The PROS and CONS Of Moving The Detroit Auto Show To October, Spelled Out

It's time to do ONE American show and be done with it.

Can't agree with that. The US is so much larger physically that most other countries that a single show would make it impossible for the vast majority of consumers to participate. Now, do we need more than say three? That argument could be made. But there certainly needs to be at least one on each side of the country. Perhaps Detroit and LA as far as major shows go, with the usual smaller regional shows like we've always had in Seattle, that just draw the local crowds.

There are two types of shows: those that are taken seriously and those that are dealership shows with "all brands under one roof."

LA is definitely NOT taken seriously because it is a giant dealership show not a serious car show and San Diego and Seattle are even less important than LA.

And yes, I've been to both Seattle and San Diego venues.

When brands skip a show it means it's a dealership show.

I agree that Seattle is not a significant venue for a car show. I can't speak about San Diego or LA, as I've never seen them. Perhaps LA isn't considered "major" now, but if the manufacturers only had two major US shows to participate in, LA would make the most sense for a western show.

NY & LA. The shows are for industry professionals mostly...especially for major/significant product reveals.

Why should global & domestic automakers directly spend funding on these smaller shows that only attract local auto enthusiasts? Its cool but insurance, staffing, shipping costs a lot a money to be having shows in Ohio, Oregon, Illinois.

Maybe partnering contracts with local dealershipss in the other markets to throughout the US should be considered. Smaller shows wont get many of the new concepts, but they can certainly showcase some local/regional aftermarket shops & put their most expensive vehicles in spotlights to gain consumer interest.

and guess what? we see all these concepts & new product reveals online anyway. how many of us on this site are traveling to China, Geneva, India for these auto shows? most of us are checking this stuff out online.

Hmm, how about going in the other direction, having show venues that are open year round with unveiling events happening as they come. This is what individual dealerships really do. Of course both automakers and dealerships are unlikely to embrace that idea, want everything segmented and hard to compare and evaluate.

That will never happen - the cost would be staggering to keep a venue of that size "rented" or even owned all year round. THen you would need the manufacturers to space out their introductions to keep people going back. BUT - most of the cars would not have changed - so why would you go back regularly. AS much as I like DisneyWorld - I could never go every month. Individual dealerships still need their showrooms to sell cars year round.

The only thing worse than going to Detroit is going to Detroit in January.