Eyes will be on the Motor City Monday as the auto industry, media and car lovers come together for the Detroit auto show. On the first day of the 2013 North American International Auto Show, brands including Chevrolet, Jeep, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagon, BMW, Audi, Bentley, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Maserati have announcements planned for the long day at COBO Center.
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Onlookers will get a peek at new models and concept cars that aren't yet ready to roll off the assembly line. Reveals include the Lincoln MKC concept, the Bentley GT Speed convertible, the BMW 4-Series concept, the Cadillac ELR and more. Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated car, Chevrolet's C7 Corvette, was unveiled Sunday before the official start of the auto show.
While Infiniti's Q50 isn't one of the more buzzed about cars set to be revealed Monday, it may be one of the bigger spectacles. The company will use Cirque du Soleil performers to introduce its newest model. Good thing there will be entertainment value, because photos of the new car have already leaked, according to Jalopnik.
According to organizers, the auto show funneled more than $350 million into the Metro Detroit economy last year. More than 770,000 visitiors attended NAIAS in 2012, one of 65 shows held in the U.S., according to the Associated Press:
Detroit is one of 65 shows that will be held in the U.S. this year, from a tiny one in Toledo to New York and Chicago gatherings that attract more than 1 million visitors each year. Detroit has been holding an auto show almost continuously since the early 1900s, when local dealers lined up a handful of cars alongside fishing and hunting gear.
More than half of visitors at the Detroit show are shopping for a new car, according to informal polls. And with car sales stronger than they've been in five years, attendance at NAIAS and other shows could be higher in 2013, after slipping during the recession. Car sales rose 13 percent to 14.5 million last year and could reach 15 million in 2013.
More than 6,000 journalists are expected to attend the two day media preview of the auto show. The show will be open to the public from Jan. 19 to 27. The North American International Auto Show's website has more information, and we've compiled a guide of the best things to do around Detroit if you're in town for the event.
See below for live updates and photos from the auto show throughout the day.
