Toshihiro Iwatake, the executive director and secretary general of JAMA disclosed that two companies are not confident in pushing through with the motor show in the midst of the global economic crunch. But he also stressed that an internal motor show is the beacon that serves as the symbol for the success of the automobile industry. If the show pushes through, it will show that the industry is striving, even healthy. He proposed that organizing as small show is way better than cancelling the entire thing, however, several JAMA member countered that a small show would make the industry look bad.

Scheduled to kick off on October 23, 2009, the 41st annual Tokyo Motor Show’s theme will be “Fun Driving for us, Eco Driving for Earth.” Nothing has been decided yet, but if the show will be cancelled, it will be announced next month. Once cancelled, the next Tokyo Motor Show will be on 2011.

Registration for the 2009 Tokyo show ended last year with some of the veteran exhibitors failing to register but late exhibitors will still be accepted. Some of automobile companies that failed to register are the following: Porsche AG, Rolls Royce and Land Rover, Nissan Motor Co, and Suzuki Motor Corp.

Mitsubishi adds to the list of other big names which will not be joining the 2009 Detroit big event. Other car companies like Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Suzuki, and Land Rover which also cited the difficulties faced by the whole industry.

The withdrawal of these car manufacturers doesn’t prevent them from coming back on future occasions. Mitsubishi has expressed its desire to participate in the Chicago and New York Auto Shows.

The Detroit Auto Show is considered one of the most prestigious events of the car industry among some other motoring highlights. The event, like the concluded Los Angeles Auto Show and SEMA, has been plagued by the ongoing cost cutting and operations re-structuring of most car manufacturers.

The big chunk of withdrawals of major auto industry players have opened doors for other car manufacturers like China’s Brilliance Auto to appear for the first time in Detroit. BYD, another Chinese automaker, enter the event to display their range of products.

The Detroit Cobo Hall will still be witness to the good number of around 50 unveilings which is at par with the annual average. Some manufacturers have also asked for extra space to display the best of their offerings.

Around 6000 journalists from around the globe are expected to join and cover the Detroit Auto Show.

Tough decisions are being made by the car manufacturers when it comes to allocating their tight budgets and joining prestigious auto shows to further build up their brand.

The Ferrari California did not win anything during the international show. It did not get a second glance, moreover, not the expected wow stare.

The big aesthetic issue at hand is the bulky rear end of the new car. It was purposely designed to house all the hydraulics of the folding hard top of the Ferrari California.

Unlike what one can expect from a Ferrari, it is trying to be an excellent coupe and a convertible. For this, some sacrifices must be made in terms of design.

The Ferrari California is not the usual Ferrari. Its primary goal is versatility being a 2+ seat car with the backseats that can be folded to allow more luggages like groceries or golf carts.

The car is the first GT with a mid-front V8 engine capable of zooming at 192 mph. The engine has an output of 460 horsepower and 358 lb-ft torque. The Ferrari California has similarities in terms of displacement with F430 only with a slightly lower redline at 8000 rpm.

The Ferrari California may compete with the Aston Martin DB9 Volante, the SL63 Mercedes-Benz, and the Porsche 911 Turbo spider. The price of the Ferrari California is estimated at $231,500.

Ferrari California is due for release in Europe by February or March in 2009. US residents will have it in their dealerships by June.