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Feeling of "euphoria" at Detroit Auto Show with attendance up

2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Mercedes Mejia/Michigan Radio
2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Attendance is up about ten percent at the North American International Auto Show.   

195,000 people attended the show on Saturday and Sunday, the first two days the show was open to the public. That compares to about 180,000 people the first two days of the show last year.

Of course, the weather has been quite good for Michigan this time of year. But organizers think there's more than that to account for the increase.

Detroit Auto Show Chairman Bill Perkins says there’s a feeling of “euphoria."

"When you walk into the show itself you can see the confidence that the manufacturers have, they’ve put an awful lot of money into this show."

Perkins say last year there was still a lot of talk about Chrysler and GM filing bankruptcy. This year, talk is more about the products, with Chrysler launching a new small car, the Dodge Dart, and GM launching a small crossover, the Encore, and a new luxury car, the Cadillac ATS.

"People weren’t really happy because the government had to bail them out. But now I think what’s happening as a result they’re seeing that money has been put to good use."

Ford Motor Company launched its new Fusion this year.

The North American International Auto Show ends Saturday.  Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 7-12, and free for children age 6 and under.

Tracy Samilton covers energy and transportation, including the auto industry and the business response to climate change for Michigan Public. She began her career at Michigan Public as an intern, where she was promptly “bitten by the radio bug,” and never recovered.
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