Despite the nearly nonstop flow of bad news for Detroit's automakers in recent months, what may be the slickest, most extravagant auto show in the city's history is rising from a sea of drop cloths, plywood and whining buzz saws at Cobo Center.
Sixty percent of the exhibits at the 2006 North American International Auto Show will be new, with automakers spending more than $200 million to build lavish, two-story displays featuring vehicles vertically mounted on walls (the Mini Cooper is already prominently placed) and enormous LED screens as backdrops.
The changes will be substantial, with many displays reconfigured. Honda Motor Co. is creating a circular stage that has a theater-like feel.
Even as General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. struggle, domestic automakers will lead the extravaganza with all-new exhibits.
GM's brands will be displayed symmetrically and divided by a long walkway that could upstage a Milan fashion runway. The pine-colored path ends at a stage where a gargantuan LED screen will glare.
Ford's display will include 2,400 LED screens. It hopes new design and interactive touches will allow visitors to experience its cars and trucks in a more personal way.
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