It is a huge blow to the next year’s show if a major automaker goes under.
The 2019 Detroit Auto Show will have a BMW-sized gap on its show floor, as the German major automaker will not participate in the event.
In a statement released by Automotive News, the automaker stated that “BMW Group has decided not to attend the North American International Auto Show” in Detroit. BMW Group is continuously evaluating our presence at trade-shows as well as other engagements. However, it is also looking at alternative formats and platforms. Our overall goal is communicate our plans and ideas regarding future mobility in the most effective way possible and to get the maximum visibility for our products and technologies.
BMW’s announcement comes just a month following Mercedes-Benz’s decision not to attend 2019 Detroit show. Recently Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler, admitted that it was hard to make. The company’s strategy does not allow for the introduction of anything there. “In 2019, considering the activities planned and the timing of product launches, there wasn’t a meaningful fit. Zetsche stated that he believes in 2020, when we will have some product launches.
Recent challenges have been a problem for the Detroit Auto Show. This event is in direct competition to the Consumer Electronics Show which usually takes place two weeks earlier in Las Vegas. CES has been increasingly used by automakers to showcase vehicle tech such as the Hyundai Nexo fuel cell crossover or the Audi digital instrument panel.
According to reports, the Detroit show organizers were considering shifting the event to October. This change moves the event away from CES, but it has potential problems. It is possible to miss major international premieres in Detroit if the Paris Motor Show takes place in October. The Los Angeles Auto Show takes place in November which may affect American companies’ interest in the rescheduled Detroit event.