Motor Bella ends Detroit auto show drought

DETROIT — It's been almost 1,000 days since an auto show was held in Detroit.

In that nearly three-year stretch, Fiat Chrysler became Stellantis, Carlos Ghosn became an international fugitive and the Hummer became a crab-walking, zero-emission electric pickup.

Likewise, the long-standing North American International Auto Show has morphed — at least for one year — into Motor Bella, a scaled-down outdoor event that begins Tuesday, Sept. 21, in Pontiac, a suburb north of Detroit. While the ongoing coronavirus pandemic scuttled grander plans for a reimagined NAIAS, organizers say there's enough pent-up demand for vehicle reveals and drive opportunities to make the interim event a success.

"Everybody's hungry for socializing and to get out and see the product and see the technologies that have come around in the last two or three years," Rod Alberts, executive director of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, told Automotive News. "You can only do so much over the Internet."

The six-day event has promised vehicle reveals, including the 2022 Toyota Tundra, as well as driving experiences that will utilize space at the M1 Concourse racetrack. The Detroit 3 are participating, and organizers expect about 350 vehicles from 35 total brands.

Motor Bella will be a sort of test run for the next NAIAS, which officials have said would return to downtown Detroit in 2022.

"This period of time was a chance to really reimagine, reevaluate and do the right thing for the future," Alberts said. "It will open the door for what we can take a look at in the future downtown."

Automakers, Alberts said, have been asking the association for shorter shows and opportunities for driving experiences and other activities beyond stationary vehicles. It's a change in direction from the past, when companies would often shell out millions of dollars for extravagant indoor displays in an attempt to outshine and outspend their rivals.

Even before the pandemic forced most automakers to reveal new products virtually, Alberts said the thinking on how much they spent at shows was changing.

"The manufacturers are more efficient with what they're doing in their marketing," he said. "We have to make sure the return on investment is going to be there and is measurable. You've got to lower the cost and create more value."

The reimagined 2020 Detroit show was supposed to feature some of the outdoor displays and experiences envisioned for Motor Bella but was canceled last year because of the pandemic. Organizers then planned for a June 2021 show before pushing it back to the fall. They later canceled it altogether, opting to host Motor Bella in its place.

Organizers say there's 1.3 million square feet of usable space at the M1 Concourse site. There will be two press and industry days followed by four public days. Alberts has said he'd like to see 150,000 attendees.

The Chicago Auto Show, held in July, likely provides a good clue as to some of what attendees in Pontiac will see this week. Stellantis and Ford offered customers rides in Jeeps and Broncos, and they'll do so again this week.

Beyond that, a 25,000-square-foot pavilion will house mobility technologies, and performance brands will utilize the site's 1-mile track.

Alberts said many of the features are likely to be replicated during a larger show next year. He also has not ruled out keeping parts or all of Motor Bella as a standalone event to supplement the regular show.

"During this time of change, if you're just sitting on the sideline and waiting to see what happens, I think that's a major mistake," Alberts said. "The shows around the world looking to do something new and different and willing to embrace the change in the industry are going to be the winners. Nothing is the same anymore, and the embracing of that is key."