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Organizers
describe
the show
as a
celebration
of
automotive
artistry,
highlighting
vehicles
that
blend
craftsmanship,
engineering,
nostalgia,
and
innovation. |
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Detroit
Autorama
Returns
to
Huntington
Place
for 73rd
Annual
Showcase
of
Custom
Automotive
Craftsmanship
Wendell
Bryant -
Automotive/Local/State
Tell Us
Detroit
News
DETROIT
- One of
America’s
premier
custom
car
events
is set
to roar
back
into
downtown
Detroit
as the
73rd
annual
Meguiar’s
Detroit
Autorama
takes
over
Huntington
Place
from
Feb. 27
through
March 1,
2026.
Presented
by
O’Reilly
Auto
Parts,
the
long-running
automotive
showcase
has been
a staple
of
Detroit’s
car
culture
since
1953,
drawing
enthusiasts
from
around
the
world.
The
three-day
event is
expected
to
feature
more
than 800
custom
vehicles
spanning
nearly
one
million
square
feet of
exhibition
space.
Organizers
describe
the show
as a
celebration
of
automotive
artistry,
highlighting
vehicles
that
blend
craftsmanship,
engineering,
nostalgia,
and
innovation.
The
lineup
includes
custom
hot
rods,
trucks,
muscle
cars,
motorcycles,
and
modern
builds,
along
with
entertainment
and
family-focused
attractions.
In
addition
to the
vehicle
displays,
Autorama
will
feature
celebrity
appearances,
live
entertainment,
movie
and
television
vehicles,
and
specialty
exhibits
such as
Toy-A-Rama,
a
showcase
of
nostalgic
toys.
Other
fan-favorite
events
include
the Miss
Autorama
pin-up
contest
and the
Maven’s
Pinstriper
Panel
Jam,
which
raises
funds
for
Leader
Dogs for
the
Blind
through
the
auction
of
one-of-a-kind
artwork.
Coveted
Awards
Highlight
Competition
A
centerpiece
of the
event is
the
competition
for two
of the
custom
car
industry’s
most
prestigious
honors —
the BASF
Great 8
and the
Meguiar’s
Ridler
Award.
The
Ridler
Award,
widely
considered
the
highest
achievement
in
custom
car
building,
is given
to a
vehicle
unveiled
publicly
for the
first
time at
the
Detroit
Autorama.
Strict
rules
prohibit
any
prior
public
display
or
photography
of
eligible
vehicles,
adding
to the
suspense
surrounding
the
competition.
Vehicles
selected
as
finalists,
known as
the BASF
Great 8,
are
judged
on
innovation,
engineering,
fabrication
quality,
finish,
and
overall
design.
The
Great 8
finalists
will be
announced
at 10
a.m. on
Feb. 27,
prior to
the
show’s
public
opening.
The
Ridler
Award
winner
will be
revealed
March 1
during a
ceremony
attended
by fans,
builders,
and
industry
leaders.
The
award
was
established
in honor
of Don
Ridler,
the
show’s
first
publicist,
who was
known
for his
innovative
approach
to
promoting
Detroit
Autorama.
Preservation
Award
Recognizes
Historic
Build
This
year’s
Preservation
Award
will
honor
Len
Palmeri
of Lenox
Township
for his
custom
vehicle
titled
“Andare,”
a
hand-built
1929
Mercedes
constructed
on a
1956
Chevrolet
frame.
Palmeri
began
building
the car
in 1968
at age
18 with
his
father,
Tony
Palmeri,
in their
East
Detroit
home
garage.
The
vehicle
features
a
tribute
inscription
dedicated
to
Palmeri’s
parents,
Tony and
Jean.
Additional
Honors
and
Inductions
Other
awards
scheduled
throughout
the
weekend
include
the
Traditional
Rod Pick
Awards,
Liqui
Moly
Master
Builder
Award,
Autorama
Extreme
Celebrity
Pick,
and the
Championship
Auto
Shows
Inc.
Cup.
The
Autorama
Circle
of
Champions
will
also
welcome
three
inductees
in 2026:
Tom
Bresnahan,
the 2025
Ridler
Award
winner;
Championship
Auto
Shows
Inc.
owner
Peter
Toundas;
and
former
Michigan
Hot Rod
Association
President
Butch
Patrico.
Organizers
say the
event
aims to
attract
both
dedicated
automotive
enthusiasts
and
newcomers
interested
in the
creativity
and
history
behind
custom
vehicle
design.
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