DETROIT — The Detroit Auto Show opened its media and industry preview days Tuesday at a Detroit convention center, showcasing more than 40 vehicle brands and leaning heavily on test-track ride experiences rather than the high-profile model unveilings that once defined the annual event. The show drew 275,000 attendees a year ago, organizers said, when participants took more than 100,000 rides in vehicles on display.
The pivot reflects a broader industry calculation: automakers have determined that new models attract more attention when unveiled as standalone digital events rather than competing for headlines alongside rivals at a crowded trade show. The Detroit show has adapted by centering its appeal on hands-on interactivity.
“That’s what makes the Detroit Auto Show different,” show chairman Todd Szott said. “You can get up close, talk to the people behind the brands and actually experience the vehicles.”
Two tracks at the show offer attendees ride-along experiences in internal combustion engine, hybrid, and electric vehicles. A Camp Jeep installation and the Ford Bronco Built Wild Experience give visitors a chance to climb into vehicles and navigate makeshift terrain obstacles.
Ford Motor Co. was scheduled to make vehicle announcements Tuesday evening during the media and industry preview period. The North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year award is to be announced Wednesday. The show opens to the public Saturday and runs through Jan. 25.
Brands with displays at the show include Alfa Romeo, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, GMC, Jeep, Kia, Lincoln, Ram, Subaru, and Toyota.
President Donald Trump visited a Ford plant in Dearborn, Michigan, on Tuesday afternoon that manufactures the F-150 pickup truck, before delivering remarks at a meeting of the Detroit Economic Club. Trump touted his tariff policy, telling business leaders at a casino-hotel that “our workers are thriving.”
“And our auto industry is returning to the country where we all began, and where it all began,” Trump said.
Scheduled speakers at the show include Republican U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and Pete Buttigieg, who served as Transportation Secretary under President Joe Biden.