Are the big auto shows past their time?

[Stephen W.]

In this week’s Canada Moto Guide (a motorcycle e-zine) editor Mark Richardson talks about the demise of BIG shows, both auto and motorcycle.

Here’s an excerpt.

Auto shows are in trouble, though, and there are rumblings that they’re no longer wanted or needed in this age of easy social media. The huge North American International Auto Show in Detroit is no longer so huge, and a number of carmakers were absent from the floor last January; it’s being refocused for next year as a summer show, to (hopefully) appeal to more visitors. At last month’s Frankfurt Auto Show, which is the fall show for Europe and held on alternate years with Paris, there were 560,000 visitors during its 10-day opening, compared to 810,000 in 2017. That was itself a big drop from 931,000 in 2015.[/B]



These shows are very, very expensive for an automaker to attend. It’s not unusual for a major car company to spend $50 million to be there, what with renting the hall, providing the stage and staffing the exhibit. In Toronto, costs are much less at the Canadian International Auto Show but can still easily run to a million bucks for a medium-sized car maker; both Mercedes-Benz and Volvo have announced they won’t be at the next CIAS in February.



This is not so much because of the saved expense but because they feel they just don’t need to be there. At next month’s Los Angeles auto show, Ford will have a flashy launch for its next Latest and Greatest on the Sunday night in LA and Nissan is doing the same thing on the Tuesday evening, though the show actually has its press day on Wednesday of that week. Neither auto maker wants to be lost in the noise of the show’s opening days, and both want to control access and distribution through their own channels.



Discuss

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

They're boring. That's why I don't go anymore. Usually it's just a bunch of families checking out the latest Kia/Hyundai/Honda SUV. The exotics have so many people around them, you can barely see them. Usually they're stuffed into a tiny room. The special exhibits are half-assed and lazy. Parking is annoying. Too many people, food is shit, washrooms are filthy, plus tickets are like $30 a person here. It's almost like paying to watch a commercial.

[sid_g]

They aren't special anymore. I remember going to them as a kid and there were all sorts of activities and experiences. Last year's cias felt like walking around in a giant dealership. Most of the cool cars are (understandably) closed off and the concept vehicles aren't exciting enough. Honestly, motorama was more interesting. You could feel the passion for cars in the atmosphere there, something the autoshow lacks.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

[soundman98]

the automotive climate is definitely changing in a number of ways.

1. auto makers are starting to do more individual events for new models. it's preferable to them. it costs about as much, but they control the specific conditions that best make the new model look preferable to its competition. and no one gets to cross-shop the other brands at the same time.

2. cars are not the 'item' they used to be. they used to require more care, involved more responsibility, and more time. now, i can go 15 THOUSAND miles before changing my oil if i want, and cars now last well into 200k-300k miles. my grandfather still doesn't trust any vehicle that's even close to 100k miles.

3. we've been in a very big shift where apps and screens are selling points, and driving feel is so toned down that all cars feel about the same. how do you sell something that drives to people that don't care about driving? add wifi apparently.

[Dadhawk]

Atlanta has one semi-major auto show and once decent motorcycle show a year.

I go the motorcycle show about every other year but mostly to look through the secondary vendors and I have a son that likes to go so its sort of our thing together. Its not a manufacturer show though, more a dealer show so there are no announcements but you do get to see some of the new models in one place. There's also a good representation of "iron horse" lawyers so there is occasionally some good swag given away.

The auto show is all the major manufacturers but no announcements, etc. It's a good place to see all the current models in one place, so I go whenever I want to buy a new car, or if something big is being shown I can't see in the dealership yet. They also usually have a couple of drive events outside the arena.

Last time I went was 2012, to see the 86. Subaru had the BRZ there but Toyota/Scion didn't bother bringing the FRS. I did get a couple of hats and a nice nylon jacket when they found out I was one of the "First 86" though.

In the end, these are both OK but I wouldn't advise coming in from out of town to go to them. About the only car show I'd travel to go to is SEMA, and then probably only once for the experience.

I actually go to more airplane shows (usually two or three a year) than car or motorcycle shows.

[scotto79]

I went to a few of the Detroit Auto shows growing up. That one wasn't even car people, just a bunch of children skipping out of school for something to do during the week. I haven't bothered with that for 15 years now, and don't think I will again.

Detroit Autorama is one that is worth going to every once in a while, but going there every year, you tend to see the same cars over again.

[TunaNoCrust]

Originally Posted by soundman98

add wifi apparently.

This is so true.

Lets just put a cell phone holder on the steering wheel and get this over with. [/idiots]

[Cole]

Originally Posted by TunaNoCrust

This is so true.

Lets just put a cell phone holder on the steering wheel and get this over with. [/idiots]

I use my work truck's wifi almost daily. Between using for navigation, uploading things to my work's file server or just watching YouTube in inclement weather/waiting for someone/something, it's fantastic.

Just because there's no clear use case for you, doesn't mean there isn't one for someone else.

[Lantanafrs2]

Shows nowadays are overrun by vendors imo. Less emphasis on the vehicles than on overpriced food, tshirts etc

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Cole

I use my work truck's wifi almost daily. Between using for navigation, uploading things to my work's file server or just watching YouTube in inclement weather/waiting for someone/something, it's fantastic.
.

I've used the hotspot on my phone for this for years (probably 12 years or more) while traveling. We often have several devices streaming stuff or (when they were in school) kids working on projects while traveling on vacation.

To help expedite this, the hotspot on my phone has the same WIFI name and password as our home WIFI network. Just turn it on and everything works. Just have to remember to change the password when I change the one at home.

Not sure I really need it built into the car for an additional monthly fee.

[Summerwolf]

SEMA is the only event that I really was blown away by auto show wise. Super cool displays, lots of cars etc.

The first "auto show" type even I went to was awesome! Had some kind of drift display, you could drive the new electric cars around a basic course and jeep had this huge display in the middle of the stadium where they'd drive you up and down these big hills.

The last auto show I went to looked like the manufacturers dealership displays and local salesman were there manning the booths. Same auto show just years apart. Pretty much decided to stop going.

[Cole]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

I've used the hotspot on my phone for this for years (probably 12 years or more) while traveling. We often have several devices streaming stuff or (when they were in school) kids working on projects while traveling on vacation.

To help expedite this, the hotspot on my phone has the same WIFI name and password as our home WIFI network. Just turn it on and everything works. Just have to remember to change the password when I change the one at home.

Not sure I really need it built into the car for an additional monthly fee.

I get a peepee slap when I go over the data limit (3gb) on my work phone. Not so with the truck hotspot.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Cole

I get a peepee slap when I go over the data limit (3gb) on my work phone. Not so with the truck hotspot.

Yea, the advantage to unlimited data, I've never had a cell phone data limit.

[Stephen W.]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Yea, the advantage to unlimited data, I've never had a cell phone data limit.

Oh that is but I dream of mine! There is no such thing in Canada at this point in time. The wife and I are on special plans that I negotiated by threatening legal action against our carrier. We get 10GBs of data each per month. The down side is if we go over by even 1 byte it's a $50 charge per gigabyte or part thereof. So if one of us goes over by 1.01GBs it's a $100 extra charge!
Oh and by the way, we do not have access to high speed at home so... The only way we can do anything on line is by tethering our laptops to our phones.
Yes, sux to be us!