Posted on 10/02/2022 11:24:17 AM PDT by FarCenter
DETROIT, U.S. -- Thousands of fans of the Mustang, a storied American "muscle car," stampeded into downtown Detroit, invited by its manufacturer, Ford, to see the unveiling of the new, 2024 Mustang sports coupe. The "Mustang Stampede" was easily the highlight of what was a decidedly low-key North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) held in Detroit on Sept. 14-25.
Pre-pandemic, the annual Motor City event was one of the world's most important auto shows. But, to listen to critics, it is now fighting for survival, with organizers struggling to avoid the fate faced by shows like those in Frankfurt, Geneva and Tokyo, which have either been sharply scaled back or shuttered entirely.
In the years after the local Detroit Auto Show became an international extravaganza in 1989, it routinely brought in dozens of brands -- along with 5,000 or more journalists flying in from around the world to witness up to 70 new product previews. This year, however, prominent brands like Nissan, Honda, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW went missing. At most, 1,000 members of the media turned out to witness a mere five new product debuts. Of those, four were modest updates, with the seventh-generation Mustang the only significant headliner.
And among those manufacturers who did participate, it is far from certain they will all be back in 2023. But while NAIAS has some unique problems of its own, auto shows in general are facing tough times.
"From a purely business perspective, we need to make sure auto shows are a competitive investment," Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, said during a media roundtable. "You want to spend your marketing dollars in a not-inefficient way. You have to decide whether to be present at an auto show."
Major events like NAIAS, as well as the Tokyo, New York and Paris motor shows, can be costly, with even a modest-sized stand going for $1 million. Add in lavish, multistory displays and flashy, Hollywood-style debuts, and the numbers can climb to north of $5 million.
Often, these have been "ego-driven" excesses, said Tavares, something the industry can no longer afford, especially with so many more alternatives in the age of the internet. During the depths of the pandemic, automakers learned they could attract a worldwide audience of both journalists and potential buyers with relatively low-cost virtual introductions.
They've also discovered that there are plenty of real-world alternatives. The Texas State Fair has become a popular backdrop for introducing new pickups and SUVs. And "Monterey Car Week," including the legendary Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, this year saw the introduction of nearly two dozen luxury and high-performance vehicles, including the Acura Precision EV Concept, the Kia EV6 GT and the Bugatti W16 Mistral.
Ah…so that is NOT something Ford is building?
nope... i think they use ford bodybucks or dies though
LOL!!!! Their dancing does not match with that goofy song. Actually that sing might make one suicidal. I wonder what those performers were thinking during that?
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