2014 Detroit Auto Show

[mkoesel]

Yep - some companies literally rope off cars and some use other means to keep you at arms length such as a raised platform with a sign telling you to keep away and perhaps a company representative keeping watch.

I still think that sitting in the car will not be possible during public show days, and quite possibly not during press or preview days either. Getting up close to the car is more likely to be allowed for the public, and is guaranteed at preview and press days. Hopefully I am wrong and instead we can all get great pics of ourselves posing proudly behind the wheel like richardg posted above.

Originally Posted by M3PGH

thanks for the language lesson, but at the show some companies like Ferrari and Bentley actually rope off their cars, and by the time Jan comes, M3/M4 will be production cars so the company will try to show case them to the public. This year we sat in E63 AMG despite the fact it was not released into US market till fall of the year

[SCOTT26]

Both M3 and M4 Coupe will be accessible at the NAIAS.

However both vehicles will be in US specification and may not reflect equipment and options available to European and other markets.

[mkoesel]

Thanks for the info, SCOTT. Sounds like I was wrong in my pessimism, and I am happy about that.

So will you be attending this show during the press days?

[SCOTT26]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Thanks for the info, SCOTT. Sounds like I was wrong in my pessimism, and I am happy about that.

So will you be attending this show during the press days?

Sadly no. I have not attended NAIAS since 2008 when the 1er Cabrio and X6 made their world premiere. Anyway I will be busy because some weeks after will be the first drives of the BMW i8.
After NAIAS it will be a product roller coaster from BMW , especially for Geneva , Beijing and Leipzig.

[Raikkonen]

I go to the black tie event (charity preview) every year, and I'll be there this year as well (next year, technically!).

It will be Friday, January the 17th, 2014, the night before it opens to the public. I'm assuming the M will be introduced much earlier in the week, probably Monday or Tuesday, so I'm willing to say that after the press has had their paws on them for a few days, they may be open on the black tie event as well.

It all depends on what BMW decides, but in the past, I've sat in the F12, Aventador, Mulsanne, Maybach, Panamera Turbo S, etc., so they may have them open for the black tie event.

Remember, although vitally important in the car industry, it is only an $80k car...

Either way, if anyone wants something specifically photographed on the car, either on the interior or exterior, let me know, as I'll be taking a ton of photos.

[richardg]

Originally Posted by Raikkonen

I go to the black tie event (charity preview) every year, and I'll be there this year as well (next year, technically!).

It will be Friday, January the 17th, 2014, the night before it opens to the public. I'm assuming the M will be introduced much earlier in the week, probably Monday or Tuesday, so I'm willing to say that after the press has had their paws on them for a few days, they may be open on the black tie event as well.

It all depends on what BMW decides, but in the past, I've sat in the F12, Aventador, Mulsanne, Maybach, Panamera Turbo S, etc., so they may have them open for the black tie event.

Remember, although vitally important in the car industry, it is only an $80k car...

Either way, if anyone wants something specifically photographed on the car, either on the interior or exterior, let me know, as I'll be taking a ton of photos.

I want to go black tie this year but at 700 a pop........sheesh. But yeah I will be in attendance to the show. I will make it my business to take pictures of the under carriage and small detail stuff. We will have plenty of generic exterior photos and the like. I will try and get dumb things that are often overlooked like the back of the seats, glove box, rear suspension, diff, etc....

[jimbethesda]

Thanks all for your input. On a funny note, I sent my question off to BMW through my owners portal. After 4-days, I got this epically bad response!

See my question first, followed by their response:

ModelYear: 2008
MfgNme: BMW
ModelNme: M3 Sedan

ContactBy: email
Comments: Thinking about going to the Detroit Auto Show in January to see the new M3. Will it be roped off, or will we be allowed to sit inside the cars?

Response by BMW:

Thank you for contacting BMW of North America, LLC.

The BMW M3 Coupe has been discontinued. We apologize for any dissatisfaction this may cause.

The BMW M4 will be on display at the Detroit Auto Show. We have no information at this time regarding how the M4 will be displayed.

The BMW Customer Relations and Services Department is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time. You can reach us at 1-800-831-1117.

