We have learned that the most promising designs don't necessarily become production cars, while some head-scratchers -- Aztek, anyone? -- do. Here are some other random recollections of the past decade at the Detroit show:

1996: FACING THE MUSIC

The Prowler retro rod was driven out by two cool dudes -- Bob Eaton and Bob Lutz, Chrysler's top executives -- to the sound of La Grange by ZZ Top. The band later sued Chrysler for $15 million for unauthorized use; a settlement was eventually reached.

1997: DONE TO A CRISP

On the way to Detroit, a Toyota Sienna minivan prototype was damaged in an electrical fire inside a trailer. After a replacement was cobbled together, a journalist presented a memento to a harried Toyota spokesman: a burnt sienna Crayola crayon.

1998:

THE FUTURE IS ELECTRIC: General Motors proudly offered its EV1 electric car. A few years later, it took them back, over protests from leaseholders, and crushed them.

1999: LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW

A blizzard struck as show participants were arriving. With roads almost impassable, thousands of pilgrims were stranded at the Detroit airport; hundreds were stuck in snowbound planes within sight of the terminals, some for eight hours or longer.

WHAT A CHOICE: GM's concept cars included the Aztek, a bizarre van-based utility, and the Nomad, an acclaimed crossover. Guess which one went into production.

2000: COMPUTING POWER

DOES NOT COMPUTE: Tough, machinelike "techno" designs were prominent, and all the talk was of computers. Ford's chief designer, J. Mays, showed the 24.7, three cubes on wheels that he called "a computing platform" for tech-savvy young people.

2001: SO WHAT'S COOKING?

The show was immortalized in a comment by Lutz (between his Chrysler and General Motors posts). The vehicles, he said, looked like "angry kitchen appliances."

WHY? Ford put a 30-gallon live-fish tank in the Explorer Sportsman concept.

2002:TECHNOLOGY WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR:

Ford's Mighty F-350 Tonka, which looked like a mammoth toy, had "hydraulic launch assist." Stored energy propelled the truck, like releasing a wound spring.

2003: POWER AND MONEY

ENTHUSIASTS WEPT: Maserati showed an SUV concept, the Kubang.

CAN YOU TOP THIS? Chrysler went where no automaker had gone before. Its chief operating officer, Wolfgang Bernhard, roared in on a Tomahawk motorcycle with a 500-horsepower Viper V-10 engine.

2004: MUSTANG FEVER

The reborn Ford Mustang was a sensation, but more mundane models tried to be cool, too. To prove that minivans can be sexy, Dieter Zetsche, Chrysler's chief executive and aspiring hoofer, performed with a chorus line of PG-rated models.

2005: NOT SO SMART

To promote the arrival of its Smart line, DaimlerChrysler offered rides in a fleet of the tiny cars. Then, after the show, it said it wouldn't import Smarts after all.

Ford's SYNus looked like a bank vault.

BEST TRINKET: Chrysler gave away Hemi Dog figurines -- a cross of canine and V-8. Within hours, several were offered on eBay.

HOW APPROPRIATE: Owners of vintage Jaguars smiled when the XK concept car made its debut with a malfunctioning headlamp.