Detroit Report Part 1: Which Automakers Won and Lost in 2003

What Happened in 2003 and What Can We Expect for the Coming Year

DETROIT--Being the first major auto event of the year, the North American International Auto Show held at the Cobo

Not only an opportunity to unveil new cars, the NAIAS is a chance for automakers to make announcements about their sales numbers. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

Convention Center in the Motor City's downtown has become important for not only introducing cars and concepts, but also for the automakers to make statements about their sales in the past year and their expectations for the year following.

It is also a time for auto analysts, like Dr. David Cole, president of the Center for Automotive Research, to take stock in the trends seen at the Detroit auto show.

Despite heavy incentives, the traditional Big Three automakers continue to lose market share. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

Cole had been a long-time analyst for the University of Michigan's Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation, before leaving to join a think tank organization that became known as Altarum. During the summer, however, Cole took his Center for Automotive Research (CAR) out of Altarum to become an independent organization.

Cole and other analysts had a great deal to ponder due to General Motors, Ford and Chrysler Group eroding market share over the past year, despite heavy manufacturer incentives. The traditional domestics' losses were to the gain to Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Audi, BMW and Hyundai.