The coronavirus pandemic threw a wrench into the auto show calendar, but one of the biggest changes was the death of the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) announced plans to move the show to Munich, following the expiration of their contract with Messe Frankfurt.
The show is still slated to take place this September, but it will apparently be a much smaller affair. In particular, Auto News Europe is reporting only three Volkswagen Group brands will be attending including Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen. That leaves out a number of the company’s other brands including Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Seat and Skoda.
Also Read: Bye-Bye, Frankfurt, Welcome Munich Motor Show
That’s a pretty weak showing, but Lamborghini has already declared they’re done with traditional auto shows as they are “no longer aligned with our philosophy.” Volkswagen also defended their three brand commitment as a “strong presence.”
Despite that, the show is shaping up to be underwhelming as the publication noted only a handful of foreign automakers will be attending including Hyundai, Renault, Toyota and an assortment of Chinese brands. VDA spokeswoman Nina Wendorff also told them, “IAA Mobility is changing from a pure car show to a mobility platform” which will have “exciting premieres” ranging from “e-bikes, e-scooters, bicycles, electric cars to public transport.” Marketing hyperbole aside, public transport and bicycles aren’t exactly the things that get the heart racing.
Besides having a lackluster automaker presence, the show is adopting an “analog and digital” approach that is being billed as half face-to-face and half online. Organizers contend this is an advantage as the digital aspect will allow them to reach a larger audience via live streams.
