Blue skies ahead, as NAIAS is about to leave January behind.
The days of the North American International Auto Show being a winter event are about at an end. The show will move to either June or October in 2020, in a bid to refocus it as a local-community event, rather than one purely for the industry.
An official announcement comes next month, The Detroit News reports. The show may even get a new name.
Why? Changes in the industry:
The Detroit auto show is facing a growing existential threat as several luxury automakers have dropped out. Audi was the latest to bolt Detroit, following rivals Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche. Other European luxury automakers who've decided to skip the show include Sweden’s Volvo Cars; Britain’s Mini, Jaguar and Land Rover; and Italy’s Maserati and Ferrari.
Automakers are increasingly opting to unveil new cars and trucks at their own special events where they don’t have to share the spotlight, or at tech events where more of the Silicon Valley news media is present.
Moving to a more weather-friendly date will allow more of the city to shine, show organizers believe. General Motors is said to back a move to June. That would beef up an increasingly busy summer season downtown, when crowds are more likely to travel into the city. It would also enable more outdoor displays, rather than confining all the show activities to Cobo Center's indoor spaces.
Consequently, the show would become more consumer-oriented in the transition, the story states.
No more furs for the Charity Preview, folks. But a cocktail hour outdoors? That might be a good tradeoff.
