Missing the Fun: No-Shows in Detroit Include Mitsubishi, Rolls-Royce

Jan 16, 2015 05:00 PM EST | Jordan Ecarma

Now that the dust has settled from the Detroit auto show's big reveals, car enthusiasts have a chance to wonder about the automakers who decided not to show up.

While Nissan has been absent in years past, the carmaker is definitely back and unveiled its 2016 Nissan Titan pickup for the 2015 North American International Auto Show.

Fellow Japanese automakers Mitsubishi and Suzuki were missing again. Mitsubishi spokesman Alex Fedorak told AutoWorldNews by email that the carmaker has not been actively involved with the show since a decision made "several years ago." Mitsubishi sends spokespeople to the event, but it hasn't brought hardware to the Detroit show in a while.

Back in 2011, a Mitsubishi representative told the New York Times that the automaker was focusing on the New York and Los Angeles shows because its products better fit those markets.

Despite the size and prestige of the Detroit auto show, luxury names don't show up as a rule. Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin and Ferrari send a representative or two but don't use the event as a stage for any debuts, the likely reason being that buyers who can afford such pricey vehicles don't base their purchasing on auto shows.

But you never know--carmakers could always end up coming back to Detroit.

The resilient city has itself enjoyed a moment of revival after enduring a year of devastating auto recalls and spending much of 2014 in bankruptcy, the Detroit News said in an editorial.

Launching in 1907, the show has grown from a local event to an international affair once it was opened up to automakers worldwide in the late 1980s.

"There's no question this is the No. 1 show in the U.S.," Tom Libby, an industry analyst at IHS Automotive, told the News. "It's been a snowball effect. As it's gained strength, manufacturers realized they need to be here.

"It's great promotion for the city--and great for the industry."

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