RE: RIP British Motor Show
Friday 15th October 2010
No more of this in BlightyThe British motor show has officially bitten the dust, according to the event's organiser, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
RIP British Motor Show
British motor show 'will not be reinstated' in 2012
No more of this in Blighty
The SMMT had already scrapped the 2010 edition of the biennial event, but the show will now not be reinstated for 2012, following a consultation with the British motor industry.
"In recent years the show has played a less important role in influencing new car buyers and vehicle manufacturers are focusing their limited resources on events and activities that have a more direct impact on brand awareness and consumer decisions," said SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt.
The show, which was held at ExCeL in London's Docklands in 2006 and 2008, had previously found homes in the NEC in Birmingham, Crystal Palace, Earls's Court and London Olympia.
But although Everitt said that "both the SMMT and the industry are committed to displaying the achievements of the sector and providing our customers with an opportunity to experience the full breadth of models available in the UK," he did not venture any suggestions as to how this could now be achieved...
Pic: Rehanfarooq
Discussion
The stand costs were made too great, companies boycotted it and it has progressively spiralled down and now gone extinct.
Many years of excellent shows at Earls court where the car companies saved their new models to debut in October in London.
NEC was far too sprawling and costly. The two Excels were OK and it might have had a permanent home there , by then the damage had been done.
Many years of excellent shows at Earls court where the car companies saved their new models to debut in October in London.
NEC was far too sprawling and costly. The two Excels were OK and it might have had a permanent home there , by then the damage had been done.
It's an interesting decision...they obviously couldn't find the return in such an event. I wonder if it is because we are so spoilt in the UK for media coverage (top gear, evo, pistonheads, various gatherings such as the festival of speed) that an actual 'event' gets somewhat diluted? Either way with Lotus, Aston Martin and Jaguar all having exciting things to say and Ariel, Caterham and the more niche guys pumping out little fire crackers we have a very high end and exciting car industry I would say, it's just more suited to Goodwood and Dubai than the world stage!
Personally I find this desperately sad and an indictment of the bean counter culture that is ruining the world.
A few years ago I used to go every year to the motor show and loved it. At various shows I fell in love with the TVR Griffith (owned one of those for the past 14 years) fell in love with the Land Rover Discovery (owned one of those for the past 5-6 years, and one year was introduced to Saab by a mate who I went with who was a Saab fan. Result I loved Saab's ever since and have finally bought a fantastic Saab 9-3 convertible and am currently in the market for another Saab 9-3 saloon or sportwagon for the wife.
I didn't buy any of these cars there and then at the show, but I bought all of them having first bought into the car and the brand at a UK motorshow. Thus my sales wouldn't have appeared as motorshow related on a beancounters spreadsheet but they're real sales sure as eggs is eggs.
Accountants, the cost of everything and meaning of nothing etc etc....
Saxon
A few years ago I used to go every year to the motor show and loved it. At various shows I fell in love with the TVR Griffith (owned one of those for the past 14 years) fell in love with the Land Rover Discovery (owned one of those for the past 5-6 years, and one year was introduced to Saab by a mate who I went with who was a Saab fan. Result I loved Saab's ever since and have finally bought a fantastic Saab 9-3 convertible and am currently in the market for another Saab 9-3 saloon or sportwagon for the wife.
I didn't buy any of these cars there and then at the show, but I bought all of them having first bought into the car and the brand at a UK motorshow. Thus my sales wouldn't have appeared as motorshow related on a beancounters spreadsheet but they're real sales sure as eggs is eggs.
Accountants, the cost of everything and meaning of nothing etc etc....
Saxon
I don't think its too much of a shame in terms of the format. It always struck me as odd that moving products were anything but. You couldn’t do anything much more than sit in them and twiddle a few knobs. It just needs completely reinventing so that we can drive them too. That said it would need a big area outside and rain could make a big show a washout. Worth doing though.
Even I noticed it was going downhill and I started going in '98 when it was already meant to be getting worse! (I was 9 at the time). Went to 5 in total (obviously being '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 and '08).
There are plenty of other shows, but there's was always something special about the Motorshow I thought. I suppose it was sitting in the boggo cars.
In '08 I sat in a Renault Twingo, loved it, and now I have one.
There are plenty of other shows, but there's was always something special about the Motorshow I thought. I suppose it was sitting in the boggo cars.
In '08 I sat in a Renault Twingo, loved it, and now I have one.
They've been utter bilge for years, the bike ones will go next - they're almost as dire these days having previously been decent.
Perhaps it might spur on more new events like Goodwood which are actually worth going to, which of course would be no bad thing.
Perhaps it might spur on more new events like Goodwood which are actually worth going to, which of course would be no bad thing.
Edited by Stu R on Thursday 14th October 16:57
Isn't the UK one of the biggest brands of buyers of cars in Europe, we Brits buy every different kind of car brand that is out there, yet the likes of Italy and Germany stick to there own brands most of the time. It just a plain disgrace for the car industry to snub the UK buyers like this.
Stand costs alone aren't the reason this show has failed. The costs of exhibiting are high.. fact, but in fact the cost of exhibiting has remained more or less static (for the stand space) for many, many years.
The additional costs to the manufacturer however are getting substantially higher. Staff costs, hotel costs, stand build costs, food costs, fuel costs are all getting higher as input from sales is getting lower.
That said we will have McLaren, Lotus, Porsche, Nissan, Infiniti, Skoda, Peugeot, Caterham and Ginetta at the Autosport/PistonHeads show this year. Others are still waiting to confirm.
The shows are out there, Goodwood FOS has a great spread of brands also. I don't see this as the loss of the chance to see these cars.. just that the venue's have changed.
The additional costs to the manufacturer however are getting substantially higher. Staff costs, hotel costs, stand build costs, food costs, fuel costs are all getting higher as input from sales is getting lower.
That said we will have McLaren, Lotus, Porsche, Nissan, Infiniti, Skoda, Peugeot, Caterham and Ginetta at the Autosport/PistonHeads show this year. Others are still waiting to confirm.
The shows are out there, Goodwood FOS has a great spread of brands also. I don't see this as the loss of the chance to see these cars.. just that the venue's have changed.
Edited by beefcake42 on Thursday 14th October 17:34
I thought it was just a critical mass issue, and nothing to do with whether the host country makes lots of cars. The big car companies will go to whatever show the most journalists go to, and vice-versa.
I believe at the moment the big shows are Paris and Geneva. How many cars are made in Switzerland? Does Germany have its own big car show?
I believe at the moment the big shows are Paris and Geneva. How many cars are made in Switzerland? Does Germany have its own big car show?
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