Frankfurt Motor Show: German dominance drives 11 car companies away
AT least 11 automakers skipped the Frankfurt Motor Show this year. The reasons behind their absence may indicate a deeper shift away from motor shows toward individual events and online activities.
One major aspect of this shift is the spiraling costs of taking part in motor shows at a time of declining sales and increasing need for capital to develop future technologies. The return on investment from motor shows is poor and has no significant effect on sales.
IHS analyst Ian Fletcher believes more customers are likely to do their own research online rather than go to motor shows.
Judging by the increasing numbers of visitors to more exciting events such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed, it is becoming obvious that people would like to combine entertainment with cars rather than watch static, hands-off displays at motor shows.
Goodwood draws about 200,000 visitors compared with the 931,700 people who attended the 2015 Frankfurt show, but Goodwood’s reach on social media is greater; the number of downloaded videos from Goodwood exceeded 1 million hours this year.
The cost (for companies) for participation in Goodwood is three times less than in major shows such as Frankfurt.
Manufacturers like to be single-minded about the message they send out to their audience. That message sometimes gets lost in the noise of big motor shows, especially when a handful of companies dominate the scene, as in Frankfurt.
There is a noticeable trend this year for motor companies to hold their own events and address the media directly.
Audi revealed the latest A8 in an event in Barcelona which it called “The Audi Summit.”
Bentley briefed the media in Crew on the new Continental GT, while Porsche recently revealed the new Cayenne in Stuttgart to a select world media.
Companies that abstained from Frankfurt said they might take part in the forthcoming Geneva show as it is neutral and restricts expenditure by the companies.
But even these conditions may not be enough to save future car shows.
Adel Murad is a senior motoring and business journalist, based in London.
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Yet, the Frankfurt show is as exciting as ever with many prominent global reveals including models from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi.
Prominent models These are some of the stars of the show:
Audi A8: The new generation was recently unveiled at the “Audi Summit” and takes luxury and technology to new heights with “Level 3” autonomous driving capabilities.
Bentley recently briefed journalists (under embargo) about the new generation GT at its Crew headquarters. The model is a huge step forward in design and technology with several engine choices including the massive 6.0 liter W12 petrol engine.
In addition to the 6-Series GT, the i8 Spyder and the M5, BMW will display the Z4 Concept which has already been shown at Pebble Beach. This concept will lead to a full production model in 2018. Other offerings from BMW include the i3S, a new 4-door i5 concept and a 40-year anniversary edition of the 7-Series.
This is the new opentop replacement of the Ferrari California. It uses Ferrari’s new design language in the interior design and relies on a 3.9 liter V8 engine from the California T, producing 592 bhp. t t t Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster: This is a drop-top of the Aventador S which rockets to 100km/h in three seconds and hits a top speed of 217 mph. It uses a V12 6.5 liter engine producing 730 bhp.
Mercedes-Benz: The eye-catching models include a 4-door AMG GT to rival the Porsche Panamera; a revamped G Class to focus more on road comfort; and a new S-Class Coupe restyled after the saloon which recently received its mid-life update. The company will also showcase its “Project One,” building a hyper-car with a 1,000bhp hybrid engine which borrows F-1 specifications. Mercedes-Benz will build 275 examples of this model, most of which have already been sold.
Porsche Cayenne: The third generation SUV was recently revealed to the press in Stuttgart and appears in the flesh at Frankfurt. The new Cayenne acquires a new grille, new interior design with a 12.3-inch interactive touchscreen and a lighter body. Design clues in interior design were taken from the new Panamera.
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The flagship recently revealed in London is the eighth generation Phantom. It is the first super t luxury car to include a “Gallery” on its dashboard to display an art piece, chosen by the customer, behind a glass fascia. Most buyers choose bespoke elements in their cars, so much so it is unlikely that any two Phantoms are alike. Orders, including some from the Middle East, have already been received for the new Phantom VIII.
Volkswagen T-Roc: This is a compact SUV to rival the Audi Q2 and offers an alternative for urban cars with various choices of engines. VW will also reveal the new Polo supermini. The top-of-the-range GTI will use a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine producing 197bhp.
There was noticeable Chinese participation at Frankfurt this year with Chery offering a European SUV which is yet un-named. The company also said it plans to sell a range of hybrid and electric vehicles in Europe in the next few years.
Subaru also revealed a new Impreza for Europe after its reveal in the US. Suzuki displayed a new Swift Sport hatch running on a 1.4 liter, 138-bhp Boosterjet engine. The Swift Sport has a curb weight of only 900 kg.
The Ford EcoSport gained a new look and was one of at least 12 compact SUVs competing for attention at the Frankfurt show. This segment is still the most promising for sales and growth while consumers wait for electrics to mature.