An era ends: the 2025 edition of the Geneva Motor Show has been cancelled and there will be no other editions. The parallel event in Qatar, however, will be held in November as expected, given the growing attractiveness of the Middle East and Asian markets. In Europe, however, the lack of interest on the part of manufacturers, the competition from Paris and Monaco, as well as the high costs led to the definitive cancellation of the Geneva Motor Show.
Geneva Motor Show cancelled
The Geneva Motor Show, the most important motor show in Europe and among the most important in the world, has entered into crisis with Covid, with the 2020 to 2024 editions cancelled. After the cancellation of the 2020 edition, the Salon was stopped for another three years, returning to open its doors in 2024 in reduced form.
An event that until five years ago was unmissable for almost all manufacturers, has barely been seen in 2024 29 exhibitors, with the absences of groups such as Volkswagen, Stellantis, Mercedes, BMW and Hyundai. Participation was limited to a few European brands such as Renault and some Chinese brands.
Geneva Motor Show history
The story of the Geneva Motor Show ends next 119 years old. In the 1905the doors of the Geneva Motor Show opened for the first time, in an era when cars were considered a novelty, a luxury reserved for a privileged few. But that modest beginning would soon give birth to one of the most prestigious events in the automotive world.
Over the next few decades, the Geneva Motor Show transformed from a local exhibition to a international event unmissable for car enthusiasts and the automotive industry itself. It’s as if every March, for over a century, Geneva became the main stage where car manufacturers from all over the world gathered to present their latest creations, from production models to futuristic concept cars.
His golden years, from the 50s to the 80s, were a period of fervent innovation and world firsts. Geneva was the place where the cars of the futurewhere new technologies were experimented and new stylistic horizons were explored.
But then, like a car that has to stop at a red light, the Geneva Motor Show also came to a screeching halt. There Covid-19 pandemic has put this glorious event on hold for three consecutive years, leaving empty the building that once resounded with roaring engines and passionate discussions.
And when the Salone finally returned in 2024it was like seeing afaded shadow of what had been. Many car manufacturers had turned their backs on Geneva, preferring other more digital and global events or presentation channels. And so, in 2025 the Geneva Motor Show will not take place, it has been definitively cancelled. It’s like witnessing the end of an era, a poignant farewell to an icon of global motoring.
Considerations
The definitive closure of Geneva Motor Showafter 119 years of history, represents the loss of a historic and prestigious event: it was one of the most important automotive events in the world, a point of reference for car manufacturers to present their latest innovations and concept cars.
The event attracted around 600,000 visitors every year, generating a significant economic impact for the city of Geneva in terms of hotels, restaurants, transport and other services, and this will certainly have negative repercussions on the local economy.
Video from the Geneva Motor Show 2019 playlist
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