The world’s carmakers, hopeful for another comeback year in 2011, planned to start off the year with a splash as they unveiled their latest models at the top auto show in North America. The Detroit auto show was expected to see more than 30 world debuts as many carmakers planned to put on glitzier displays than in the past three sluggish years for the beleaguered industry.
The renewed vigor comes after a rebound year in the United States in 2010, with car sales climbing more than 11% to 11.6 million. The US National Automobile Dealers Association has predicted similar gains in 2011. The comeback comes after a troubling year in 2009 that saw two of the three biggest US carmakers flirt with collapse. General Motors weathered the storm, returned to the stock market and to profit in 2010, while Chrysler could do the same in 2011.
The displays of Detroit's so called Big Three manufacturers namely GM, Ford and Chrysler will symbolize the improving fortunes for the industry as the North American International Auto Show.
GM has built a two storey display for its models at the show, Ford will offer its own test track for new models and Chrysler will for the first time expand its set to include cars from Fiat, the Italian carmaker that has managed Chrysler since the 2009 bankruptcy.
The Detroit show will boast a mix of greener hybrid and electric unveilings from carmakers like Ford, Toyota and China’s BYD Auto, while others including GM and Germany’s Volkswagen will be using the show to unveil new sedans and luxury models.
Organizers are predicting the show will net upwards of USD 400 million in revenue, up from about 325 million in 2010. Other signs of a comeback: German sports car brand Porsche has returned to the show after a four year absence.
According to German expert Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer from the University of Duisburg Essen, all major carmakers saw sales increase in 2010: Japanese maker Toyota managed to remain in pole position with worldwide sales of 8.4 million vehicles, up from 7.8 million in 2009, despite a damaging recall scandal at the start of last year.
The newly reorganized GM, once the world’s largest carmaker, held onto the second spot, Dudenhoeffer said, despite having been forced to shut down four brands through the year. GM sold 8.2 million cars in 2010, up from 7.5 million in 2009, when the US car giant went through its own managed bankruptcy.
Germany’s Volkswagen, which planned to unveil an all-new midsize sedan later Monday, claimed the third spot in global sales with 7.1 million. VW has designs on becoming the world’s largest carmaker by 2018, with plans to boost sales to 10 million.
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