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Payne: The best things to see at the 2023 Detroit auto show
Posted by Talbot Payne on September 21, 2023
Detroit — The 2023 North American International Auto Show is like a shopping mall — with rides.
In the new era of auto shows, it’s not about the vehicle reveals (for the most part, those are now independent manufacturer events); it’s about creating a good retail experience. If the Big Apple show is about premium rides and LA is about green vehicles, then the Motor City is about the auto manufacturers next door.
Detroit is the only home to three automakers, and they are the anchor stores at Huntington Place Mall — er, convention center. General Motors and its brands anchor the southeast corner of the exhibition hall, Stellantis the northeast corner, and Ford is at the center. Displays are big, colorful, with lots of cars and digital screens.
Toyota also has substantial store space with Volkswagen, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, and Mini showing boutique spaces. Absent are full-line model displays from significant brands like Mazda, Subaru, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes, and Acura — a shortcoming of other shows as well.
Like the Mall of America in Minneapolis, the Detroit show has amusement rides. Five in all, from electric vehicle tracks to Jeep and Ford rollercoasters. The icing on the cake is a premium car display anchoring the floor’s northwest center. The Detroit Auto Dealers Association has rolled in a cornucopia of exotica, including Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Bentley, and more.
Bring the whole family and spend a day at the mall. Here are the must-sees at the North American International Auto Show.
EV track. You might spend half the day here. Taking up 20% of the floor’s space in the southwest quadrant, the EV track features over a dozen electric vehicles to ride. And these aren’t granola-mobiles, but some of the fastest cars on the planet. The drivers are eager to show you what they can do. Pile the family into a GMC Hummer pickup (0-60 MPH in, ahem, 3.0 seconds) or Tesla Model S sedan (0-60 MPH in 3.1 seconds) and hold on. With instant torque, the EVs will leave your vertebrae imprint on the seats as you rocket to 45 mph on the back straight.
That’s right, Tesla is in the house. In a rare sight at a U.S. show, S, X, and Y models are on hand for rides. Smartly, organizers have arranged “pit stalls” so showgoers can choose the vehicle they want to ride in. Stalls include Tesla, GMC, Cadillac (Lyriq), Ford (Mach-E), VW (ID.4) and more. Expect lines, so plan accordingly. If it’s nice outside, check out the second EV track, which takes you along part of the Detroit Grand Prix course.
Jeep, Ford, Ram tracks. For the best view of the show, climb into a doorless Bronco or Wrangler and ride into the rafters. The mini-rollercoaster isn’t as quick as the EV course, but it’s a taste of the capabilities of these off-road warriors. The ride also showcases vehicle capabilities over rough terrain and at steep side angles. The Ram activation won’t take you into the ceiling, but it will show off the 1500’s towing muscle.
Ford F-150. Ford is making a habit of dropping big reveals on NAIAS, and this year, they’ve wheeled out the latest F-150 truck, the best-selling vehicle in America. The brute gets updates across its model lineup from a base XL to a six-figure Raptor. Ford is featuring the off-road Tremor model, and it’s a beaut. Check out the new “coast-to-coast” grille, modular front bumper armed with a winch, and knobby off-road tires. But the real fun is out back, where the bed (that’s why you buy a pickup, yes?) shows off the new Pro Access Tailgate with a built-in swing-gate for easier cargo access. Once in the bed, check out the new Bed Storage Box for your small tools and accessories.
Ford Mustang GTD. Ford’s iconic Mustang enters the supercar stratosphere. The GTD is a street-legal race car injected with all of the Ford Performance division’s steroids. Using the same supercharged, 5.2-liter V-8 powerplant as the GT500, GTD (named after the IMSA racing class) cranks up the wick to over 800 horsepower. Like a scorpion’s tail, a huge wing sprouts from the rear for downforce to keep the beast planted. The ‘Stang also boasts a $300,000 supercar price. OMG GTD.
Performance. There’s plenty of horsepower on the floor beyond GTD. A Cadillac CT5 Blackwing lurks in the GM display, complete with 668 horsepower from its 6.2-liter V-8. The single-seater, 799-horse Ferrari Monza highlights the exotics. You want a super truck? The Ram 1500 TRX Final Edition cranks out 702 horses. And for those on a budget, check out the 300-horse, all-wheel-drive Toyota GR Corolla hot hatch for under $40K. That’s GR as in GRRRRRR.
Screen wars. Ever since the Tesla Model S debuted a 17-inch console screen, the screen wars have been on. Inspired by the Lyriq EV, the new Cadillac CT5 and XT4 both boast curved, 33-inch dash displays. Every automaker has its take, but the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus is the first U.S. vehicle to offer a pillar-to-pillar, full-dash display. Measuring 48 inches across, this jumbotron is so big that it needs its own command screen, which sits in the center console. Program jumbotron to your liking and all your data is at eye level to keep your head up.One more thing. Be sure to let the kids ride the toy, electric Jeeps. You’re never too young to drive.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.