SOME OF YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE HIGH-OCTANE TRUTH. – Rants

By Peter M. DeLorenzo 

Detroit. It’s Vehicle Display 7 days below in the Motor Metropolis. Indeed, you examine that appropriately. Following two-and-a person-half many years of postponements, false begins and navel-gazing questions as to “what is it all about?” the Detroit Vehicle Present, these kinds of as it is, is slated to commence with a media day on Wednesday (this week’s publication day – WG). 

Truly, this “media day” is a misnomer, simply because what utilised to be two jam-packed days of media push conferences, item rollouts and heavily orchestrated and, in some scenarios, excruciating govt pontificating, has been lessened to a fifty percent-assed facsimile of what made use of to be.

Oh sure, there are out of doors shows, and tightly controlled “ride and drives” in and all over Huntington Spot (formerly acknowledged as Cobo Hall), but the actuality is that what was at the time a proper international auto present loaded with vital new solution reveals has now been minimized to a hometown retail show, where by the countless numbers of folks who are either instantly or indirectly included in the car marketplace in this location can go and revel in the fruits of their labor and say some thing like, “We did the decrease entrance valance on the new Mustang.”

It is no huge revelation that the COVID pandemic generally wrecked the automobile clearly show product. It upended the vehicle display calendar and hastened its demise by placing the whole circus on a prepare to Oblivion, which is 1 prevent earlier Obsolete Station. 

Is this the Detroit Display organizers’ fault? Not in the least. These people today are having difficulties mightily to make the Detroit Automobile Show suitable and an vehicle-themed destination for family members enjoyment. A substantial effort is getting built – supported by the community media – to make the show desirable once again. But the actuality is that the plot has been shed and the absence of the Detroit Automobile Demonstrate has not designed hearts expand fonder. In its place it has planted an overpowering feeling of ennui, which has permeated the collective consciousness of the persons who applied to give a damn.

Sure, the instances have altered. The auto brands have recognized that the collective hundreds of thousands and thousands of pounds they utilized to commit on auto demonstrates was a giant waste of dollars. Car displays have been replaced by focused product or service rollouts to what passes for the automotive media, alleged social media “influencers” and very well-heeled clientele who can spread the word significantly much more efficiently and essentially, instantaneously. 

It doesn’t support that the retail automobile current market has inexorably altered also. Folks really do not shop at sellers any longer the unlimited source chain troubles have set compensated to that quaint idea. Now, it’s spec-out an order for a car and wait around or hope an individual on a listing to get a car cancels and results in an open up slot. 

Hold out a minute, would not that make the Detroit Vehicle Show much more desirable? Really, no. People today are made use of to viewing anything and nearly anything to do with new and impending autos on the Internet. Right now. There is no secret or attract anymore, no waiting with anticipation for the dealers to take away the paper covering up the showroom home windows like historical moments. People now know what is coming a 12 months or more in progress down to the last depth, it’s just the way issues are accomplished these days. And moreover, individuals all around listed here are knowledgeable of automobiles from all of the manufacturers perfectly before all people else. We see prototypes on the street all the time, years in advance way too. 

Is there anything at all likely on at the “new” Detroit Automobile Show? The only reveal of notice in Detroit will be Ford’s expose of the previous ICE Mustang, Wednesday night time. Is this party adequate to give the Detroit Car Present credibility or desirability? No. It is akin to the Detroit Lions holding “family” day. You generally know what is heading to happen – with a few wrinkles thrown in for the sake of “new” – but we have all been there and completed that before, have not we?

This column will be a bitter pill for some, but truth has a way of having in the way. The Higher-Octane Truth is that the Detroit Car Exhibit is dead, no matter what variety it normally takes. And what’s going on in its area this 7 days will be a a single strike surprise. There’s just not ample “buzz” to maintain points beyond this calendar year. 

Oh, and a person extra matter. I refuse to sit by and permit makers make synthetic seems for their EVs and contact it “good” or appropriate. Stellantis is touting the artificially-designed muscle seem emanating from its new Charger EV prototype as a thing that is reliable and appealing. But that is Unmitigated Bush League Bullshit. Digital-produced and projected audio – no matter how increased – is the quintessential definition of synthetic phoniness. There is nothing at all “authentic” about it and there is no “there” there. The Substantial-Octane Reality is that it is flat-out stupid, no issue how it’s presented. And it’s the most depressing improvement to strike this enterprise in a very long, very long time.

There you have it. Two wildly unpopular topics this 7 days. 

The Higher-Octane Reality has under no circumstances been easy, always truly feel-fantastic popular, or for the faint of coronary heart. 

And that’s the Superior-Octane Real truth for this week.

Even if some of you cannot handle it.

“You Cannot Deal with The Truth of the matter” – A Few Excellent Gentlemen.