This week’s Geneva Motor Show has been consuming our posts ever since the beginning of the year. Just look at how much news has been tagged previewing the show. Sure we get excited about auto shows, and Geneva is one of Europe’s largest, but this show is more important because it is a game changer.
Auto shows usually come out with a theme, even if it wasn’t intentional. In Paris last September, the focus was all on fuel efficiency because of the summer’s high gas prices. By the time Detroit rolled around in January, gas was cheap but the world’s economies were crumbling. The Detroit show was physically at the epicenter of the crumbling economy, so the feeling there was, “Great, but can you build it?”
Now comes Geneva. There are so many problems that it’s almost like the car companies have a blank slate. Since every major manufacturer is painted into a corner, they can come out fighting any way they want.
This is truly neutral turf.
Switzerland doesn’t have auto companies that need money. There will be Paganis next to Opels, and Aston Martins next to Fiats (well at least all at the same show.) The auto companies will be in a place with wealth, so they don’t have to be ashamed of high-dollar cars. Instead they just have to figure out who’s going to buy them.
The manufactures of the world have a better idea about how their future will shape up. Geneva is going to show how the automotive companies want to be seen in these tough times. Now it’s time to build the image around that future.
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