Are Auto Shows Dead? AND Are Show Cars Merely A Tease?

You know, I ran across this story from CAR and this story struck me as peculiar. This gentleman seems to be frustrated by show cars.

But, from the recent auto shows that I have been to -- Detroit, Chicago, New York -- show cars are becoming non-existant. I mean, in New York I cannot even really remember a car that was a concept besides the Scion Five Axis. It is dismal times in the automotive world, people.

Granted, when there are show cars I do concur with this gentleman's points.

So this means I have two questions for you:

1) is the auto show dead?

2) are you frustrated about show cars like this chap?

CAR Magazine reports:

Instigated by Harley Earl at General Motors in the late 30s with the quaintly named Buick Y-Job, show cars, or concept cars, were presented to an excited public eager for new things. As the world recovered from a depression and then a war, these vehicles pointed to a better future that many people believed in, including the people who produced them. And, although many of the concept cars of the 50s, with their Jetsons plexiglass roofs and notional nuclear powered engines seem ludicrous now, in their time they weren’t that cynical. Certainly they weren’t the cars you were going to buy next year but, maybe, some time in the near future, you would. Those were optimistic times.

Since then there have always been show cars but, in recent years, their numbers seem to have increased, and I have to say that, generally, they make me a bit angry. I feel I’m being manipulated in a situation where, inevitably, I’ll be disappointed.

The three types of show car

First are the impossible things, with massive visibility problems, little room for the wheels to steer, or heads to fit in. These are to promote nebulous concepts and, often, the more grand the concept, the more bankrupt the manufacturer is in their everyday products. Who really believes that the GQbyCitroen will ever happen? To me it’s just a poke in the eye. “This is what you won’t be driving, you sad punters, so drool on and get back in your C3s".








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BondMI6 - 4/15/2010 3:00:44 AM

+2 Boost

They are not dead (although Detroit better step it up and soon).

Who knows about concepts- perhaps they are.......

Spectator - 4/15/2010 10:35:40 AM

+3 Boost

The DC and Baltimore Auto shows are dead. Especially this years.

Well they were never actually alive to begin with...so nevermined.

adamstc8 - 4/15/2010 3:12:03 PM

+2 Boost

You know, as a long-time showgoer I often wonder this question myself. With seemingly all new introductions happening online, or at least leaking, what's the point? Granted, it is great to see and feel and experience the new models, but I wish they still introduced new models live. These shows just don't seem to have that pizazz right now, and they can't be cheap to run. Makes me wonder if they'll just stop holding them one day.

thstone - 4/15/2010 4:16:14 PM

+1 Boost

Show cars are dead because car design is dead.

Instead of cool new shapes and new-think confgurations, new design now consists of a crease here, a slight buldge there, and some huge air intakes up front. Sorry, but that AIN'T design.

XYZZ - 4/16/2010 3:15:46 AM

+1 Boost

agreed.

it's one thing for GOOD styling elements to become widely adopted. but it disgusts me that BAD elements get widely copied too. and the oversized air intakes is the worst example.

we can blame audi for that BIG MOUTH look so imitated now. complete with vestigial "bumpers" across the middle. the irony is, modern cars do NOT NEED huge volumes of cooling and intake air.

if design is to follow FUNCTION again, air intakes will go smaller, not larger. like new hybrids. aero cleanliness will also become a larger factor.

Htay7500 - 4/15/2010 4:24:14 PM

+2 Boost

The only "car shows" I'd ever go to nowadays are brand-specific events (BMWCCA), autocrosses and cars and coffees.