Don’t consign Detroit to irrelevance just yet. Though it’s decreased in size compared to previous years, the NAIAS still carries its share of world introductions and shiny new sheet metal.

The SLS AMG made its debut in Frankfurt, but Detroit was my first chance to look at the new gullwing in person, and it’s gorgeous.

The Beachcomber concept is a harbinger of the upcoming crossover vehicle from MINI.

The weather is about the same: Chicago in February is just as terrible as Detroit in January, if not worse. The difference is in the attitude. Where Detroit is about Serious Business, Chicago’s much more relaxed.

The air is filled with the scent of fresh carpet and brand-new rubber, and one has to keep an eye out to avoid being knocked over by a busy Teamster or a German guy with a SteadiCam.

The North American International Auto Show has been a part of my life since I was a child, and it depresses me to watch it die.