The North American International Auto Show, also called the Detroit Auto Show, kicks off Jan. 13 and promises to include two weeks of automotive highlights.
We make custom designed car floor mats for all makes and models at GGBailey.com, so we are always excited about the Detroit Auto Show because automotive makers use this event to debut new vehicles, and we will soon be making custom floor mats for all the new models. During the 2013 event, more than new 70 vehicles were presented to more than 5,000 journalists and nearly 800,00 members of the public from around the world.
The Detroit Auto Show is four shows in one: a press preview, an industry preview, a charity preview, and a public show. The public show runs Jan. 18-26 and more than 500 vehicles will be on display during the nation's second largest automotive showcase.
We have been reading about the event and following all the news as it comes out, we at GGBailey.com put together our top five things to watch. There will be plenty of awesome headlines to come out of the Detroit Auto Show, but these are the things we are looking forward to most.
Check out our list, comment with your thoughts at the bottom, and be sure to check out our Design Your Car Mats™ section to design your own car floor mats. Or if you prefer a pattern, check out our selection available in our Car Couture™ section.
1. General Motors gets a new CEO
Mary Barra, the first woman to become CEO of one of the Unites States' most important auto makers, will officially assume control of General Motors on Jan. 15 during the industry preview days of the Detroit Auto Show. Barra, who has been with GM for 33 years, most recently as its product development chief, is the first female CEO of a major U.S. car company.
Barra's father was a longtime GM employee, and she started with the company while still in college. She has run the human resources operations, was a plant manager, and executive director of engineering before that. So Barra knows the company as well as anyone. Read more about Barra and her new role at General Motors by clicking here.
A new CEO is big news for a big automotive company, and the fact Barra is a woman has made headlines too. At GG Bailey, we picked this as one of our five things to watch because our CEO is also a woman with a family history in automotive manufacturing and racing. Ginger Cannon Bailey, who founded GG Bailey in 2001, helped create the first luxury carpet floor mat back in 1975 at Racemark International, along with her husband Bob Bailey, a former racecar driver for Porsche of America. Read more about our family history by clicking here.
2. The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z06
Chevrolet hasn't released too much information about the next generation of its Corvette Stingray Z06, but they have sent out a teaser image that shows off the car's front quarter panel and wheel. Motortrend.com says it has carbon fiber rocker panels and bulged fenders. It also has a 285/30/19 sized tire, which is the same as some other Corvettes and quite large for a front tire.
Check out the link for some more speculation about the 2015 Corvette Stingray Z06. The car is scheduled for production in late 2014, but it will be debuted at the Detroit Auto Show, and we at GGBailey are excited to see the Stingray Z06 in all its glory. Click here to read about other 2015 car models we are looking forward to.
Our parent company, Racemark International, manufactures the floor mats for the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, so you can trust that GG Bailey car floor mats meet the qualifications of the finest auto makers in the world.
3. Ford to debut aluminum F-150
In what could be one of the most interesting redesigns introduced during the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, Ford will show off the all new aluminum F-150. Considered a gamble by many in the automotive industry, Ford is hoping what is already America's favorite pickup truck will see a round of renewed interest thanks to the military grade metal that is lighter than steel.
The F-150 body switch represents one of Ford's biggest risk for the year, as the company plans to roll out 16 new or redesigned models in North America. The new F-150 is expected to utilize the look for a design concept called Atlas, a brawny exterior that Ford revealed a year ago (pictured). By shaving weight throughout and installing a 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine, it appears Ford is aiming to give the new F-150 improved gas mileage, with 30 miles per gallon a rumored possibility.
"This is already the most significant debut at the auto show," said Joe Langley, a production analyst for researcher IHS Automotive, told AutoNews.com. "Everybody's going to be dissecting that thing for a long time, especially since Ford will be taking such a big gamble."
We mostly write about cars on our blog, but GGBailey.com can make floor mats for trucks too, including floor mats for the Ford F-Series, and we are looking forward to making our first set of custom floor mats for the aluminum F-150.
4. New Porsche 911 Targa
As we have already mentioned, Bob Bailey, one of the founder's of GG Bailey's parent company, Racemark International, is a former driver for the Porsche of America Racing Team. So, needless to say, we like Porsche and are excited to see the 2015 Porsche 911 Targa make its debut at the Detroit Auto Show.
As recently as a few weeks ago a prototype form of the vehicle was spotted by MotorAuthority.com, and it is one beautiful topless ride. Like previous versions, the 2015 will have a fixed roll bar crossing the center, folding soft top, and a rear glass section. Word is the 911 Targa will have the same motor options as the 911 Carrera or the 911 Carrera S, which means either a 3.4-liter flat-six that cranks out 350 horsepower and 287 pound feet of torque or the 3.8-liter flat-six producing 400 horses and 325 pound feet of torque. An all wheel version is expected too.
More details will obviously accompany the debut of the next Porsche 911 Targa during the Detroit Auto Show, but fans of the brand are surely eager to learn more about this nod to the past. The 911 Targa was first launched in 1967 and was designed with the thought that convertibles might become outlawed. They weren't, but the Targa lives on.
5. Toyota Supra Concept?
Missing from Toyota's lineup since 1998, the Supra might be poised for a comeback at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, at least in concept form. The chatter about the possibility of a 2014 debut has been growing since last summer, and some sites have even claimed it's a done deal, but most headlines linking the Supra and next week's show end with question marks.
Toyota has been quiet about its plans, but company officials hinted to Autoblog.com last month that a 400+ horsepower hybrid sportscar may not be out of the question for the Japanese auto maker. Officially, they say "no comment," but there is enough smoke to suspect a fire.
The timing would be about right, with Toyota brass looking to upgrade their family-friendly image and return to the ranks of sports car makers. The previous Supra is one of the most desired imports on the high performance scene, especially after it took a starring role in the first of the Fast and Furious movie series when Paul Walker's character built one after his first car was destroyed.
While the concepts shown at auto shows rarely make it to the production floor without a wealth of changes, car fans will still be excited to see a new Toyota Supra in any form.
Are you looking forward to the Detroit Auto Show? Comment below and let us know what you think.
