Just in time for the 2026 Woodward Dream Cruise on Aug. 15, Goodyear is opening its Goodyear Motor City Garage, its first retail concept store in Detroit.
In addition, two Goodyear Blimps will take to the skies over the Motor City that weekend offering a bird’s-eye view of one of the world’s largest automotive events, featuring more than 40,000 classic and custom cars and 1.5 million-plus enthusiasts.
The Goodyear Motor City Garage will be open to the public during Dream Cruise weekend on Saturday, Aug. 15, at 8 a.m. Located at 3075 East Grand Blvd. in Detroit (just east of Woodward Avenue), the existing Goodyear Auto Service Center will showcase the company’s products, technology, and heritage and gives a look at the vision for the future of vehicle care.
The Goodyear display will include the famous 1973 Ford Mustang convertible from the opening sequence of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” courtesy of the Ford Motor Co. Heritage Collection. The vehicle is equipped with Goodyear Performance Series F70/14 custom wide-tread tires with raised white letters, a factory-accurate recreation of the original equipment specification.
Also on display from the General Motors Heritage Center and Archive is the 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am W72 “Bandit.” This black-and-gold special edition was inspired by the movie, “Smokey and the Bandit,” starring Sally Field and Burt Reynolds. The Trans Am originally was outfitted with Goodyear GR70/15 GM Custom Tread tires.
In addition to the double-blimp appearance, Goodyear will fly a new generation of remote-controlled mini blimps during Dream Cruise festivities.
Additional event details, activations, vehicle displays, featured automotive attractions, blimp viewing opportunities, and schedules will be announced closer to the event on Goodyear’s social media channels.
Inspired by destination concepts such as a Starbucks Reserve Roastery or a Nike House of Innovation, the Goodyear Motor City Garage is designed as a gathering spot where enthusiasts can connect with car culture, explore the latest tire technology and engage with Goodyear in a new way. Guests can visit the Goodyear Motor City Garage for the same service available at other Goodyear Auto Service locations, including:
- Tire sales and installation
- Oil changes
- Alignments
- Brake service
- Battery replacement
- Free vehicle inspections
- Preventive maintenance
“Whether you’re an enthusiast looking for ultra-high performance or just need help picking the best tires to get your SUV through the school pick-up line, we’re looking to show you how easy Goodyear can make vehicle care. Detroit’s car culture makes it the perfect place to showcase our new retail concept alongside our Mobile Garage service that can install tires and service your vehicle right in your driveway,” says Goodyear CEO Mark Stewart.
Goodyear has been transforming its business to meet the needs of a rapidly changing automotive landscape, according to the company. That transformation includes a revamped consumer portfolio with approximately 1,500 new products planned for launch in 2026, a focus on higher-performance and larger rim-size tires, and continued investment in manufacturing and modernization efforts across both the Goodyear and Cooper brands.
The Dream Cruise honors the legacy of Detroit automotive engineers and enthusiasts who once tested their vehicles by racing from stoplight to stoplight up and down Woodward Avenue.
Goodyear states it was the original equipment supplier for many of the muscle cars and performance vehicles that helped define that era.
Goodyear’s history in Detroit stretches back to the earliest days of the automobile. In the early 1900s, when Henry Ford wanted to test his vehicles through racing, one of his first calls was to Goodyear. The company’s growth was closely tied to the rise of Detroit and the automakers that transformed the city into the center of the automotive world.
Woodward Avenue stretches 27 miles from downtown Detroit to Pontiac and includes America’s first concrete-paved mile — in 1909, between Six and Seven Mile roads.
For more information about Goodyear, its products, and upcoming events visit here.
