Smart Forus
However, the show is more than just debuts. The NAIAS will also award the winner of the 2012 North American Car and Truck of the Year. The respective finalists for the 2012 NACTOY are:
Car
Truck
Ford Focus
BMW X3
Hyundai Elantra
Honda CR-V
Volkswagen Passat
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Though the Detroit automotive companies are staging a strong comeback, the final six nominations features only a single car from the Detroit 3, The Ford Focus. However, the list dominated by foreign brands does not indicate that they are favored to win, but only that they have a statistically better chance of winning.
The Car of the Year award has been awarded to a Detroit 3 brand ten times, a European brand four times, a Japanese brand three times and Hyundai, the Korean automotive manufacturer won it once. On the other hand, the Truck of the Year award has gone to a Detroit 3 brand 12 times, a Japanese brand four times, and a European brand twice. While the award does not guarantee that the vehicle will be an instant success, it is a great accomplishment for the automotive company, especially in the spotlight of such a big event.
North American Car of the year winner
North American Truck of the year winner
1994
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Dodge Ram
1995
Chrysler Cirrus
Chevrolet Blazer
1996
Chrysler minivans
Ford F-150
1997
Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class
Ford Expedition
1998
Chevrolet Corvette
Mercedes-Benz M-Class
1999
Chrysler 300M
Jeep Grand Cherokee
2000
Ford Focus
Nissan Xterra
2001
Chrysler PT Cruiser
Acura MDX
2002
Nissan Altima
Chevrolet TrailBlazer
2003
MINI Cooper
Volvo XC90
2004
Toyota Prius
Ford F-150
2005
Chrysler 300
Ford Escape Hybrid
2006
Honda Civic
Honda Ridgeline
2007
Saturn Aura
Chevrolet Silverado
2008
Chevrolet Malibu
Mazda CX-9
2009
Hyundai Genesis
Ford F-150
2010
Ford Fusion Hybrid
Ford Transit Connect
2011
Chevrolet Volt
Ford Explorer
Look back to the Mintel Blog for updates on the NAIAS and coverage of the event on January 9-10.
George Augustaitis
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