Car shows are shunned by certain brands. It’s a shame, especially since during this time, those who make the effort to contact the media and the public have understood everything! Small show, but friendly, the day at the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) was worth the trip and its editorial in the Watt Else newsletter of February 29.
The Geneva Motor Show is a disappointment for all fans of the event, it is only a shadow of its former self. However, it has long been the best car show in Europe, with all due respect to the Paris Motor Show or the Munich IAA. After four years of absence, following the pandemic, the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) tried to reinvent itself from February 26 to March 3, but the manufacturers shunned the meeting. Despite many new products that could have been exhibited, far too many brands have missed out, sawing off one of the branches of the tree on which they are sitting.
Did I regret having made the trip to Geneva for so little? Absolutely not. I had a good day there. It was certainly a mini living room, but friendly. Looking at brands desperate for media and public attention these days, they’ve clearly missed the boat.
Renault, the undisputed star of the show
Renault has chosen to reinvest in its historic stand: same surface area and same location. The group had certainly not anticipated such a withdrawal from the competition. The brand therefore found itself with a huge stand compared to the rest of the exhibitors. However, the two Chinese brands BYD and MG have also put in place the means to change the situation.
The participants ended up renaming the GIMS the “Renault Group Geneva show”, and I did not miss it either: Renault and Dacia occupy between 30 to 40% of the exhibition space. But Renault was right not to reduce its surface area. The stand was full all day. And, what can we say about the crowds at the press conference! It was quite simply “the place to be” for the thousand journalists who made the trip.
This press day on February 26 was Renault’s day: car of the year title for the Scénic, announced the same morning at the show, and successful official launch of the R5. The joy of the Renault staff was infectious.
Too bad for the others
May the Stellantis group still dare to say that the Chinese are coming to steal its bread from its mouth! At least BYD and MG make the effort to reach out to the media and visitors, even when there are few of them. This is also the case for other brands: Lucid, Microlino, Silence, Isuzu, Pininfarina… They are present to make themselves known, when all the other historical players think that their past notoriety is enough for them and that the shows have become useless . The automotive gods of Mount Olympus would do well not to think they are too unshakable, and this also applies to the sacrosanct German brands.
Some still tried to exist without a presence at the show. On this point, it is again the Stellantis brands that stand out. Between the press release on Fiat’s strategy sent on Sunday evening (the day before the show) and Peugeot which broadcast a teaser for the future e-5008 during the Renault 5 press conference, there was not one to catch up with the other. Both brands burned precious cartridges unnecessarily and took a slap in the face of the onslaught R5. The media, like readers, are not fooled by these attempts to attract attention when Renault takes the upper hand.
Whatever some manufacturers think, salons are not dead. We could see it in the streets of Munich with the free stands during the IAA, visitors can be there. Seeing and touching cars, interacting with people and even experiencing the crowds will always make the difference with a smartphone, computer or TV screen. We just need to rediscover the “popular” spirit of these events. To do this, simply avoid charging more for entry to a trade show than for a visit to the Louvre Museum or the Palace of Versailles. I’m thinking of the organizer of the Paris Motor Show, as well as the exhibitors: don’t ruin everything for this back-to-school event.
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