CarBuyersNoteBook

The Detroit Auto Show, one of the most prestigious and anticipated annual automotive events in the world, opened on Sunday, January 11th in the midst of a critical industry-wide slow-down. Nissan, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Ferrari, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce and Porsche are all missing from this year’s line-up, a testament to how serious the worldwide sales crisis has become. The missing companies all pulled out of the popular event as a last-minute measure meant to conserve cash and thereby outlast the economic downturn.

Most auto companies saw a severe drop in sales for 2008 that looks likely to continue at least into the third quarter of this year. In spite of all the bad news, this year’s auto show may be one of the most exciting and important ever, as American manufacturers scramble to present the ecologically sound new models to reverse their sales problems in the American market.