As the Detroit auto show prepares to announce a rescheduled, reimagined show for 2020, the crisis facing the world’s auto shows came into sharper focus as Ford announced it will join Volvo in skipping the prestigious Geneva auto show in Switzerland next March.
2019 will mark the first time Ford skips Geneva in decades.
The Detroit Auto Dealers Association on July 24 will reveal plans for a new auto show that includes outdoor events and vehicle and tech demos. The show will move from its traditional slot in January to June or October 2020 so it can offer what DADA calls “opportunities for more engagement,” possibly including an off-road simulator for SUVs, a test track on Cobo Center’s roof and self-driving vehicles.
“There’s been a tremendous shift in the role auto shows play,” Detroit show spokesman Max Muncey said. “The goal of the 2020 show is to address the industry transformation head on and provide a global platform that only Detroit can offer to the auto industry, media and customers.”
The 2019 North American International Auto Show will remain in January, with public, press and industry dates Jan. 14-27. The auto show is one of southeast Michigan’s biggest events, pumping about $450 million into the economy annually, according to DADA.
Automakers traditionally use leading shows to unveil new vehicles to the press and public, but other events are cutting into shows’ turf.
The Geneva show kicks off Europe’s new car season every year. It traditionally drew vehicle introductions from nearly every major automaker, plus newcomers looking to make their mark on the world stage.
The Geneva show became a big deal because Switzerland is a wealthy country with no domestic automakers. That status as “neutral ground” made it a top choice for everybody from Ferrari to Ford to unveil new vehicles.
“This reflects the pressure all auto shows are under,” IHS Markit senior analyst Stephanie Brinley said. “The climate has changed for how to introduce and market vehicles.”
Volvo announced just a year ago that Geneva was one of its selected shows for new-vehicle introductions, but the Swedish brand will skip 2019 after introducing its new V60 station wagon at the show last March.
While Volvo picked the show to unveil a new car, Mercedes staged a one-off event in Amsterdam for its new A-class compact last February, essentially stiffing the established Detroit and Geneva shows in favor of a program it controlled completely.
Despite that, Geneva ranked No. 1 in media coverage from the last round of auto shows, which included events in Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, New York and Frankfurt, Germany.
Ford is also skipping the Paris auto show this October. That means it will make no new-vehicle news at a European show for at least 18 months, if it decides to participate in the 2019 Frankfurt auto show.
Nissan, Volkswagen and Fiat Chrysler are all expected to skip Paris. That list is only likely to grow as the show draws near.
Even auto shows in the booming Chinese market face stiff competition. Volkswagen chose to reveal its new Touareg SUV at a solo event in China last March, a month before the Beijing auto show.
It routinely costs an automaker well over $1 million to mount a new-car press conference at any of the leading shows. Automakers must weigh that against the effectiveness of social media and proprietary events where they don’t have to share the spotlight with other vehicles at an auto show.
Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@freepress.com or 313-222-6731. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan.