(Source: Wheels Blog – NY Times & Autoblog)

Asia’s premier auto exhibition, the Tokyo Motor Show, held every other fall at the sprawling Makuhari Messe convention center, is still scheduled to take place Oct. 23-Nov. 4, but the cast of characters shrinks almost daily.  The exhibition has suffered in recent years with sales declines in the Japanese domestic market. Now, automakers around the world are experiencing sales and production slowdowns and are canceling plans for many new models.

Image Courtesy: Tokyo Motor Show

In fact, the display area for the 2009 show will be less than half of what it was in 2007, the last time the show was held. That show, in turn, was substantially smaller than the one in 2005. This year, the show is also being shortened by four days. Canceling the show entirely, J.A.M.A. said, would complicate its ability to revive it in future years.

(Source: Jalopnik)

It’s not often that you quickly look past blonde and presumably Italian (or maybe Swiss) “booth professionals,” but the Alfa Romeo 8C Spider has that affect on a man. Yes, friends, the highly anticipated Geneva debut of the Spider is finally here. This car has the same 450 HP 4.7-liter V8 as its brother, the 8C Competizione, which earned its own Very Special Jalopnik Day. If you haven’t already noticed, the Spider features a fully automatic electro-hydraulic convertible top that has been engineered with the same aerodynamic and performance precision as the rest of the ride. 

The car’s sexy enough on it’s own. But adding a couple of  super good looking, electric red wearing, smoking hot babes, strutting their wares around that dream machine to some fine rhythms – makes it absolutely irresistible (i.e., if you are ready to do some explaining to your wife/girlfriend why you decided to spend $200K).  Watch the video below and tell me if you disagree:

The 2009 event is proving to be another great networking opportunity, informational program about ITS in Michigan and throughout the United States and forum to showcase ITS technologies in the exhibit hall.  The

2009 Annual ITS Michigan meeting and Exhibition will be held on May 12 and 13 in Novi, Michigan, and is an event you won’t want to miss. 

There will be live demonstrations on site throughout the event.

The Michigan Department of Transportation would like to personally welcome you to Exhibit and/or Attend this event.  Feel free to pass this on to anyone you wish that would benefit from exhibiting and/or attending this event.

Exhibitors: Get your registration in early to take advantage of the booth space selection.  Sponsors get first choices based on levels then first registrations get first picks etc.  Don’t delay email or fax in your registration today!

Demonstrations:  If you are interested in doing a demonstration please email me asap at                         muellerm2@michigan.gov as space is on a first come, first serve basis!

Information and Registration brochures are on www.itsmichigan.org in the green box located in the upper left corner of the webpage. 

If you have any questions about this event please feel free to contact Michele Mueller at 248-431-1443 or muellerm2@michigan.gov