The Geneva Motor Show was once considered the show. If a car brand wanted to present a new car, it was often done in Geneva. The most famous and popular cars like the Lamborghini Countach, the 288 GTO, or La Voiture Noire were all introduced there. Now it’s over. The GIMS will never again take place in Geneva. An incredible success story that simply rotted away. It’s really painful to read such news. Read on if you want to know the reasons for this.
When the Motor Show in Geneva was founded in 1905, no one thought it would become the largest and most famous motor show in the world. Cars that have absolute cult status today, like the Lamborghini Miura, the Ferrari LaFerrari, almost all Koenigsegg models, or racing cars like the Porsche 917 or the legendary Audi Quattro or the very first Range Rover. The list is endless. When you present a Lamborghini Veneno, it has to be a special place. And the Geneva Motor Show was exactly this special place. It was truly a cult event.
But then came Corona. And that changed everything. Events were suddenly something forbidden. And even when they were allowed again, people avoided such large events. The company GIMS decided to wait another year until everything had somewhat recovered. One year turned into two years, and two years turned into three. People had an extreme need to catch up. However, there was a second setback. The car brands didn’t quite trust the whole situation, and many backed out. That was the biggest mistake they could make. Normally, all car brands were present. When it spread among the brands that this and that brand would not participate, more and more withdrew. In the end, there were only two or three car brands and not a single really impressive brand. All other brands saved the money for such an expensive exhibition.
Some nearby garages then tried to save the whole thing with incredibly impressive cars, but the reputation was so extremely damaged that it didn’t help anymore. In 2018, it was still the most important trade fair in the automotive industry. It existed for 119 years, and now it’s simply over. The 2024 edition is supposed to be the last one. That is extremely sad. What is also shocking is that although it was the most popular car show in Europe, it is now the first one to shut down completely.
