The Geneva Motor Show 2024, scheduled from February 26 to March 3, will be a risky edition due to the defections of major automotive groups. After Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes, Stellantis has also announced that it will not participate in the Swiss event, choosing to focus on events dedicated to its brands.
Stellantis has officially confirmed that it will not be participating with its brands in the Geneva Motor Show 2024
Stellantis’ decision is a severe blow to the Geneva Motor Show, losing one of its main exhibitors. Stellantis has 14 brands, including Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Peugeot, Citroën, Opel, Jeep, Maserati, and Ferrari, which have always had a strong presence at the Geneva event.
Stellantis’ rationale is that the Geneva Motor Show is no longer in line with its communication strategy, which aims to create customized events for its brands, capable of reaching a broader and more targeted audience. Additionally, the group believes that the Geneva Motor Show is too expensive and less effective, especially in a time of transition toward electric and digital mobility.
The Geneva Motor Show, considered one of the most important and prestigious in the world, is thus in a difficult situation after the 2020 hiatus due to the pandemic and the bankruptcy of the organizing foundation. For 2024, the show has changed, focusing on four thematic areas: the Innovation Pavilion, the Design District, the Zero Emission Space, and the Adrenaline Zone.
However, these innovations do not seem to have convinced Stellantis and other major automotive groups, which prefer other communication platforms such as social media, tech fairs, or online events. Among the few who have confirmed their presence in Geneva are Renault, Hyundai, Toyota, and Ford, while new arrivals include Chinese brands such as Geely, Great Wall, Nio, and Xpeng, aiming to make a mark in Europe.
The Geneva Motor Show 2024 will, therefore, be an edition where Chinese brands will try to steal the spotlight from traditional protagonists who will be absent or marginal. It is a crucial challenge for the future of the event, which must prove its ability to still attract the audience and industry professionals amidst profound changes in the automotive world. Stellantis will use other opportunities to showcase its future releases, such as the new Lancia Ypsilon and Alfa Romeo’s B-SUV.