It may not have hosted as many world premieres as the recent Frankfurt Motor Show, but there were plenty of important debuts at this year’s edition of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which closed its doors on Sunday, January 22, to draw in the crowds.
According to the show’s organizers, Sunday’s attendance of 101,141 topped last year’s final day numbers of 98,106, and brought total attendance of the 2012 NAIAS to 770,932 over a period of nine days (for the general public), which is a little over 35,000 more than last year and the highest since 2005.
“People want to feel good again about the industry, which is now obviously in a better place than it was a few years ago,” said Bill Perkins, chairman of NAIAS. “As a result, this year’s show was a ‘must-see’ event, as the attendance numbers indicate. Everything that could go right… did,” he added.
NAIAS Highlights:
- 5,196 media from 61 countries attended Press Preview Days
- 22,788 auto suppliers, designers, engineers, etc., attended Industry Preview Days representing 28 countries, and more than 2,000 companies
- 12,000 people attended Charity Preview raising $3 million for children’s charities
- And 770,932 car enthusiasts attended public show (compared to 735,370 in 2011)
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BENTLEY CONTINENTAL V8 
BMW 3-SERIES SEDAN 
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VW EV E-BUGSTER