It’s fitting that organisers of the Geneva International Motor Show announced it would be cancelled — for a fourth year — during Monterey car week, the annual gathering of motoring enthusiasts on the foggy peninsula region two hours south of San Francisco.
Each August, the coastal town hosts the world’s biggest live car auctions, most prestigious concours, and increasingly, its most important luxury auto debuts. This year, from August 15-20, more than 20 new vehicles made their first global or North American appearance, with executives from Europe and Asia coming to spend hours with journalists, car dealers, and VIP clients. The consensus? This felt like a new kind of auto show.
“There’s a lot more to do at Pebble Beach; you get to see the brands in a different light,” says Alex Long, director of product and market strategy for Aston Martin, referring to the car shows, auctions, drives, and parties available to high-net-worth potential customers of the automaker.
“We don’t want to be involved in these old [-fashioned] car shows,” says Hildegard Wortmann, a member of the board of management of Audi AG. “It’s much better for us to be here.”
From $3.65m (roughly R62m) hypercars such as the Koenigsegg CC850 to McLaren’s big Gran Turismo video game car debut to tiny new electric dune buggies from Meyers Manx, there’s something new for many taste levels and pocket books. Bugatti announced a breathtakingly handsome new roadster; Lamborghini unveiled its highest-performance SUV ever; and Bentley debuted another multimillion-dollar bespoke car.
Covid-19 permanently changed the automotive landscape when it comes to selling cars. If this week along the Monterey Peninsula is much indication, high-end automakers are genuinely leaving auto shows behind.
“Pebble Beach is a much more modern way of getting in touch with your people,” says Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar. “Traditional auto shows? That’s so over.”
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
Car shows are ‘so over’ — why brands want to debut luxury vehicles at Pebble Beach
Image: Supplied
It’s fitting that organisers of the Geneva International Motor Show announced it would be cancelled — for a fourth year — during Monterey car week, the annual gathering of motoring enthusiasts on the foggy peninsula region two hours south of San Francisco.
Each August, the coastal town hosts the world’s biggest live car auctions, most prestigious concours, and increasingly, its most important luxury auto debuts. This year, from August 15-20, more than 20 new vehicles made their first global or North American appearance, with executives from Europe and Asia coming to spend hours with journalists, car dealers, and VIP clients. The consensus? This felt like a new kind of auto show.
“There’s a lot more to do at Pebble Beach; you get to see the brands in a different light,” says Alex Long, director of product and market strategy for Aston Martin, referring to the car shows, auctions, drives, and parties available to high-net-worth potential customers of the automaker.
“We don’t want to be involved in these old [-fashioned] car shows,” says Hildegard Wortmann, a member of the board of management of Audi AG. “It’s much better for us to be here.”
From $3.65m (roughly R62m) hypercars such as the Koenigsegg CC850 to McLaren’s big Gran Turismo video game car debut to tiny new electric dune buggies from Meyers Manx, there’s something new for many taste levels and pocket books. Bugatti announced a breathtakingly handsome new roadster; Lamborghini unveiled its highest-performance SUV ever; and Bentley debuted another multimillion-dollar bespoke car.
Covid-19 permanently changed the automotive landscape when it comes to selling cars. If this week along the Monterey Peninsula is much indication, high-end automakers are genuinely leaving auto shows behind.
“Pebble Beach is a much more modern way of getting in touch with your people,” says Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar. “Traditional auto shows? That’s so over.”
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
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