 Re: 2005 NAIAS and then some....
Yes, thanks for the pics.
I was there on Tuesday for employee day for my company. A ton of people at 10:00AM.
Out of all the displays and product shown, only Ford and the Mustang exhibits were the most packed.
There were lines 10 people deep just to sit in the Mustangs, 3 to 5 deep for the Freestyle and 500.
The crowds around the Mustangs like the pics posted were so mauled with people, I couldn't get a clean enough pic to see the cars. The Ford displays - car platforms were quality. Did anyone see the F350 with the trailer in tow with the red 05 Mustang downstairs? Nice, very nice. Other than the Ford displays, prototypes, the Corvette Z06 and a sharp blue Austin Martin Vanquish roped off and tucked away in the corner intombed in a glass box, there really was nothing of style or beauty to look at.
Well, Chrysler.The one thing I can say is that Chrysler in recent years (since the Viper/Prowler era) has not been afraid to display a prototype and make it production. Thanks in part to Bob Lutz. At least they (Chrysler) is keeping that tradition alive. The GTO, well that's another sore spot. I have kept an open mind and I'm a not a bias person, I work in product development/validation for a Tier I automobile supplier and personally, saw a lot of the same old stodgy styling out there. Why? You have five generations of designers out there, trying to please the masses and catering to the older crowd
(tenure guys) for those buying the frumpy tradional boats. The first generation baby boomers who unlike there father, likes updated vehicles but are still a little conservative, alhough depending upon where you work (Ford, Chrysler and Corvette design team) sees that the some of the early and more of the middle and tail end baby boomers like it more retro - bringing back our childhood and great memories - like the song by Chicago -"Old Days" good times I remember. The under 40 folks and some of the others are into "cutting edge". We have ladies designers as well as the guys who have have great ideas in making it happen. Bob Lutz has a lot of old baggage at GM to clean out and update that have tenure and stock options and are not as willing to accept change. Not having total control over a company can make it tougher to get the job done. Now, Jr. (William Clay Ford Jr) is making great strides and having J.Mays on board is bringing Ford out from the debacle and turmoil of Jac Nasser era. :thumbsup | 
