The organizers of the Geneva Motor Show announced on Friday that the iconic event will be discontinued indefinitely, citing insufficient market conditions that have persisted since the global pandemic. The Comité permanent du Salon international de l’automobile released a statement highlighting the difficulties in the post-Covid market, coupled with the overall turmoil in the automotive industry, which have eroded the appeal of major European auto shows.
The Geneva Motor Show, an automotive mainstay since its inception in 1905, has historically attracted up to 120 exhibitors and 600,000 visitors annually at its peak. However, the landscape has changed drastically in recent years. Alexandre de Senarclens, President of the Geneva show, attributed the decision to several factors, including a decline in interest from automakers and the rise of competing events.
“The lack of interest shown by manufacturers in the Geneva Salon in a difficult industry context, the competition from the Paris and Munich shows which are favored by their domestic industry, and the investment levels required to maintain such a show, sound the final blow for a future edition,” de Senarclens explained.
The 2024 Geneva Show, held earlier this year, was the first since 2019 and featured 23 automakers. However, it was significantly smaller than in previous years, with major brands like Volkswagen and Stellantis opting out. This absence marked a stark contrast to the pre-pandemic era, when Geneva was considered the preeminent European auto show. Additionally, lingering tensions between automakers and organizers over financial losses from the abrupt cancellation of the 2020 event have not fully dissipated.
Despite the cancellation of the Geneva event, organizers confirmed that it would not impact their other major show in Doha. The Qatar Motor Show, which debuted successfully in 2023 during Geneva’s hiatus, is set to return in November 2025.
“This extremely regrettable decision should not detract from the efforts and determination with which we have tried to regain our success,” said de Senarclens. “The teams had put all their determination into reviving this motor show after the COVID pandemic.”
The announcement is a significant loss for longtime fans of the European auto show and the automotive industry. Geneva has been the stage for some of the most important launches in automotive history, including the Porsche 356, the Jaguar E-Type, the Ferrari 250, and the Lamborghini Countach. The absence of its presence and grandeur will be keenly felt in the industry.
Elizabeth Puckett