LOS ANGELES — Like a beacon of light, Honda's new show stand offered a contrast with the darker displays of some of its peers during last month's expo here.
That's on purpose. Honda wants to create a vibrant, enthusiastic atmosphere for visitors to its stand. Not so much for the auto writers who blow in for a couple days, but for the real audience: future car buyers who attend the dozens of shows across the country and use them to add vehicles and brands to their shopping lists, or to scratch them off.
Honda and its luxury marque, Acura, are not pulling back from auto shows like some brands that are experimenting with alternative events that can generate a bigger media bang for their buck. American Honda wants the press coverage, like everybody else, but its real purpose with the convention halls is creating a flagship showroom to sell cars.