2014 North American International Auto ShowNorth American International Auto Show the 25th anniversary According to the NAIAS web site, Detroit has been hosting an auto show since 1907, with the exception of the World War II years. It was just a regional show until 1989 when the Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA) made it an international exposition and this year it celebrated it's 25th anniversary. It also mentioned that the exhibitors have grown to 216, and over 124,000 media credentials have issued! With over 18 million people visiting the venue, it has done its share of bringing people into our city.

For my clients, I've been photographing this event for years now, and I've seen it ebb and flow with the amount of journalists converging on Detroit during this extravaganza held at Cobo Hall. The best times were in the 90's, when automobile displays were unique, bold and daring, and the worst was only a few years ago, when our economy took a plummet into darkness. (The sparsity of those years was sad.) Today's displays have a more utilitarian feel, and many have been jazzed up from last year. Even when I arrived in Detroit at 6 am yesterday, the crush of humanity and automobiles jamming Jefferson Avenue was astronomical. Inside, auto and design executives were everywhere, with media jockeying for a spot to obtain the best sound bites and images. (Let's face it, our celebrities are these people.) There was smoke, music, models and most importantly..... cars!

The day proved not to disappoint, for there were at least 18 press conferences announcing one thing or another. This is an international event, with thousands of participants, and everything seemed to go smoothly.

Most definitely, if you are looking for a new car, the auto show is a must. Where else can you find all manufacturers, foreign and domestic in one place? It is a great place to evaluate all the choices, and the automakers have plenty of models to choose from.

With a comfortable pair of walking shoes cushioning your feet, you can dream of horse power or ultimate luxury, or you can look for that next vehicle to cart the kids and groceries around in. Dream or be practical, for the choice is up to you. Make sure to allow for hours and hours of screening for that next passenger-carrying vehicle that you may be putting in your parking spot at home.

For me I need the practical, so my wheels need to be able to carry my gear comfortably. My lighting cases are just too long to fix in many of the smaller cars.

But if I had to abandon all practicality and budget, from this crop of newly released models, I would choose the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette ZO6. What color? Yellow! She’s a beauty.

Note: The show has now closed.

These are a few of my images......

                                                    Above: The new Chrysler 200C.... made in Detroit.

2014 North American International Auto ShowBehind the scenes.

     Chrysler CEO, Sergio Marchionne answers questions from the media. Those are some big body guards! 

2014 North American International Auto ShowBehind the scenes.

     There was plenty of smoke, music, media and hot cars at the Mini Reveal.

2014 North American International Auto ShowBehind the scenes.

2014 North American International Auto ShowBehind the scenes.

     A rolling stage demonstrated the "fun" driving feel of the new Honda Fit.

2014 North American International Auto ShowBehind the scenes.

    Where there are hot cars there will always be beautiful women. It's been an Auto Show tradition.

2014 North American International Auto ShowNorth American International Auto Show the 25th anniversary

     The Z06, a true wolf that dresses down for the road

Images: © 2014 Santa Fabio No Reproduction Rights Granted.

Disclosure: I have worked with Chrysler, Honda, BMW and General Motors Corporations, plus my step-daughter drives a Mini.