The Detroit Auto Show has a special significance as the first major auto show of every year. But this Time everything is different. Many exhibitors stay away, the Show is struggling to Survive.
A legend in trouble, maybe she even controls on the abyss. “The Detroit Auto Show, are struggling to Survive. Wins you almost the impression of a funeral is rather a Convention, as of 14. January to 27. January 2019 in the cold Detroit gathered,” writes car expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer of the University of Duisburg-Essen in an analysis. An important document for this Thesis: The German premium manufacturers Audi, Mercedes and BMW have cancelled their participation for this year already. Also, Mitsubishi, Volvo, and Jaguar do not take part in.
“In the past, there have been 50 to 70 presentations of new models at the show,” says Dustin Walsh by the business magazine “Crain’s Detroit Business” compared to the DW, “the journalists had a press conference for the next rush and the attention span for each of the products was low.” Therefore, the producers are in search of better opportunities for their products without the extreme pressure put by the competition on that car fairs, in the scene. The public interest in the fair was at least unbroken, every year would be counted 850.000 visitors, so Walsh.
CES as a Magnet for car manufacturers
What, however, speaks against this Thesis: to create, Especially the auto fair in Detroit, a different event the week before, this year from 8. up to the 12. January, in the gambling Paradise Las Vegas and gets more and more attention. The speech is from the technology fair CES (Consumer Electronics Show). “The more important have been To in the past few years for the car manufacturer issues such as electric mobility and Autonomous, the more they have shown in the Las Vegas flag,” writes the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” (FAZ).
Also, German manufacturers, the Detroit this year, were represented in the desert city. You know: HP-powerful engines and shiny chrome rims are also for more and more car friends of snow from yesterday. Today, technology is what’s standing in Las Vegas at the center, writes Dudenhöffer: “the Internet of Things, 5G, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, Smart Cities Blockchain applications, drones, Smart Home – the car is only a part of it, an example of the application. Self-driving cars, The Future of Infotainment, connected cars – say, Streaming services, and Online shopping platforms such as Alibaba or Amazon – in shaping the car of the future.”
New concept for Detroit
The leaders of the North American International Auto Show (Naias), as the fair is officially called, opened as early as 1907 for the first Time in the “Motorcity” Detroit their doors, have responded: by 2020 they want to host the Naias in June – with a large temporal distance to the CES and with a different concept. The classic car fair, yet rigid showcase the industry in stuffy halls, to mobile. It is planned for a summer Outdoor-car-Event, a kind of Action-exhibition with test drives for visitors, and new technology demonstrations, which could extend even beyond the city centre.
“If this new concept a success,” believes the U.S. economy journalist Dustin Walsh, “then other international car could tighten fairs and similar forms of presentation. Perhaps, too, the International automotive exhibition IAA must think soon about similar.
Construction of the stand of Ford at the Detroit Auto Show in 2019
Last Show in the traditional way
However, in 2019, it should go in Detroit, as for over a hundred years. The last January issue of the Naias presents – even though the major manufacturers are missing a number of innovations. More than 30 premieres, the organizers expect. In front of a home audience at the forefront of the American auto companies-General Motors, Ford or Fiat-Chrysler and its brands are, of course. But also Asian and European manufacturers premieres show.
Volkswagen unveiled the Passat as a saloon. Toyota unveiled the sports car Supra. Ford is planning big with the 700-horsepower Mustang Shelby GT500, as well as the new Explorer, and Bronco models. Cadillac shows its large SUV XT6, Lincoln celebrates his 80. Birthday with a special Continental – to name just a few examples. Particularly highlighted topics will be how, in the meantime, to all of the other car, E-mobility, Connectivity and Autonomous measure.
Farewell to the German not final
According to reports, the farewell of the German premium car manufacturer of Detroit, is not in favor of Las Vegas long ago final. The appearance of fairs in North America rating from year to year, it is called by the German manufacturers. So maybe it’s still too early to write an obituary on the Detroit. A cautionary example is the computer trade fair Cebit, which had to announce, after many experiments with concepts and dates at the end of last year, your own end there, however.
Back to the car industry: The German car maker to stagnate by the way, with a modest figure of around 7.5 percent market share in the United States. Little to understand the threats of US President Donald Trump against German car maker, therefore, be a car expert Dudenhöffer, in comparison – for example, to the Japanese, says. Toyota-Lexus would have achieved in the year 2018 in the United States with a market share of 14.1 percent. Toyota-Lexus together sell nearly 90 per cent more cars in the USA, as all German car manufacturers. Also, Honda and Nissan, together with its subsidiary companies and premium brands, are far ahead of the competition “Made in Germany”. The facts of US presidents, Dudenhöffer, so be not always “understandable” if he polemisiere about the German car maker.