A first day of work inside the Renaissance Center, GM's world headquarters

My journey to my new position with General Motors in Nashville began with a whirlwind day-and-a-half orientation session at GM’s world headquarters in Detroit, Mich.  That massive structure of seven meticulous skyscrapers is called the Renaissance Center, or “RenCen” as it is known by insiders.  Not only does it house the GM offices, but it contains a downtown shopping district that includes storefronts, a food court, a Marriott hotel, and a movie theatre.  I've had the opportunity to check out the RenCen a few times during my travels to the Motor City, and it really is as impressive as the pictures on the news makes it seem.

Check out the latest cars from the 2014 North American International Auto Show - NAIAS - in Detroit

The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit is one of the most important gatherings for new car manufacturers in the world.  This is where many of the most significant models are introduced to the public for the first time.  If you watch the news or read the paper, you probably know that the press preview is happening at the NAIAS right now.  This is actually the first time in many years that I am not in attendance.  But that doesn’t mean that I can’t cover it here.  The manufacturers have great media departments, and you can pull up videos and pictures from almost all the big reveals.  Let’s check out some of the action from COBO Hall.

Walter P. Chrysler Museum to close at the end of 2012

In a sad bit of news, it has been announced that the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, Mich., will be closing at the end of the year. The Chrysler Foundation, which is the not-for-profit group that owns the content of the museum, was unable to raise enough money each year to maintain their status.

The content will be purchased by Chrysler Group LLC, and the museum will become a private display, used only for special events and Chrysler employee functions. That means the days of walking in off the street and appreciating this significant display of Chrysler vehicles, will come to an end.

The 2012 North American International Auto Show draws attention from all over the world. Photos and coverage from the NAIAS floor in Detroit

When you think about all the old cars that we normally look at here, do you ever wonder if today's cars will be looked upon in the same way in 40, 50, 60 years? What are tomorrow's classics? What will people be driving to the local car cruises?

One of the biggest new car shows in the world is held every January in Detroit, Mich., where the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) previews the newest and hottest offerings from most of the major auto makers. The actual show doesn't even open until next weekend, but I was there this week for the exclusive media preview days, and I brought back pictures and news straight from Detroit's huge COBO Hall.

The Woodward Dream Cruise brought out the biggest and best of the collector car world

We have lots of car shows and cruises here in the Kansas City area, and some of them are pretty darn good. But none of them quite measure up to the granddaddy of them all—the Woodward Dream Cruise, which was held last weekend in Detroit, Mich. Organizers claim the event draws in some 40,000 classic cars, and 1.5-million people from all over the United States, and all over the world.

For such a monstrous event, it had pretty basic beginnings. It was started in 1995 as a soccer field fundraiser. But Woodward Avenue is in the epicenter of the American automobile, and 250,000 people showed up that first year alone. The lightning was out of the bottle, and the cruise has been going strong ever since.

The Rennaisance Center - GM's awe-inspiring world headquarters in downtown Detroit is a symbol of American automotive excellence

With an auto plant in the Fairfax district, a district office in Corporate Woods, plus hundreds of area dealership locations, Kansas City is a major market for auto giant General Motors.

But whenever you watch local news coverage about GM on television, they will often cut to stock footage of GM’s corporate headquarters in Detroit, Mich.

That massive structure of seven meticulous skyscrapers is called the Renaissance Center, or “RenCen” as it is known by insiders. It houses the GM world headquarters, as well as a downtown shopping district that includes storefronts, a food court, a Marriott hotel, and a movie theatre.

The Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills is a stunning showcase of Chrysler's storied history



Chrysler Turbine Concept

There is a lot of news about Chrysler Corporation lately, and much of it is bad. When you are bombarded with all the headlines, it is easy to forget just how significant this company really has been in this country.

I was reminded of that fact earlier this year when I took a tour of the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, Mich. This 55,000-square-foot facility holds three levels of rare and interesting vehicles from Chrysler’s storied history.

Some of my favorites included concept cars such as the 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt, the 1941 Chrysler Newport, and the 1953 Chrysler Ghia Special. Seriously, where are you going to be able to see these unbelievably rare cars together in one place?