I knew when I saw Tribune automotive wordsmith Robert Duffer roaming the photo department that the annual Chicago Auto Show was coming up.
Covering the auto show is a process in itself. My first year at the newspaper, I don’t think I had a clue what was going on for the better part of the three days I was there. Instead I just wandered around randomly taking photos of whatever scene interested me. Thankfully there were colleagues of mine photographing the newsworthy unveilings and announcements.
This year, I spent the media preview day being that guy, darting from stage to stage covering the important happenings. But once I was done with that and the photos were sent, I headed back down to the floor to just wander again. The auto show experience is such an interesting one to me. Perusing the cars I felt a bit like the film “Lost In Translation.” Or perhaps it was just the Explosions in the Sky Pandora station I was listening to at the time. Either way, it was surreal.
The auto show says so much about society, in every detail — from the layout to the advertising to the brand reps offering free swag. This year the coffee bar seemed to be a popular addition. Many of the carmakers had at least two baristas on hand, doling out caffeine to fuel the masses. Cellphone charging stations also seemed to be spread out like watering holes in a great automotive savanna.
As I meandered though the displays, I couldn’t help but think of my own salt-covered, trash-filled sedan out in the parking lot. At one time, not too many years ago, that exact model was sitting here on the showroom carpet, paraded out to consumers as the latest and greatest. Now it’s virtually made to feel obsolete because it doesn’t have a now-standard integrated back-up camera (which are really great by the way), heated seats or touch screen display.
I was looking at a photo essay from Cuba the other day, and of course the country’s fleet of ’50s-era cars factored heavily into the imagery. Recalling that, while standing at the auto show, I was conflicted. On the one hand I think the innovations in terms of safety and decreased emissions are fantastic, but then I think about how we’re a throwaway society, habituated to buying something, using it for a few years (if that), and discarding it for something newer.
Back inside at the auto show media day, the mood was something akin to the calm before a big storm. Everywhere, brand employees were primping and arranging, making sure every detail of their booths was just just right, knowing full well that in less than 12 hours, more than 1 million visitors would pass though unabashedly manhandling everything and in the process decimating their efforts.
I passed from the more economical brands over to the luxury displays for a quick reminder how cars can dictate socioeconomic status. “I think this one’s going to be one of the pricey ones,” said Duffer, pointing to the $2,624,726 Bugatti Veyron Vitesse. Incredible.