The "auto shows in a state of flux" megathread

mmcartalk

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Good News....L.A. Show a go for November 20-29, 2020
A little early to mention it, maybe, but I thought I'd bring up some potential Good News.....after the pandemic cancelled several major auto shows earlier in the year, the Los Angeles Auto Show is apparantly now a go for November 20-29, 2020. Tickets will go on sale in September. I don't see anything in the media iron the show's website to show tat it will be cancelled this year, though the date is being moved up a little this year. Might interfere with Thanksgiving-week travel-plans and Black-Friday shopping for those big-screen TVs LOL, but, on the other hand, I've always felt that a nice auto show helps enhance a holiday, and makes it that much more special a time. For example, here in the D.C. area, I miss having the show, in the old Convention Center, before the new one was built, during the Christmas/New-Year's time-frame. It would typically start between December 26-28, and end January 2-4. Made all of the holiday festivities that much more special. But, when they built the new D.C. Convention Center (which, at the time, cost over $1 billion) they shifted the show's dates to late January, a couple of weeks after the big Detroit show, so that Members of Congress could find it easier to attend...most of them are back at home in their districts over the Christmas/New Year's time-frame.

Of course, things could change if there is a repeat of the pandemic in California between now and November, or if the Governor or State/Municipal authorities find reason to once again cancel the L.A. show, but, for now, it seems to be on.


https://laautoshow.com

And here's the web-site for tickets:

https://laautoshow.com/tickets/

The show's management hasn't released all of the upcoming displays yet, but I suspect some of the most interesting new ones will be from Ford.....Bronco, Bronco Sport, and hybrid (and possibly EV) F-150. Hopefully, Buick's much-improved and sharp-looking 2021 Envision will also be there. Also wouldn't be surprised to see the new Toyota Sienna, Kia Sedona, and Chrysler Pacifica minivans.

LASHOW.jpg
 

Joaquin Ruhi

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Other than the stated September on-sale ticket sales banner, the Los Angeles Auto Show has actually been silent about its plans going forward for the 2020 show. No cancellation, certainly, but no statement that they're going forward, either.

I'm subscribed to emails for Automobility LA (the umbrella term for the Los Angeles Auto Show and the myriad seminars and conferences that precede even the show's Press Days) and haven't received one in months. The Automobility LA website does say that registration for those opens on Wednesday 12 August, so as we move closer to that date we should gain more clarity.

I'll detour a bit here to the Miami Auto Show. I remember being surprised and annoyed when I learned at the November 2019 show that they would skip 2020 altogether and hold their 50th show in mid-February 2021. That decision turned out to unexpectedly prescient and fortuitous in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like the Los Angeles Show's public site, Miami's remains semi-silent. Last Monday, however, members of SAMA (Southern Automotive Media Association) received an email in both English and Spanish (this being Miami) affirming that plans were still going ahead and moving forward for the 2021 show. This is all, of course, still very tentative, as just about everything is on our COVID-19-addled world and with southeast Florida one of the pandemic's current hot spots...
 
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mmcartalk

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BTW, on a related subject (I won't necessarily start a new thread for it, but others can if they want)..........the SEMA show in Las Vegas, scheduled for November 3-6, 2020, is also still on, as of July 27...but, of course, that could also change. You guys can discuss that if you want...I usually stay out of that kind of talk, as boy-racers and customizing/aftermarket stuff is generally not my forte.

https://www.semashow.com/important-show-information
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Joaquin Ruhi

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An Automotive News Europe story confirms that the 2020 Beijing Auto Show is a go. It will run from September 26 through October 5, with media previews Sept. 26-27. This would make it the first of the truly large, A-list auto shows to return for 2020 since Chicago last February. The article states that the show will take place "with safety protocols" but doesn't go beyond that, and says that it is unclear if capacity at the indoor event will be limited. Perhaps @ssun30 or @shizhi have more insight on what the safety protocols would be?

