California-based automaker Tesla will not have a display at January's North American International Auto Show.
Auto Show organizers confirmed to 7 Action News that the electric vehicle maker pulled out of the show at the last minute. A phone call came from Tesla, "Within the last two weeks," said Max Muncey, the show's public relations manager.
Maps of the Cobo Center show floor have included Tesla for months. The automaker was slated to occupy about 4,000 square feet in a space near where they exhibited their vehicles last year.
Muncey was quick to say that Tesla has been, "A great partner to the show in the past."
"We'd welcome them back in the future," he said.
The auto show spokesman also noted that Tesla did not exhibit their vehicles at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show.
The Detroit show's organizers use an equation involving a car brand's market share and product cycle to determine how much exhibit space they will have on the Cobo Center floor.
As for the relatively small space that was to be occupied by Tesla, Muncey said, "We will quickly fill that space."
"We're in talks with numerous other automakers and partners to the show," he explained.
Luxury automaker Bentley also recently pulled out of the January 2016 auto show. Muncey tells 7 Action News that Aston Martin will fill their space on the show floor.
