Mood's up, glitz is down at show By Christine Tierney The Detroit News Detroit -- Compared with past years when cattle ran down Washington Boulevard and trucks crashed through glass panes, the 2010 North American International Auto Show is a muted affair. This year's press preview was shortened from three days to two, and fewer auto executives and journalists attended, reflecting the devastation in both industries. But the Detroit show has kept its place on the auto show map, attracting the top names in the U.S. auto industry as well as chief executives from Europe and Japan eager to participate in the first major automotive event of the year. After the horrendous sales slump of 2009, car companies toned down the glitz and kept the spotlight on their vehicles, their technology and advances in making cleaner and more fuel-efficient cars. 'There are lots of cars on carpets, not flying over minivans,' said Ernst Lieb, president of Mercedes-Benz USA , referring to past stunts. 'This year, maybe we've found the right size, the right setup.' The role and importance of auto shows has been evolving in recent years because of several trends: the rise of new markets and slower growth in mature markets, and Internet-influenced changes in how new models are pitched to enthusiasts. Shows in cities such as Shanghai and Moscow are rivaling established events in Detroit, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Paris and Geneva. Cash-strapped automakers are forced to choose which to attend and which to skip. Last year, most global automakers passed on the Tokyo show to save money. And the 2009 Detroit show was a gloomy affair, with the threat of bankruptcy hanging over General Motors and Chrysler. Detroit also faces growing competition from Los Angeles and Chicago , which attract more visitors but fewer executives. 'L.A. and Chicago are the biggest in terms of consumer attendance, receiving more than 1 million visitors,' said Jim Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Corp.'s U.S. sales and marketing arm. But they haven't supplanted Detroit. 'This is the biggest show to reach as many journalists as we can to tell our story. That's why (it) is incredibly important.' The 2010 show includes more than 60 exhibitors, up from 50 last year. Carmakers such as Nissan Motor Co., which opted against a standalone display, are able to exhibit vehicles in an area dedicated to electric cars or in a space for luxury nameplates at the MGM Grand Detroit casino. Fewer vehicles are debuting at the show this year -- 41, down from 50 last year -- a drop that reflects the demise of some brands, such as GM's Saturn and Pontiac, and the sale of others. Hard times have driven Detroit's automakers to eliminate showy spectacles. But they are spending money on interactive displays to appeal to potential customers who visit the show. 'It's a consumer show for us,' said Jim Farley, Ford Motor Co.'s marketing chief. 'Our market share's exploding in southeast Michigan.' Ford has rows of interactive displays at its exhibit to help visitors learn about its safety and other systems. 'Today, the companies have gotten smarter about the staging and extravaganzas,' said John Mendel, senior vice president of American Honda Motor. 'The purpose is to convey a more rational business model.' The Detroit show, he said, 'used to be a hat-measuring contest. Who had the biggest plume?' Now, the pecking order is reflected in subtler ways, such as the space allotted to each automaker. Ford's has grown while GM's has contracted. But overall, the mood is better. Some of the losers are happy just to be survivors. During the press preview this week, most auto executives predicted a slow recovery for the industry but said the worst was behind them. 'Auto shows roll with the economic cycle,' said Erich Merkle of the consulting firm Autoconomy.com in Grand Rapids. 'Every downturn people think auto shows are going away, but people will keep buying cars and going to auto shows.' ctierneydetnews.com (313) 222-1463 Alisa Priddle contributed. Auto show If you go The 2010 North American International Auto Show opens to the public Saturday at Cobo Center. Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. (no admittance after 9 p.m.) Saturday to Jan. 23; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 24 (no admittance after 6 p.m.) Tickets: $12 adults, $6 ages 65 and older , $6 ages 7-12, free for ages 6 and younger Source: NAIAS Online: Charlie LeDuff introduces you to some of the sights at the auto show. See video at detnews.com. 