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

By Peter M. DeLorenzo 

Detroit. It’s Car Display week in this article in the Motor Town. Indeed, you read that correctly. Following two-and-just one-fifty percent many years of postponements, untrue starts off and navel-gazing concerns as to “what is it all about?” the Detroit Vehicle Exhibit, this kind of as it is, is slated to get started with a media day on Wednesday (this week’s publication day – WG). 

Really, this “media day” is a misnomer, since what utilized to be two jam-packed days of media push conferences, merchandise rollouts and intensely orchestrated and, in some situations, excruciating government pontificating, has been minimized to a half-assed facsimile of what utilized to be.

Oh sure, there are outdoor displays, and tightly managed “ride and drives” in and around Huntington Area (previously identified as Cobo Corridor), but the reality is that what was the moment a good intercontinental car present stuffed with vital new item reveals has now been lowered to a hometown retail present, the place the thousands of men and women who are possibly straight or indirectly associated in the auto industry in this location can go and revel in the fruits of their labor and say some thing like, “We did the decrease front valance on the new Mustang.”

It is no significant revelation that the COVID pandemic mainly wrecked the vehicle present model. It upended the auto show calendar and hastened its demise by putting the complete circus on a prepare to Oblivion, which is one particular stop previous Out of date Station. 

Is this the Detroit Clearly show organizers’ fault? Not in the the very least. These people today are having difficulties mightily to make the Detroit Auto Exhibit related and an automobile-themed vacation spot for relatives leisure. A huge effort and hard work is being created – supported by the regional media – to make the demonstrate desirable once again. But the reality is that the plot has been lost and the absence of the Detroit Auto Display has not manufactured hearts grow fonder. Rather it has planted an overwhelming feeling of ennui, which has permeated the collective consciousness of the persons who utilised to give a damn.

Of course, the times have adjusted. The car suppliers have realized that the collective hundreds of hundreds of thousands of dollars they utilised to invest on automobile exhibits was a giant waste of funds. Vehicle exhibits have been replaced by specific merchandise rollouts to what passes for the automotive media, alleged social media “influencers” and perfectly-heeled clientele who can spread the phrase a lot far more proficiently and fundamentally, instantaneously. 

It doesn’t help that the retail car current market has inexorably modified far too. Individuals really do not store at sellers any more the infinite offer chain troubles have set compensated to that quaint idea. Now, it is spec-out an buy for a automobile and hold out or hope anyone on a checklist to get a auto cancels and results in an open slot. 

Hold out a minute, wouldn’t that make the Detroit Automobile Show more desirable? Really, no. Men and women are used to observing every little thing and anything to do with new and forthcoming motor vehicles on the Online. Right now. There is no secret or allure any longer, no waiting with anticipation for the dealers to remove the paper masking up the showroom windows like ancient occasions. Men and women now know what is coming a 12 months or far more in progress down to the past depth, it’s just the way points are accomplished these days. And other than, men and women all around listed here are mindful of cars from all of the companies effectively in advance of every person else. We see prototypes on the highway all the time, years in progress much too. 

Is there just about anything heading on at the “new” Detroit Automobile Present? The only expose of note in Detroit will be Ford’s expose of the previous ICE Mustang, Wednesday night time. Is this party sufficient to give the Detroit Vehicle Clearly show believability or desirability? No. It’s akin to the Detroit Lions holding “family” working day. You essentially know what is likely to take place – with a couple wrinkles thrown in for the sake of “new” – but we’ve all been there and accomplished that ahead of, have not we?

This column will be a bitter pill for some, but fact has a way of obtaining in the way. The High-Octane Truth is that the Detroit Auto Exhibit is dead, no make a difference what type it normally takes. And what’s taking place in its location this 7 days will be a a person hit surprise. There is just not more than enough “buzz” to maintain things outside of this calendar year. 

Oh, and one particular much more factor. I refuse to sit by and allow producers produce synthetic appears for their EVs and call it “good” or suitable. Stellantis is touting the artificially-designed muscle mass sound emanating from its new Charger EV prototype as some thing that is genuine and appealing. But that is Unmitigated Bush League Bullshit. Electronic-created and projected seem – no make any difference how improved – is the quintessential definition of artificial phoniness. There is nothing “authentic” about it and there is no “there” there. The Higher-Octane Truth of the matter is that it is flat-out silly, no matter how it’s offered. And it is the most depressing development to hit this business enterprise in a very long, prolonged time.

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

The Higher-Octane Fact has never ever been convenient, always really feel-superior common, or for the faint of heart. 

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

Even if some of you simply cannot tackle it.

“You Are not able to Handle The Reality” – A Number of Great Males.