It closed in 1988, and yet, I don’t have a single memory of Michigan Central Station as a place where trains came in and out of my hometown. To me, it has felt abandoned for as long as I can remember. This week marks the return of the iconic Detroit building, as a buzzing hub of activity,
While the roar of engines could be heard faintly on Woodward when cars made the circle on Belle Isle, it’s been three decades since the sound echoed between the skyscrapers of the city. This year, Grand Prix racing returns to the downtown streets June 2-4. Here’s what you need to know to enjoy Detroit’s Grand Prix weekend.
There is no question, the automotive industry has really changed in recent decades. New vehicle releases used to only take place in the fall, but now they can happen virtually any time. Gas-powered vehicles are rapidly on the path to extinction to make room for electric vehicles. Advancements in technology have changed everything from how we get
You don’t have to adore cars or racing to truly enjoy the latest exhibit to make its home at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, but if you do, then you’ll really love it. Appropriately nestled between the Heroes of the Sky and Driving America exhibits, you’ll find the new attraction, Driven to Win: Racing in
Michigan has long been known as the automotive state. With innovators like Henry Ford and Ransom Olds, we are known around the world for our automobile manufacturing. One of the lesser-known entrepreneurs that played a role in Michigan's automotive history is an interesting man by the name of Charles Brady King. He was the first person to
There’s no question that the Lake Huron shore is an incredible place to gaze at the stars, but could it also soon be reaching for them? That’s the plan, according to the Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association (MAMA), who has named the Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport as its top candidate for a potential horizontal space launch site in Michigan. The
The 12th Annual Global Automotive and Mobility Innovation Challenge (GAMIC) semi-finals will take place in the Architectural Engineering Building on the campus of Lawrence Technological University on Thursday, February 27. GAMIC was created in 2008 out of a partnership between what is now SAE International and the MI Innovation Alliance. The purpose is to identify innovative companies
Last year Ford Motor Company issued a challenge in Indianapolis, Austin, Mexico City, and Detroit. The idea behind the City: One Mobility Challenge was to identify new ways to make it easier for people to get around. In Detroit, three winning proposals have now been identified and the groups behind them will share $250,000 in funding to
For more than three decades, January has meant a return of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) to Detroit. This year, the event is moving to June 13-20, and will take advantage of warmer weather to expand outside of the TCF Center, formerly Cobo Hall, to the streets of the Motor City. While the change presents
To kids, summer ends when school starts, to others, Labor Day Weekend sounds the toll, but for car lovers, summer isn't really over until all of those delicate beauties who only make appearances on warm, sunny days, return to storage, garages, and under covers. Fortunately, that typically means making it all the way through summer (September 22
These days for most people, Labor Day means a last long look at summer. Jazz fills the air in Detroit and thousands of people take a stunningly beautiful stroll across the Mackinac Bridge. Boats leave their docks with swimmers aboard and skiers behind. Barbecues and picnics can be found in backyards and parks around the state. People
Whether we’re psychologically ready for it or not, the next phase of automotive mobility will come in the form of self-driving vehicles. From Ford’s commitment to its new Corktown campus to GM’s $100 million plan to roll out self-driving Chevy Volts, to the American Center for Mobility at Willow Run, it’s clear that Michigan is poised to
Last July during the Mackinac Policy Conference, then governor Rick Snyder announced an $8 million Michigan Mobility Challenge. The program is designed to encourage public-private partnerships in the design and implementation of innovative mobility services utilizing emerging technologies to solve mobility gaps for seniors, persons with disabilities and veterans. Yesterday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer was on hand at
When the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) returns to Cobo Center later this month, it will include more opportunities than simply shopping for a new ride. As the industry evolves into a higher-tech mobility-oriented field, a new pool of talent with different knowledge and skills will be required. In response, this year's auto show will also
Speed and safety are integral when it comes to police vehicles. The latest addition to the Ford Motor Company lineup, the 2020 Police Interceptor Utility includes a variety of features to keep officers safe, yet effective, and with some cost-saving opportunities to make taxpayers happy. One of the new model’s most exciting improvements is the option of
Following a trend of ongoing good news for Detroit’s automotive sector, Cadillac is relocating its headquarters to the Motor City, or more accurately, to Warren. News of the decision was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, and has since been confirmed. GM’s luxury brand moved its headquarters to New York City four years ago. While the move
Last month Ford Motor Company made headlines around the nation with its purchase of the Michigan Central Station. As the rehabilitation of the once abandoned, yet beloved building, is underway, talk has turned to what else the company has in store for its Corktown campus. Some of that speculation has been answered with the announcement today that
In many ways, it's difficult to imagine January in Detroit without journalists and aficionados from around the world descending upon the Motor City to investigate, contemplate, and celebrate the automotive industry. Yet, in 2020, January will move over and make way for June to play host to a completely reinvented North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). The
Once upon a time, vehicle brand loyalty was tied very much to the human side of the car business, especially here in Michigan. If your dad worked for Ford, you bought Ford. If you liked your saleswoman at the Dodge dealership, you went back to her to buy or lease another Dodge. As time has gone on,
There is a lot of pride at Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant, and with good reason. Mustangs have been rolling off the line there since July of 2014, and the response has never been better. Global demand for the new 2018 model has driven Ford Mustang to its third straight year as the best-selling sports coupe in
Playing with LEGO® building blocks and creating robots are activities that have delighted kids for decades, but underneath the fun, there are important practical skills to be learned. The aptitudes developed are in the coveted STEM (science, technology, engineering, and match) realm, and can provide a foundation for careers of the future. That’s what makes it so
Movie fans and car aficionados often unite when it comes to their feelings about a certain Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang GT fastback. The car was driven by Steve McQueen in what many consider the greatest car chase scene in movie history through the streets of San Francisco in Bullitt. The Mystery Begins Back then cars that
It’s time once again for the North American International Auto Show, which will take the Motor City by storm January 20th-28th. Cars are of course the stars of this annual extravaganza, but with the ever-changing cityscape of Detroit, it is also a phenomenal time to explore the metropolis. Here are 8 ways to make the most of your
