Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan takes tour of 2017 NAIAS auto show

DETROIT (WJBK) - It was all smiles as Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan made his way onto an unfinished showroom floor inside Cobo hall.

He has good reason to smile; Detroit is in the driver’s seat of the auto comeback. So he decided to take a spin in what is going to be a surefire hit at the show: The Ford Racecar Virtual Reality Simulator.

The auto industry as a whole is coming off another record setting year in terms of sales and every bit of that momentum is funneled into the upcoming auto show in Detroit.

"It's $450 million coming into the Detroit economy," Duggan said.

And the mayor says now is the best time of all to show off the city.

"Anyone who visits the city go to a restaurant, walk the streets and you'll feel a huge sense of optimism, come to the show and see what downtown has to offer," Duggan said. "Come to the show and then see the shows and what the auto manufacturers and suppliers are doing and it is remarkable."

From Jan. 8-22 the auto spotlight is firmly on Detroit. Duggan says the city is in prime position to capitalize on this opportunity.

"It's good to have Detroit designing the next generation of cars," Duggan said. "And we want more and more to get back to the business of making more cars."

A lot of anticipation and it all gets officially underway with the new launches starting on Sunday.