If volume dictated matters, the undisputed star of this year’s Detroit motor show was the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.
In front of a rapturous crowd of patriotic media, market types as well as portly rednecks, the new-for-2013 C7 was revealed in a building the size of Belgium next to one of the lots of post-apocalyptic areas of Detroit that skirt its city centre.
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To these eyes it appeared like a lot more of the same, however they liked it as well as expressed their interest in that a lot of American of methods – hollering as well as whooping as well as wanting to get their photo taken next to it. It was extremely Detroit.
But across town on the exact same evening was an event of a lot more workable proportions however of far higher relevance to us in the UK, as well as the market as a whole.
The Volkswagen group reception served as a event celebration of a record year in 2012. Startling figures were trotted out in a matter of truth style by the bosses of VW, Audi as well as Porsche as well as need to have sounded extremely ominous undoubtedly for other manufacturers.
9.1million sales around the world in 2012 (behind only Toyota as well as GM). VW up 35 per cent in the US. Audi targeting 1.5million globally a year by 2015, up from 1.45m at present, as well as meaning to overtake BMW as the greatest premium brand by 2020. Porsche sales up 18.7 per cent last year worldwide.
Once a bit-part player in the US, VW’s multi-billion dollar investment in north america is paying off handsomely. Yet one more new factory opened this week – in Silao, Mexico – as well as the juggernaut shows no indication of slowing down.
Strategic targeting of the us market is making it stronger as well as stronger across the world. however amid all the fanfare, one concern of mine VW CEO Martin Winterkorn didn’t want to response directly was what all this indicated for rivals.
In Europe, in particular, a number of makers are having a hard time terribly as a lot of of the VW group brands go from stamina from strength. Excess production as well as prospective closure of factories are a genuine problem.
But as his final statement of a triumphant night, Winterkorn deadpanned: “What competitors are doing with overcapacity I don’t know. however we are not cutting back.”

So it’s full heavy steam ahead, then. On a night when America loudly hailed one of its own automotive heroes, I can’t assist feeling that this – as well as not the Corvette’s coronation as king of Detroit 2013 – will be a lot more considerable in the long run.