The ongoing coronavirus outbreak in China is threatening to postpone the Beijing Auto Show scheduled for April 21-30.
Speaking with a source reportedly close to the event, Autocar has been informed that the organizers of the show are looking to reschedule it in the coming weeks.
“It’s unofficial, but we’re pretty certain the show won’t happen in April,” the source said, “and whether it will be rescheduled for the coming weeks depends on the virus.”
The Beijing Motor Show is hugely significant for the Chinese market and attracts roughly 800,000 visitors annually. China’s auto industry is going through an especially rough period at the moment and could greatly benefit from a major auto show where local and foreign car manufacturers could present their latest vehicles.
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News of the Beijing Motor Show being under threat comes shortly after it was confirmed that the F1 Chinese Grand Prix, originally scheduled for April 17-19, has been postponed. Organizers of the event, including the FIA, Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports of People’s Republic of China (CAMF) and Shanghai Administration of Sports, are all working together to see if the event can be pushed back until later in the year.
An early report out of China claims that the Chinese Grand Prix could be pushed back to mid-September or early October, perhaps between the Russian Grand Prix on September 27 and the Japanese Grand Prix on October 10.
It remains to be seen what alternative dates could be targeted for the Beijing Auto Show.
