Auto shows are great - every manufacturer shows up with their latest metal, so we can get an idea of how the automotive landscape will change over the course of the year. At least, that's what it is supposed to be like. Recently, automakers have been pulling out of global auto shows, citing cost as the main factor.
In fact, notable absentees of this year's 2018 Paris Motor show already include FCA's Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Jeep brands, Volkswagen Group and its Lamborghini sports car and Bentley luxury brands, and several others including Ford, Nissan, Volvo, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, and McLaren. Now, Automotive News reports that former German GM division Opel will also pull out of Paris.
Opel was recently purchased by French PSA Group, so it is interesting that the automaker won't show up at what is now its home turf, this after also skipping Geneva earlier this year. As with other automakers, Opel says it would prefer to host its own events instead of attending auto shows. “We made the decision to put a stronger emphasis on our own events for the upcoming product launches,” an Opel/Vauxhall spokesman told Automotive News Europe.
It is very expensive for automakers to attend these types of shows, and many manufacturers have deemed it to not be worth the investment. Opel's spokesperson said the company would return to shows “when it makes business and communications sense.” The Paris Motor show attracted over one million visitors and over 10,000 journalists in 2016, making it the largest auto show in terms of attendance.
That represents a lot of eyes on a new product, so we continue to be surprised that automakers are skipping this important show. BMW will still be there with a rumored reveal of the new 3 Series, so there should still be plenty to see in Paris this year.
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