Because of the poor state of the auto industry, the 103-year-old Detroit auto show will be a ghost of what it once was. Last January, numerous automakers chose not to participate in the 2010 show to conserve their marketing budgets. Attendance dropped to 650,000 from more than 800,000 that was recorded as recently as 2004.

The show from Jan. 11-24 at Cobo Center definitely won’t be as grand as previous shows. Still, organizers are not ruling out the possibility of a turnaround. In fact, it expects a 10% rebound in exhibitors from the 2009 venue, according to Doug Fox, chairman of the North American International Auto Show. Continued after the jump!

In 2009, there were 50 exhibits and to date, 54 companies have signed up for the exhibits for the 2010 show. Michael O’Callaghan, COO of the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, thinks that the timing is good with business travel dropping and the hotels in the region having a 50% capacity.

Suzuki and Porsche, which didn’t join last year, aren’t participating in the upcoming show but organizers say that at least, they know what to expect now. Fox, president of Ann Arbor Automotive and a member of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, said that the cancelations in the 2009 show caught them by surprise.

Fox said that the organizers are trying to woo Mitsubishi and Land Rover back and that Nissan had signed up for a small exhibit. He predicts an increase in public attendance this January.

[via autonews - sub. required]

Tags: 2010 detroit auto show, car news, Detroit Auto Show

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