Car shows remain a key marketing information channel to reach those middle class consumers who regard cars as exciting. The de-rigeur stance of the Washington/NYC punditocracy in favor of excitement-free transportation appliances, with scorn heaped on SUVs, pickups, "sporty" cars and other traditional vehicle types, unfortunately ignores everything the auto industry knows about a sizeable percentage of its actual customers' buying preferences. This is yet another demonstration of why Washington should butt out, and the industry should ignore the pundits, when it comes to marketing.

We've known for the past hundred years that the auto industry is highly susceptible to dips in the general economy, but pent-up demand causes it to roar back when the economy recovers. Washington would be much more helpful if they would concentrate on fixing the recession, properly regulating the financial and real estate markets in the future, and nationalizing health care so that all US manufacturers would have the same costs. The auto industry's "true ill" will be UNDER-capacity when the recession ends and 16 million buyers want new wheels.

The Detroit show in particular is local to the industry nexus of styling and engineering resources, and the HQs of three car companies and many suppliers. It's trivially obvious that the industry wants it to continue. It's part of the marketing foundation; LA, New York, Chicago, Paris, etc. are supplements, not substitutes. As to where it might move to, if Detroit politics causes such a move...I apologize for undercutting the unremittingly negative theme of the published piece, but the discussion is about moving the show 20 miles to another exhibition center. Not exactly a big deal.