The traditional motor show isn’t dead. It’s just evolving.
Big European car exhibitions are making a quiet, significant comeback. If you haven’t noticed, look to October. The Auto Express team is heading to Paris for the Mondial de l’Auto. Around thirty manufacturers have signed up. They’re preparing to make a splash in the city of light.
“Paris is going to be a very big_event for us… We’ll have two striking new concepts.” – Alain Favey, CEO of Peugeot
This isn’t just a gathering of brands. It’s a statement. Peugeot’s CEO recently told us that the brand wants to express its core identity this year. They plan to unveil two new concepts showing their future direction. The goal? Share exciting news directly with the public.
Stellantis bets on volume and variety
Stellantis is all-in. The parent company of six major European brands is deploying significant force in Paris. Citroën is promising to unveil the reborn 2DV. Fiat is finally showing the Grizzly SUVs. Alfa Romeo is teasing mid-size SUV ambitions. It feels calculated.
Stellantis isn’t stopping at European heritage. Their Leapmotor marque serves as a bridge to a new wave of international players. This includes several Chinese manufacturers. BYD and its premium Denza sub-brand will be there. Geely and Changan are present. XPeng is among them too. These brands help fill the gap left by absentees.
Who is missing?
Some big names skipped this year’s event. BMW is not coming. MINI is absent. Porsche stayed home. Toyota did not sign up. Jaguar Land Rover is also missing. That quintet was dominant at the Goodwood Festival of Speed just two weeks prior. Stellantis was barely visible there. Goodwood offers something different. It’s high-octane. It’s immersive. It overloads your senses with sound and motion.
Making that kind of noise requires massive spending.
Traditional show halls have lain fallow for years. The reasons are clear. Digital showcases like Apple or Tesla offer sleeker alternatives. Brands learned hard lessons about digital unveils during the pandemic. Economic times are tougher for the industry now. Exhibiting is expensive. Is it worth it?
Geneva is gone. Munich survived.
The Geneva Motor Show has ended. Munich felt vibrant last year instead. Companies doubled down on stands. Pop-up events sprang up across the city. Last year’s Paris Mondial was a different story. It was mostly Renault, Dacia, and Peugeot. Renault is back this October. So are VW, Audi, Skoda, and Mercedes. Hyundai and Kia are there too.
The atmosphere might be the biggest draw. Organizers are adding test drives. There are late-night DJ sets. The ticket price has a ceiling: 22 Euros. That’s about £18.70. It’s cheap enough to book a Eurostar on a whim.
We’ll be there. Can you?
