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The Death of Auto Shows<br />
By: BJ Killeen / Down the Road<br />
You probably remember being a kid and going<br />
with your parents to check out all the new<br />
models at the local auto show.<br />
It was the easiest way to see all the new cars by<br />
going to one place instead of trekking all over town from dealership to<br />
dealership. It was also a place where the manufacturers could stage big<br />
debuts of the latest and greatest in technology, performance, and safety.<br />
Fast forward to now, and most people are shopping online. They can<br />
compare models across manufacturers, get pricing for all the options,<br />
and even know exactly how much their monthly payments will be.<br />
As we’ve seen since the beginning of the industrial age, new<br />
technologies make previous ones obsolete. No more telephone<br />
operators, elevator operators, pony express, or streetlight lamplighters.<br />
It’s just the way it is.<br />
Back then their loss was lamented, but time marches on, with or<br />
without us. And so it goes for the auto shows. As more people shop<br />
online, the need to shop at the show is becoming obsolete.<br />
At the New York Auto Show this past spring, manufacturers like<br />
Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Acura, Honda, Porsche, and others didn’t bother<br />
coming. Same is true for the largest show in the country, the North<br />
American International Auto Show in Detroit, which saw displays from<br />
mostly Detroit-based manufacturers.<br />
It’s not because they don’t have new models to introduce; it just<br />
comes down to return on investment. Are the millions they spend to<br />
create those giant display really bringing in buyers?<br />
Most of them don’t believe it anymore and are turning to<br />
“experiential” events like local ride and drives, or sponsoring concerts<br />
and festivals. Eventually, the big auto show spectacles will be completely<br />
gone, especially since the focus of the automotive industry continues to<br />
be less about our love affair with the car and more about it becoming<br />
just another electrical appliance that moves us from one place to<br />
another.<br />
Once the auto shows have disappeared, it may not be long before<br />
brick and mortar dealerships follow behind. Time will tell.<br />
BJ Killeen has been an automotive journalist for over 30 years.<br />
She welcomes all questions and inquiries, and can be reached at<br />
bjkdtr@gmail.com<br />
36<br />
January 20<strong>23</strong>
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