The displays are dazzling, with platforms twirling and lasers dancing off the fenders of the latest and greatest vehicles around. But the New York International Auto Show won’t open to the public until Saturday, and the press preview days are still underway.

Welcome to the preshow off-site launch circuit.

For two weeks, the New York show is the center of the automotive universe. Last year, 61 vehicles made their debuts at the show. To stand out in this crowd, automakers have created satellite events before the official press reveals at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on the West Side of Manhattan.

This gives companies a jump on the torrent of announcements and adds pearlescent shine to coverage of their new vehicle.

Chatter in the car world suggests that auto shows have lost their impact. Many automakers still see the benefits. Stuart Schorr, the vice president for communications at Jaguar Land Rover North America, finds them to be moments in time when cars are a hot subject.