Sincerely,

Emily Dunn
Customer Relations and Services
Representative

[BRAISKI]

If you're able to sit inside, make sure you pop the hood and have a friend standing by to take a pic of the engine bay

[jbockrd]

I plan on going to the Black Tie Event in Philly in early Feb. I wonder if it will be there??

[ersin]

To whomever goes: please take pics and report back. The suspense for more information is killing me. I can't believe it, this is even worse then when the E9x and E46 M3s came out. I thought I would be better able to handle events like this the older I got. Bummer.


Cheers.

[Raikkonen]

Originally Posted by ersin

To whomever goes: please take pics and report back. The suspense for more information is killing me. I can't believe it, this is even worse then when the E9x and E46 M3s came out. I thought I would be better able to handle events like this the older I got. Bummer.


Cheers.

LOL. That's hilarious!

I totally agree. The problem nowadays is the fact there are so many more media outlets and forums such as this that allow information to "leak" little by little, building a ton of anticipation. Believe me, I'm in the same boat as you; I absolutely cannot wait...

In the past, it was more like a giant "Boom!" when everything was revealed to you all at once, like photos, specs, etc., just by picking up a magazine like Car and Driver at the news stand! I kinda miss those days...

I love you and hate you interweb!!!

[turbolag]

Well I'm about a day's drive away from detroit (I live in upstate ny), so I don't know...it seems odd driving my E90 M3 to see the F80, though.

[dhoggm3]

Can we do a roll call of who from the forum is going to Detroit? I'm taking my 17-YO son and his buddy, Sat/Sun 18th & 19th.

How about if Bimmerpost works out some sort of Forum ID for forum members so we can spot each other in the BMW lounge? It would be nice to put some faces to the pseudonyms.

[fun2drv]

Originally Posted by dhoggm3

Can we do a roll call of who from the forum is going to Detroit? I'm taking my 17-YO son and his buddy, Sat/Sun 18th & 19th.

How about if Bimmerpost works out some sort of Forum ID for forum members so we can spot each other in the BMW lounge? It would be nice to put some faces to the pseudonyms.

I plan to be there on the 18th with my camera. Tons of pics will be taken!

[michas24]

I will be there too on the 18th.

[Alessandro]

Originally Posted by dhoggm3

Can we do a roll call of who from the forum is going to Detroit? I'm taking my 17-YO son and his buddy, Sat/Sun 18th & 19th.

How about if Bimmerpost works out some sort of Forum ID for forum members so we can spot each other in the BMW lounge? It would be nice to put some faces to the pseudonyms.

what BMW Lounge?

[Needsdecaf]

Any word on the M3 / M4 being displayed at the "lesser" US shows - NY, Houston, Philly, DC?

[VR1]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Edit: I searched and came up with the 1M back in 2011. Anyone sit in that car? Any pics online of people in the car? If the answers to those are "yes" then I'd say that's a good sign. I couldn't find any myself, but I didn't search that hard either.

I went to the 2011 Detroit Auto Show with a friend, and we sat in the 1M (We were 12 yrs old). If I recall correctly, we were able to sit in all of the BMW's. Only a few cars like the 458, Bentley's, SLS, etc.. were roped off. I originally went to see the new Porsche 918, but apparently it was only there for the press showing the day earlier. Only thing I remember was that the 1M was VO and we spent a long time messing with the radio.

[w3rkn]

Originally Posted by jimbethesda

I'm thinking about going to the Detroit Auto Show in January so I can see the new M3/M4 in person. I've never been to a major auto show before. Does anyone know if the M3 and M4 will be in a roped off area, or will we be allowed to get up close and sit inside?

I'm trying to determine if it is worth it for me to travel from Austin, TX to attend.

Thanks!

There will be many BMW Sales Assistants upstairs on the balcony. Grab one and strike up a convo.. depending, you might mitigate a seat in one.

[drob23]

I'm going for sure, can't wait to see the M3/M4 and the new Mustang!

[lucas.kent]

I'm going, and will have a press pass for the preview before it's open to the public. I'll bring my camera and get some good shots.

[///M5Bruno]

I say if you want to go then go. Why the hell not.