Honda is another brand hoping the Detroit Auto Show will convince the media and the broader public that the Japanese automaker hasn't lost its mojo. There will be plenty of skeptics scrutinizing Honda; the brand has seen declines in sales, and even executives inside Honda admit they've dropped the ball in the last couple years.

Cadillac also wants the show to usher in a new era for General Motors' luxury brand.

The newest Caddy — the ATS model, a smaller Caddy designed to take on the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C Class — will be unveiled. The question is: Can the latest reincarnation of Cadillac wow buyers?

But whether you are a fan of the Big 3 or foreign brands, one thing about this year's Detroit show that everyone can enjoy is the new energy in Detroit. This is the premier auto show in the U.S., and when it's buzzing, so is the entire auto industry.

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