Automotive News Canada - September 2022 - 12

12
* SEPTEMBER 2022
Auto shows a go; now who will show?
Event organizers
are eager to resume
in 2023; automaker
fervor is mixed
By KELLY TAYLOR
WINNIPEG CORRESPONDENT
AFTER THREE YEARS OF
pandemic-related cancellations,
Canada's auto show circuit is
set to resume in-person shows
in 2023. But it's unclear how
many automakers will exhibit
amid inventory shortages and
the growing popularity of direct
business-to-consumer marketing
events.
While some companies interviewed
by Automotive News
Canada are excited to return
to large-scale events, others
said they either will not be at
Canadian auto shows in 2023 or
have not yet decided whether to
exhibit.
" My feelDias:
Instead
of
participating
in auto shows,
Volvo will
" continue
collaborating
closely with
our retailers
and focusing
on distinctive
partnerships
and
experiences. "
PHOTO:
LINKEDIN
ing is GM will
be participating
in the auto
show circuit
in 2023, but
unfortunately,
we will not be
able to confirm
before October
or November, "
said General
Motors Canada
spokesman
Philippe-Andre
Bisson.
The first
event of the
season is the
Montreal
International
Auto Show
from Jan. 20
to 29, followed
by the Canadian International
AutoShow (CIAS) in Toronto
from Feb 17 to 26.
Stellantis Canada spokeswoman
LouAnn Gosselin said the
company has yet to decide whether
to exhibit at 2023 shows.
Toyota Canada spokesman
Romaric Lartilleux also could
not commit to a Toyota presence:
" We need to confirm some details
before being able to add anything
on the topic. "
Volvo Car Canada spokesman
Lucas Dias said the company is
not participating in Canadian
shows, " choosing instead to continue
collaborating closely with
our retailers and focusing on distinctive
partnerships and experiences. "
One
such experience was a
fika bar that Volvo set up earlier
this year at select Canadian
retailers. Fika is a Swedish tradition
of daily coffee breaks similar
to a British high tea, with sweet
or savoury bites of food.
Jaguar Land Rover spokesman
Taylor Hoel said the company
" does not have any plans to participate
in upcoming auto shows
in Canada. "
And Mercedes-Benz Canada
spokesman Zakary Paget confirmed
a long-standing company
policy of holding its own events to
engage directly with consumers.
Canada's auto shows aren't
the only ones coping with
change. The North American
International Detroit Auto Show
has only five major automakers
- Toyota, Ford, General Motors,
Subaru and Stellantis - on tap
for the indoor/outdoor event,
slated to run Sept. 14 to 25.
'BIGGEST YEAR EVER'
Meanwhile, representatives
of some brands in Canada continue
to see value in auto shows.
" I think it's going to be the
biggest year ever for the auto
show, " said Hyundai Auto
Canada President Don Romano.
" We're definitely committed
to the big ones - Toronto,
Montreal, Quebec City and
Vancouver. "
Hyundai launched a number
of new products during the
COVID-19 pandemic, which
gives it plenty of " stories to
tell " consumers at the shows,
Romano said.
" There has been three years
of new product that people don't
even know about, " he said.
" We're about to introduce the
Ioniq 6 [EV] and haven't even
been able to show people the
Ioniq 5. "
The return
on investment
goes beyond
attendance,
Romano said.
Press days
are an important
factor,
particularly
when inventory
shortages,
caused in
large part by
the ongoing
global scarcity
of microchips,
continue to
dampen sales,
he said.
That lack of
There are still cars being
sold every day. The car
culture is still there, and
people want to check
out new stuff.
DON ROMANO
President, Hyundai Auto Canada
The first in-person auto show of the season is the Montreal International Auto Show, pictured,
Jan. 20 to 29, followed by the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto, Feb. 17 to 26.
PHOTO: MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW
said the company is rolling out
two new halo products - vehicles
that signify the best a brand
can offer - at the Toronto show.
" Most brands are lucky if they
can present one halo vehicle, and
we've got two, " Hearn said.
Jason Campbell, general manager
of CIAS, said all of the manufacturers
that committed to
the canceled 2022 show have
returned and he has had conversations
with
eight more,
with a Sept. 30
deadline for
them to sign up.
He said the 2022
show would
have included
70 per cent of
carmakers, and
" I'm confident
that this percentage
will be
considerably
higher in 2023.
" Live events
are back, festivals
and such,
and are busy,
Campbell:
CIAS in
Toronto " very
excited about
coming back,
getting the
auto sector
reengaged. "
FILE PHOTO
so we're very excited about coming
back, getting the auto sector
reengaged, " Campbell said. " We
could have done a show last year
with the number of brands we
had and be successful, so with
even more manufacturers coming
in this year, we're absolutely
certain it will be a successful
show. "
Gate revenue - the last show
in 2020 drew 335,000 people -
is the largest revenue source,
Campbell said, followed by manufacturer
floor rental and sponsorships.
Romano:
Plenty
of
" stories to
tell " and
new cars to
display at
in-person
shows.
PHOTO:
LINKEDIN
inventory - experienced across
all brands - doesn't reduce
Romano's enthusiasm.
" There are still cars being
sold every day, " he said. " The
car culture is still there, and
people want to check out new
stuff. "
ALIVE AND LIVELY
Nissan Canada is also gearing
up for what it says will be
a stellar year for attendance.
Marketing Director Ken Hearn
Luis Pereira, general manager
of the Montreal show, is " finally
excited to move forward and talk
about cars instead of the number
of [COVID-19] cases. "
Pereira is unsure what to
expect for attendance, though he
foresees a drop from the usual
200,000 attendees and doesn't
expect a full slate of brands.
" We acknowledge that product
availability and chip shortages
affecting supply will influence
some [automakers] to not participate
in the 2023 auto show circuit, "
he said.
" This, too, may influence some
visitors looking for a particular
model to skip a year. But Quebec
has a lot of passionate car enthusiasts,
as demonstrated over the last
77 [shows]. We will do everything
we can to present as many brands
as possible while the industry
works its way out of this crisis. "
Barring a significant COVID19
outbreak, Pereira doesn't
anticipate the show's cancellation
in 2023. - ANC

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Automotive News Canada - September 2022

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