What About the Frankfurt Motor Show?

Even if the Tokyo Motor Show was losing momentum, I wondered whether the Frankfurt Motor Show was still going strong. So I looked up coverage of the 2017 event and found this:

[A closer look at the unprecedented lineup at the Frankfurt Motor Show—and another surprise]
The Frankfurt exhibition ran from September 14 to 24, 2017. Attendance was about 810,000, down sharply from roughly 930,000 at the previous show in 2015. (Excerpt omitted) Among Japanese automakers, Nissan and Mitsubishi did not exhibit. Several European brands also stayed away, including French automaker Peugeot, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), and Swedish automaker Volvo. As a result, there was no need for the temporary pavilion that had previously been set up in the courtyard. (Excerpt omitted)
There were few new-model launches from Japanese automakers or European brands outside Germany. The contrast was striking: German automakers filled their large stands with new models and concept cars, while other manufacturers had far less to show. The event increasingly felt like a local German motor show.

Source: “A closer look at the unprecedented lineup at the Frankfurt Motor Show—and another surprise”

The Geneva Motor Show seemed to be drawing a healthy crowd, but it looked as though the Frankfurt Motor Show, too, had lost some of its former momentum.

Changing with the Times

Come to think of it, my husband once said:

“Back in the day, concept cars were usually built as real vehicles and displayed at motor shows. These days, something like a concept car might be unveiled in Gran Turismo on PlayStation instead.”

And he’s right. Automakers including Audi, Honda, McLaren, Subaru, and Lexus have created all kinds of concept-like cars for the Gran Turismo games—and you can actually drive them in the game. The world of new-car and concept-car launches is changing rapidly with the times.

Automakers have also been producing concept videos for YouTube. Judging by the view counts, plenty of people are watching. Compared with spending a fortune on a motor show stand, using the internet might offer a better return on investment.

Still, nothing quite matches the thrill of seeing a car in person or soaking up the atmosphere at a show. Ideally, the real-world experience and online world can complement each other.

In that case, getting sent to cover the Frankfurt Motor Show sounds like a pretty far-fetched dream! It’s probably more realistic to pay my own way and write about it on the blog. (Ha!)

By the way, the Frankfurt Motor Show is held in odd-numbered years, so the next one was scheduled for 2019. I’d love to visit Germany again.