QOTD: When Will Automakers Start Putting on Their Own Auto Shows?
Ask anyone who was there, and attendees of this year’s North American International Auto Show will likely describe an event lacking luster. Depleted of energy. Devoid of the excitement that normally comes from splashy, much-anticipated launches.
Could it be that the Consumer Electronics Show held a week earlier in sunny Las Vegas sapped some of the life out of Detroit? Consider this: the top-selling midsize car in the U.S. — the Toyota Camry — suffered through an underwhelming unveiling that should have had people talking. At least, more than the number who did.
What were radio news segments talking about on the way to this year’s show? Highlights of the just-wrapped-up CES. Oh, that Chrysler Portal. My, what a car that Faraday Future FF 91 is. A taste of the future, the tech geeks gushed. So, where does this leave traditional auto shows? What becomes of Detroit, New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago? What about Geneva? Paris?
CES aside, we’re already moving towards a landscape where big-ticket reveals and press conferences take place in separate locales chosen by the automaker, rather than consolidated in a single building where OEMs are jammed butt-to-gut with their rivals. This year, Ford lured auto journos away from the Cobo Center to Dearborn, where something secretive could be unveiled on blue Oval soil tonight. (Check back for updates on that mystery.)
Think of the benefits: no tight or overlapping schedules, and nearly unlimited choice in venues. No rival automakers competing for journalists’ attention. What business doesn’t want to control all of the strings?
So, what do you think, Best and Brightest? Is the slow erosion of the auto show’s importance going to continue, or will there always be a home for multiple-manufacturer events? Or, will all auto shows simply morph into “mobility shows,” complete with enough buzzwords to make a journo dive into the Detroit River?
[Image: © 2017 Mark Stevenson/The Truth About Cars]
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Sounds like an off year for product, and I haven't seen any coverage of the styling exercises that point to the future direction of the brands' design language. But NAIAS won't die anytime soon. Its place in the calendar has historically been tied to the mfrs' launch cycles, and even if it doesn't serve that function as much anymore, it does serve the same purpose for auto execs that cons do for sci-fi fans. It's their hometown con. And for them it brings a little relief from a really bleak time of the year in SE Michigan. It is also, absolutely, Detroit's biggest single downtown event. Every little bit of revenue helps.
BMW has their Ultimate Drive Events, which is a traveling road show where you can test drive a bunch of their cars. They also offer some driving classes, some for free, some that cost money (including one where you can drive their M cars). Though I think they only send out invites to current owners or whoever is on their mailing list, anyone can just show up and sign up. IMO, it's pretty good marketing because it's so low pressure.