Detroit 2010: the wrap-up

The early signs were ominous: the American flags were running at half mast in the main street of Detroit as the motor show rolled into town.

Perhaps that's because North America is still in mourning after the lowest annual new-vehicle sales in 27 years.

Covered in a gentle layer of snow under a rare, crisp blue sky Motown looked like a movie set. In some ways it is.

The city is dotted with hollowed out buildings and skyscrapers which are just a facade these days, their businesses long since bankrupt, painting a picture of what once was.

But for the 2010 NAIAS, Detroit was putting on yet another brave facade, even if the turnout of media and exhibitors was lower than even last year's relatively modest attendance.

There were some signs of recovery. This year we were walking on fancy carpet instead of the bare show hall floor like last year.

And some cars were put on podiums again or were cordoned off to look a little special. Last year was like a showroom, not a motor show.

But one thing definitely missing was the show biz and razzamatazz. In previous years, movies stars have taken centre stage with concept cars, and the big brands tried to out-do each other with wild stunts and elaborate lighting and video shows, and over-the-top and over-sized press kits.

In previous years Dodge had hired 250 Hollywood movie cattle and herded them into the main street to unveil its new pick-up. Jeep drove a car through the front doors of the main hall that were replaced with movie glass designed to shatter easily.

This year was more low key and the press kits didn't get any more elaborate than a USB stick (although a couple of brands couldn't help themselves: Ford did theirs in the shape of a Focus hatch and Toyota made its out of bamboo).

But the single most telling aspect of the 2010 Detroit show was that it was genuinely for the first time about small, everyday, economical cars.

Ford unveiled one car, the Focus, in its giant hall. In previous years it revealed up to a dozen vehicles.

Toyota had one car: its baby Prius. GM had a handful of cars, but the highlights were the new Barina and a small boxy hatchback by GMC designed to take on Toyota's Scion brand. Chrysler's star was a Lancia hatchback with a Chrysler badge on it (pictured). The end.

The V16 Cadillac concepts and Viper-powered motorcycles were long gone.

In some ways it was a shame that the truly out-there concepts have evaporated, but perhaps it's a sign that Detroit has finally got the message and has joined the real world.

While the facades of the buildings outside motor show hall didn't have much substance to them, the star cars inside this year's Detroit motor show most certainly did.

If the North American automotive market recovers in 2010, it started here.

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