I hope I can safely assume that everyone reading this blog has been to a mall, and if I can assume that, why not go a step further and assume you've been to the food court and have seen all the Chinese people wandering around pushing samples in people's faces. This year's Dayton Auto Show was a little like that in some respects. (Almost) Every major automaker was there, throwing out incentives for test-driving cars, taking brochures, and signing up for mailing lists and other offers. There were plenty of examples of new cars to sit in and admire, but overall, I'd rate this show as more of a "tell", if you know what I mean. It was all very pretty, but entertainment was obviously not its goal.

Another disappointment came when I realized that there were plenty of manufacturers who didn't even show! Audi, Nissan, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Porsche... even Aston, if you want to take into account the dealership not twenty miles away. Nissan in particular was a real shock, what with the recent release of the GT-R and the popularity of the new 370z roadster, I would have thought this an opportunity for them to gain some more attention from the public. Apparently not.

The highlights of the show were fairly spread out, but all still impressive. The first new model to show its face was the Ford Fiesta, which premiered in a pristine white finish, surrounded by gawking showgoers and advertisements and brochures. They really played to the customers with this car, taking the rising concerns of fuel mileage and price into account. Ford also displayed the new 2010 and 2011 Mustangs, though they didn't bring the GT 500 that everyone was really hoping for.

After Ford, Chevy brought out the big guns, garnering most of the overall attention with a gorgeous Crystal Red Metallic Corvette ZR1. Sitting right alongside was the new Corvette Grand Sport Coupe, looking positively stunning with the convertible top, more balanced body, and somehow classic styling.

Aside from those rarities, the only other points of interest were the Hyundai Genesis 2.0T Coupe, the new BMW e92 M3, and the Cadillac CTS-V, from a performance standpoint. Honda brought out the new Accord Crosstour, the latest edition of Insight, and a few of the already released Civic models, but no trace of the CR-Z, which I suppose isn't a surprise for a show of this size.

At any rate, this show was more about selling than producing interest, so for those of you looking to buy cars in the near future, it's a good show to hit up next year, but if you're just looking for a good time, save your money for some of the other shows that will be coming along this year.