One of the cool things about living in SE Michigan is that you can be driving down the street and there will be a car covered in fabric driving next to you. The shape is visible, but the distinctive details are hidden under a velcro-fastened coverup. These are prototype models of cars that have not yet released, but are being tested on our streets.

While such sights are so common here they barely merit a mention, I have never seen them anywhere else.

They are a reminder that Oakland County is truly part of the motor city. Our economy is uniquely tied to the automobile.

And this is the reason that so much of The Oakland Press news is about the business of making automobiles. We recognize that many of our readers work on the carmakers' assembly lines and front offices. But even more, many of us work for parts makers, contract firms and a host of other businesses that are tied to the design, marketing and manufacture of vehicles.