ROYAL OAK, Mich. It's time to rev those engines. This year's Woodward Dream Cruise on Aug 16 will include several new features likely to appeal to gearheads, such as an online classic car auction and the Dream Show, a hot rod competition with cars dating to the 1920s and a class of environmentally friendly cars.

 

 

Cruise organizers announced the new events Thursday afternoon at the Northwood Shopping Center at 13 Mile and Woodward, the epicenter of the annual event that draws a million spectators and about 40,000 classic and muscle cars.

 

'With an audience of a million people, we're going to have a show that's going to blow people away,' said Dick Ruzzin, organizer of the Dream Show.

 

Other new offerings this year include a 100-page glossy program for $5 and an officialmusic CD. Both can be bought online within a few days at and at several locations along the cruising strip starting days before Aug. 16.

 

The classic car competition will be juried by auto designers, journalists and representatives from the Big Three auto companies. It will be at the Northwood Shopping Center, which could one day be closed to cruises. That's because Beaumont Hospital, which owns the center, is considering other development once the leases on shops there run out at the end of 2011.

 

'We're looking at different possible uses for it that could potentially affect Dream Cruise activities,' said Ilene Wolff, spokeswoman for Beaumont Hospital. 'But it's way too early.'

 

She said there is no timeline for redevelopment.