Detroit — The envelope, please. . .

The North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) awards unveiled the 2026 model year winners Wednesday to open the Detroit Auto Show.

Winner of Car of Year went to the Dodge Charger. Truck of the Year honors went to the Ford Maverick Lobo. And the Hyundai Palisade took home the Utility of the Year crown.

The awards were presented on stage at the soaring Atrium space in Huntington Place Convention Center.

Fifty jurors (including the author of this article) from U.S. and Canadian media outlets selected the finalists after testing 30 nominees across all categories, 19 of them SUVs. Of the nine finalists, two were electric with an average price of $46,248 across the three categories. The $96.5k Gravity was the most expensive nominee, the $23.4k Sentra the cheapest.

In the car category, the Charger and Prelude marked the return of sexy, legendary badges. Detroit’s sentimental favorite was the $51,990 Charger Sixpack (so named for its inline-6 cylinder engine), reborn for ‘26 after the previous, V8-powered generation exited the market in 2023 dogged by federal emissions regulations. The gas-powered Charger shares a stable with the electric Charger Daytona EV. Dressed in a throwback, 1960s coke-bottle wardrobe, the hatchback Charger Sixpack boasts a more refined chassis and interior over predecessors.

For the first time since 2001, Prelude is back with a different mission. As its badge implies, the sporty, $43,195 coupe is a prelude to Honda’s future. The Japanese automaker is leaning into gas-electric hybrids and hatchback Prelude is a Civic-based, hybrid halo as the brand moves to full electrification next decade.

The $23,645 compact Sentra sedan is an affordable option at a time when the average price for a new vehicle is over 50 grand. With twin, hoodless digital screens and wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, Sentra has premium looks for its budget price.

Ram had two nominees for the Truck Wars with its refreshed, light-duty 1500 and heavy-duty 2500 pickups.

DETROIT – After 132 years of business, Detroit institution Dittrich Furs is closing its doors for good.

The owners announced their retirement on the store’s website, sparking an overwhelming response from customers eager for one last purchase.

On Tuesday, (Jan. 13), the store reported lines stretching down the street, with so many customers calling that Dittrich Furs had to temporarily stop answering phones.

While a final day of operation has not been announced, the store remains open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The liquidation sale runs through April 30, with prices up to 70% off as everything must go.

Lisa Wright, a longtime customer, shared her connection to the store.

“It’s iconic in its 136 years, so that is the reason that I stood in that line for almost six hours. I grew up in this area. I remember Dittrich because my mother bought a coat from Dittrich. In fact, I still have that coat.”

Wright added, “When I told my brother and them, ‘Hey, remember mom had Dittrich furs?’ I still have that fur even though she’s passed on. I’m the only daughter, so it went to me. Now it’s going to go from me to my daughter. That’s what my memories are, because she bought a fur. It was beautiful.”

She expressed mixed emotions about the closing.

“I’m going to miss them. Just the idea of advertisement, and I’m getting of age, and I’m seeing a lot of things going away that I’m used to. Congrats. They’re probably tired. They probably need a break, too,” Wright concluded.

Customers and community members recognize Dittrich Furs as a stronghold in Detroit.

“They are such a stronghold in Detroit for so many years. I think they’ll have some wonderful memories, as Detroit loved them. It’s being shown by people coming out,” said customer LaVerne Sommerville.

Eugene McCulloch, browsing the sale, said, “I think I might buy this jacket. I kind of like it. I like the color. It looks pretty good.”

As Dittrich Furs prepares to close, the store’s legacy lives on through the memories of its customers and the final rush of shoppers eager to own a piece of Detroit history.

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Auto Show returns this week, offering an opportunity to take a peek at the cars of today and tomorrow and also go for a spin.

The annual car-fest at a Detroit convention hall features a lineup of 40-plus vehicle brands. At last year’s show, organizers say attendees took more than 100,000 rides in them.

“That’s what makes the Detroit Auto Show different,” show chairman Todd Szott said. “You can get up close, talk to the people behind the brands and actually experience the vehicles.”

The Detroit Auto Show once was the place for new model debuts, glitzy displays and scores of journalists from across the globe.

Automakers since have determined that new models can make a bigger splash when they’re unveiled to a digital audience on a day when they don’t have to share the spotlight with rivals.

While it has scaled back dramatically from its heyday, it still drew 275,000 attendees a year ago. And it is leaning into interactivity.

Two tracks offer attendees ride-along experiences in internal combustion engine, hybrid and electric vehicles, while the Camp Jeep and Ford Bronco Built Wild Experience give visitors a chance to climb into the vehicles and tackle some makeshift “mountains.”

The show gets underway Tuesday evening with vehicle announcements from Ford Motor Co. as part of the media and industry preview days. On Wednesday, the annual North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year will be revealed. The show opens to the public Saturday and runs through Jan. 25.

Visitors can check out displays under the Alfa Romeo, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, GMC, Jeep, Kia, Lincoln, Ram, Subaru and Toyota nameplates.

Speakers include Republican U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno from Ohio, and a pair of Democrats — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Pete Buttigieg, the Transportation Secretary under President Joe Biden.