DAVID FURLONGER: The (motor) show won’t go on

Do you remember motor shows? You know, those huge events that would draw hundreds of thousands of parents, kids and assorted petrolheads to marvel at the latest car and truck models, lap up the noise and smell of supercharged engines and, if they were lucky, sit in the driver’s seat and get to imagine what it would be like to actually drive them?

I’ve been reading reviews of the Detroit motor show taking place in the Motor City this week, and it all sounds rather sad. I attended three Detroit shows, back in the days when it was held in January — the opening act of a series of great shows around the world.

Media days were packed, with international motor journalists rubbing shoulders with senior executives from every major motor company. It was almost impossible to keep pace with the nonstop programme of product launches and press conferences. Companies competed for the ultimate wow and the biggest headlines.

This time round, by all accounts, top-tier execs were almost as scarce as press conferences at last week’s media days. Some major car brands have skipped the event altogether, though there are plenty of automotive research institutes and mobility service providers to take their place. It’s not the same, is it?

Detroit isn’t the only show to suffer. The Frankfurt motor show, traditionally the biggest of them all, last year moved to Munich and became a shrine to what organisers called “climate-neutral mobility”.

Frankfurt used to be so big that some journalists dropped with exhaustion after chasing events in the enormous halls. On my first visit, before e-mails and digital gadgets transformed communications, the show’s official courier company promised to transport up to 10kg of press releases and photographs to the office of each of the hundreds of accredited journalists, anywhere in the world. When I got back to my desk in Johannesburg two days later, a huge box, containing everything I had collected, was waiting for me. Today, all the information and images are delivered to my laptop within seconds of announcements.

SA has also been affected by the shift away from traditional motor shows. For years, Joburg’s Nasrec showgrounds played host to Auto Africa and then the Johannesburg International Motor Show. Now, as visitor numbers dwindle, it’s moved to the Kyalami race circuit and changed its name to the Festival of Motoring, and it no longer attracts many of the major brands. It’s still fun but it’s not “the real thing”.

Covid has not helped the cause of motor shows. After two years of social distancing, many people are reluctant to return to crowded, draughty halls. However, the pandemic is by no means the root cause. All it has done is accelerate a process that has been under way for some years.

As social media and other digital platforms increase their share of automotive marketing, consumers are less inclined to go and look at rooms full of vehicles. Motor dealers say most customers do their homework online. Their visit to the showroom floor is mainly to confirm what they think they already know, and to complete the deal.

Unless you’re a real motor fan, why drag your family across town to park in an open field in the rain or blazing sun, then pay to look at cars and eat undercooked pies?   

Motor companies are happy to see this shift. A prominent display at a motor show can cost millions. It’s a hit-and-miss affair: are show visitors potential buyers or simply voyeurs? In an age of budget discipline, a targeted TV ad or social media campaign can be much more cost-effective.

Still, it’s a shame. For many people, the closest they come to a motor show today is an occasional weekend display of cars at their local shopping mall. Even “real” shows, with their preaching about sustainability and social awareness, are in danger of becoming cerebral, rather than exciting.

Of course the motor industry must be responsible. That doesn’t mean it can’t let its hair down and party occasionally.