The 2025 Detroit Auto Show Is Back to Its Roots
It’s no longer the North American International Auto Show.
The Detroit Auto Show is back to its traditional slot on the calendar at the start of the new year. And it’s back to its primary focus, the car shopper—and less about the glitz and glamour of new product introductions and grabbing the attention of the international media.
By Christopher Merlo
Thu, Jan 23, 2025 09:00 AM PST
Featured Image: It's no longer the North American International Auto Show. The event is back to being called the Detroit Auto Show - as reflected in the signs publizing the event (photograph by Mark Dapoz).
Yes, the Detroit Auto Show has officially transitioned back to its local Motown roots with a call to action to get out, slam the doors, kick the tires, grab the steering wheel and compare one make and model to another.
Going back to its roots also comes with the absence of a multitude of press conferences, new model reveals and legions of automotive journalists. And while local hoteliers might bemoan the high vacancy rate due to the absence of out-of-towners, the hometown automotives and local car dealers were revved up to welcome the public to a show with an emphasis on the driving experience.
This year, there are four indoor track experiences, up from two in 2023 (the last year the show was held) including Camp Jeep, Ford Bronco Built Wild, Powering Michigan EV Experience and the Detroit Grand Prix track to demo ICE, hybrids EV models. More space for the driving courses means less space for vehicle displays. That’s not a compromise given the absence of some fourteen brands. Twenty brands and their vehicles are on display on the show floor hosted by a combination of manufacturers and local dealer groups. Indeed, a trend over the last few shows has been the presence of dealer groups in lieu of formal displays by OEMs.
Local dealers also hosted The Gallery which featured 50 ultra-luxury and exotics representing 12 brands such as Aston Martin, Lamborghini and Rolls Royce to name just a few.
With a renewed emphasis on car shoppers – we contend it never went away – and less on new model introductions, only one manufacturer, Ford, held a press conference the evening before the scheduled Media Day and the official opening of the show. Due to the absence of manufacturer press conferences media day with access to the show floor was limited to a half day.
Here is the news from the Ford press conference.
2025 Mustang GTD Spirit of America
With blue and red stripes on white the special edition Mustang GTD Spirit of America continues Ford’s efforts to broaden its appeal to niche buyers with its strategy to build derivatives of its iconic nameplates. As Ford CEO Jim Farley stated at the reveal, “We do not make shampoo.” He underscored the comments with, “Rule No. 1 … no boring products.”
The Spirit of America celebrates the GTD’s completing a lap around the Nürburging in less than 7 minutes – the first American car to do so. Farley, a racing enthusiast who also likes to test his driving skills on the track, is especially proud of the street legal GTD and the motorsports prowess of the Ford engineering team.
First revealed in 2023, the GTD is just now coming to market as a 2025 model. Buyers will need to pony up some serious cash for this limited production Mustang that is priced north of $300,000. With its carbon fiber aerodynamic features and standard performance package the GTD cranks out 815 horsepower, 664-pound feet of torque and a top speed of 202 miles per hour.
Ford Mustang RTR
Ford took advantage of one of the auto show’s indoor tracks to burn some rubber and complete a couple of laps, drifting included, with drifting champion and RTR Vehicles Founder Vaughn Gittin, Jr., to reveal, the Mustang RTR. Ford was short on details but the big news here is that this high-performance derivative developed in partnership with RTR showcases Ford’s EcoBoost engine technology. And we’re left wondering is the camo wrap a one-off for show only or will it make it to the dealer showroom.
More Images from the Detroit Auto Show
The winners of the 2025 North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year
Facebook users can view the gallery of Mark Dapoz photographs from the Detroit Auto Show here.
About The Author
Christopher Merlo, a.k.a Mr. Detroit, learned to drive on the streets of the Motor City. Friday and Saturday nights of his youth were spent cruising Detroit's Telegraph Road and Woodward Avenue while listening to rock and roll resulting in serious addictions to road machines, pop music, and road food. For Chris, it's all about car culture. These days Chris satisfies his various appetites by advising automotive clients and writing their corporate communications.
