End of epoc: Geneva motor show is dead, forever

After almost 120 years, the Geneva Motor Show is dead. Organizers for the event announced in a Facebook post on Friday that it’s ending the show in Switzerland “due to ongoing industry challenges and competition.”

Report informs via motor1 that the event has faced severe headwinds since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic over four years ago. The coronavirus canceled the show in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. When it did return in 2024, just a handful of automakers attended. Organizers started a companion show in Qatar in 2023, which will continue. It returns in November 2025.

Geneva hosted its first motor show in 1905. The landmark event has seen some of the industry’s most iconic cars debut on its show floor. The Jaguar E-Type, the Porsche 917, and the Audi Quattro were just a few of the legendary cars that made their debuts at Geneva. Lamborghini previewed the Countach with the LP500 concept reveal, and the venue hosted the Ferrari LaFerrari launch over a decade ago.

Auto shows have been struggling to attract automakers, and the coronavirus pandemic didn’t help. Dwindling interest and attendance have forced organizers to reevaluate the show experience and try new things.

The North American International Auto Show attempted to reverse course by moving the event from Detroit’s unpredictable January to the summer to attract more people. However, earlier this year, the NAIAS organizers announced they would move the show back to January starting in 2025, putting it back in competition with CES.