After countless delays due to COVID-19 and a truncated outdoor event last year, the 2022 North American International Auto Show in Detroit returns in full force to its native downtown venue. It's a very different show, however, with displays and events taking place indoors and outdoors. And to hammer home just how different it is, 2022 includes dinosaurs and a gigantic duck. Wait ... what?

You may not catch the dinosaurs, but pretty much anyone venturing to Huntington Place (formerly Cobo Hall) will spot a properly large yellow duck outside. Specifically, it's an inflatable rubber duck measuring no less than 61 feet tall, according to The Detroit News. It's not a sales gimmick either, at least in terms of a janky buy-here-pay-here used car lot. The big duck – allegedly the world's largest – is part of Jeep's outdoor display at the weeklong event. Apparently, "ducking" is a trend among Jeep owners these days, where people leave rubber ducks on other Jeeps they think are cool. It's a Jeep thing .. we don't understand.

For those not interested in massive ducks, massive dinosaurs are also on-site for your entertainment. It's part of an interactive experience called the Dinosaur and Off-Road Vehicle Encounter, featuring over 80 dinosaurs with some nearly half as tall as a certain rubber duck. Interspersed among the prehistoric creatures are a bevy of trucks and SUVs on static display. The walk-through area includes activities such as fossil digs, storytelling, and hands-on crafts.

See all the news about the North American International Auto Show

Or, if you're heading to the Detroit Auto Show to see actual autos, there are several notable debuts we're covering. The biggest is arguably the 2024 Ford Mustang, launching the Blue Oval's seventh-generation pony car. The Chrysler 300C is revived for 2023 with 485 horsepower, and you can check out special editions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler while hanging out with the world's largest rubber duck.

The 2022 North American International Auto Show runs from September 17 - 25 in downtown Detroit.

Sources: North American International Auto Show, The Detroit News

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