They’ve got the world on a string

Yesterday’s overview of the upcoming L.A. Auto Show might have sounded a tad too enthusiastic. Apologies. The reality is that the show is a reflection of the dire situation automakers find themselves in, only it’s representative of a few months ago with the exception of GM’s recent cancellation of its press conference and display of anything significant.

The L.A. Auto Show starts this Friday, filling the Los Angeles Convention Center with the industry’s latest offerings. The show hasn’t always had much in the way of exclusive debuts and, before moving to the current November dates, it overlapped the Elvis Presley of car shows, Detroit. Now it leads off the U.S. auto show season, which includes Detroit and Chicago.