Slush\, Snow\, the \'Cobo Cough.\' Detroit Holds Its Last Winter Auto Show

Slush, Snow, the ‘Cobo Cough.’ Detroit Holds Its Last Winter Auto Show

Most Germans are no-shows. For other auto executives, it’s a long, chilly goodbye to Detroit in January; ‘it just won’t be the same.’

Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Corp.’s chief executive of North American operations, headed to Detroit with mixed emotions and his ski-boot dryer.

Over the years, Mr. Lentz developed coping mechanisms for attending the city’s auto show each January, such as bringing his own ski-boot dryer—a contraption that plugs into an outlet and fills footwear with warm air—which he specifically bought to deal with his wet shoes after trudging to the show. “I was ankle deep in slush and snow,” he said.

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