If we count all international auto shows, however, the first post-Chicago show in 2020 was actually the 41st Bangkok International Motor Show in Thailand, which opened on July 15. From The Car Guide:

Among the various health and safety measures put in place, the number of visitors will be limited, their body temperature will be scanned upon admission, multiple hand washing stations are located throughout the show floor, and visitors must socially distance by at least one metre.

Furthermore, each booth has a single entry and exit. Staff on hand are required to wear masks or face shields during the show, which ends on July 26.

Reuters reports that Thailand has had no locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 for about seven weeks.

https://www.guideautoweb.com/en/art...how-since-covid-19-pandemic-opens-in-bangkok/
 

Joaquin Ruhi

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Another note, this one of special interest to @mmcartalk :

August 20, 2020
Washington Auto Show moves to early spring 2021
AUDREY LAFOREST - Automotive News

The Washington Auto Show is getting a later start next year because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, show organizers said Thursday.

Next year's show is set to run March 26 through April 4 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in the nation's capital. The event had been scheduled to run Jan. 29 through Feb. 7.

"We believe this scheduling change is in the best interests of our attendees, our partnering auto manufacturers and the District of Columbia," show CEO John O'Donnell said in a statement.

"Our top priority is to ensure the safety of all involved in this show, and we believe strongly that a two-month delay will better allow us to produce the type of well-rounded and immersive show that our attendees are accustomed to," he said.

Brands that have reserved floor space so far are Acura, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, GMC, Jeep, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Lincoln, Nissan, Ram, Subaru, Toyota and Volkswagen, said Mike Bushnell, a spokesman for the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association, which organizes the event.

An industry media day is set for March 25 — a day before the show opens to the public — and will include public policy and industry-focused events. There will not be a pre-show MobilityTalks International conference, organizers said.

Safety and social distancing protocols will also be implemented throughout the event, including timed ticketing, temperature checks, mandatory mask usage, density scanning, hand-sanitizing stations, wider aisles and overnight deep cleaning, among other efforts.

"We are certainly aware of the challenges facing all public events and facilities right now, and our hope is that the extra couple of months will make attending the show more enticing for more people," Bushnell said in an email. "We're planning for a number of different scenarios, but this really is an unprecedented situation."

Additional details about the show will be announced in the coming months.

The 2020 Washington Auto Show opened its doors to the public Jan. 24, before nationwide lockdowns were imposed to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participating domestic and international automakers included the Detroit 3, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Volkswagen.

https://www.autonews.com/dealers/wa...ng-2021?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
 

ssun30

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Beijing is currently under level 3 epidemic response which is quite loose. All domestic travel restrictions have been lifted (only international flights require testing and quarantine). Only requirement for individuals to enter public gathering places is masks and health QR code. There will be automated temperature measurements at the entrance. There is no requirement on social distancing.
 

mmcartalk

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Another note, this one of special interest to @mmcartalk :

Washington Auto Show moves to early spring 2021

Thanks for the heads-up, Joaquin. 🙂 If they don't cancel it, I'll plan on attending. Might affect Ian, too, since he's not too far away in Baltimore, and the Baltimore show is usually smaller and less-comprehensive than the larger D.C. show.

BTW, since you're a moderator, did you change this thread-title from what it was? No problem on my part...just curious.
 

Joaquin Ruhi

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BTW, since you're a moderator, did you change this thread-title from what it was? No problem on my part...just curious.
😁 Guilty as charged! I figured a single "megathread" with broad-based "future of auto shows" discussion made sense, especially given the way you and I (primarily) steered the conversation from the original Los Angeles Auto Show to myriad other shows. May as well make it a dedicated thread for this and I retitled it accordingly. Thanks for understanding.
 

mikeavelli

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I miss shows dearly, not just large OEM focused shows but aftermarket shows. I am still active at local meets but every major aftermarket show has mostly been canceled or I am not sure how comfortable I would be attending any. I wear masks, social distance etc.