Well, the greatest car show on earth. I’ve been to many auto shows in Europe and North America (Tokyo or Shanghai would be my next goals), and I always walk away (painfully, need better shoes) from Geneva thinking about how brilliant it is.
This was my third time cruising the many pavilions of the Geneva Palexpo, and every time I get lucky with the scale of the event. This year was no exception.
In fact, this may have been the best blow-out auto show I’ve ever attended. How about I list a few of the unveilings?
Shall I go on? Didn’t think it was necessary, either. In reality, I could have stopped at the fourth one and my point would have been made abundantly clear.
The cars are one thing -- well no, they’re all things, and getting to them can be the most annoying obstacle at an auto show. I won’t use any examples, but take the Montreal Auto Show for example; it’s on five floors with narrow hallways, small rooms, tight escalators, cramped floor spaces, and it’s on in early January (I can complain about my hometown show…). It has poor flow, and so it’s tough to get around.
Geneva is the exact opposite. The Palexpo consists of two huge, wide-open spaces that flow into each other with uncanny ease. It takes no more than 10 minutes to walk from one end to the other, and it’s impossible to get lost or disoriented. I still lose my way at the Palais des Congres after 10 years…
But let’s get back to the cars: Nowhere have I been where so many carmakers are represented. What’s more, brands like Qoros, Fornasari, Exagon Motors, Soleil Motors, and countless others have a huge stage on which to display their products. What great exposure for them, and for members of the automotive media.
Then there’s the ambiance which is serious and laidback at the same time. There’s always a press conference going on (especially on day one, and at the Audi booth), but the show doesn’t freeze or stop, and the atmosphere is generally good. Granted, the car business is just about broken in Europe, but enthusiasm still runs deep.
If ever you’re in Europe (small place, you know) in early March and love cars, I strongly suggest that you make your way to the Geneva Auto Show. Here’s the link to the show’s web page: http://www.salon-auto.ch/en/
This was my third time cruising the many pavilions of the Geneva Palexpo, and every time I get lucky with the scale of the event. This year was no exception.
In fact, this may have been the best blow-out auto show I’ve ever attended. How about I list a few of the unveilings?
- Porsche 911 GT3 / GT3 Cup
- Ferrari LaFerrari
- McLaren P1
- Lamborghini Veneno
- Chevrolet Corvette Stingray convertible
- Rolls-Royce Wraith
- Spyker B6 Venator
- Volkswagen GTI
- Alfa Romeo 4C
- Audi RS6
Shall I go on? Didn’t think it was necessary, either. In reality, I could have stopped at the fourth one and my point would have been made abundantly clear.
The cars are one thing -- well no, they’re all things, and getting to them can be the most annoying obstacle at an auto show. I won’t use any examples, but take the Montreal Auto Show for example; it’s on five floors with narrow hallways, small rooms, tight escalators, cramped floor spaces, and it’s on in early January (I can complain about my hometown show…). It has poor flow, and so it’s tough to get around.
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| Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre |
Geneva is the exact opposite. The Palexpo consists of two huge, wide-open spaces that flow into each other with uncanny ease. It takes no more than 10 minutes to walk from one end to the other, and it’s impossible to get lost or disoriented. I still lose my way at the Palais des Congres after 10 years…
But let’s get back to the cars: Nowhere have I been where so many carmakers are represented. What’s more, brands like Qoros, Fornasari, Exagon Motors, Soleil Motors, and countless others have a huge stage on which to display their products. What great exposure for them, and for members of the automotive media.
Then there’s the ambiance which is serious and laidback at the same time. There’s always a press conference going on (especially on day one, and at the Audi booth), but the show doesn’t freeze or stop, and the atmosphere is generally good. Granted, the car business is just about broken in Europe, but enthusiasm still runs deep.
If ever you’re in Europe (small place, you know) in early March and love cars, I strongly suggest that you make your way to the Geneva Auto Show. Here’s the link to the show’s web page: http://www.salon-auto.ch/en/