NAIAS 2012 in review

 WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS: Dylan Culhane

The North American International Auto Show, held annually in Detroit, is one of the planet’s largest car expos and consequently a veritable petrol-head mecca. Online editor Dylan Culhane spent a couple of days at NAIAS 2012 and documented the staggering array of automobiles on display.

When NAIAS was first staged more than 24 years ago, I would imagine it would’ve been a very different kind of show. Back then, muscle and power and fuel consumption weren’t the swear words they are today. In 2012, safety, economy and environmental-friendliness were the buzzwords emanating from the vast majority of large manufacturers.

Though there was of course a fair smattering of all-American oversized muscle (the Dodge RAM Power Wagon is a particularly frightening behemoth of a bakkie), it was interesting to see how the automotive industry is in the midst of a sea change catalysed by our somewhat recent realisation that the earth’s resources are finite, and cars have made a pretty significant dent in the earth’s fragile ecosystem since the Model T’s inception more thana century ago. Simulation games at some of the stands, for example, had objectives focused on driving as fuel efficiently as possible, as opposed to speeding around a track in the fastest time. 

This shift in ideology has also had a visible impact in the realm of automotive design. Though some manufacturers are retaining their distinctive lines and simply swapping out petrol engines for either full electric or hybrid systems, many seem to be using this new paradigm in motoring to re-invent their aesthetic. Ford’s gorgeous 2013 Fusion – one of the show’s biggest talking points – marks a significant stylistic departure from many of the models South African consumers would be familiar with (early media reports have dubbed it the ‘Aston Martin lite’, while its profile calls to mind the BMW 3 series).

Speaking of Bayerische Motoren Werke, the BMW i3 concept is also something to behold. Though it seems pure concept with its transparent side door and hyper-futuristic streamlined design, word on the street is that this all-new electric series will go into production as early as 2014. The pint-sized Smart pickup (which could probably fit in the back of the aforementioned Dodge pickup) also drew a lot of attention, though possibly more for the novelty factor than anything else.

Many of the models unveiled at NAIAS are purely for the American market and won’t be seeing South African shores anytime soon, though we’re likely to see the same fundamental technology in different guises in the local market.

All in all, it was a truly eye-opening experience, with an abundance of interactive and beautifully designed stands (first prize for stand design in my opinion must go to Lincoln – see gallery) on a grand scale that one can only expect in ‘Motor City’, U.S.A.

More info: www.naias.com
To see the full collection of photos from the show, check out the extended album on our Facebook page