Photo: Stellantis
Auto shows across the world are slowly dying. No event goes by without a major carmaker – or more – dropping out of it. Online presentations are way cheaper. This time, it is Stellantis giving up on the participation. The auto conglomerate has dropped out of every single event scheduled for the past fall and this winter.
This means that we will not be seeing any Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, Fiat, or Ram at the upcoming car shows in North America. Parent company Stellantis blames the "challenging automotive market" and gives up on the exposure that such events might have brought to its brands.
The announcement does not come as a surprise. Stellantis also pulled out of the Los Angeles Auto Show that took place last November. The event would have marked the comeback of the Fiat 500 to the American market, this time as an electric car, bearing the 500e designation.
They also gave up on the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It was the costs of the United Auto Workers (UAW) strikes that forced them to retire from all displays and presentations scheduled at the CES that opens its gates to visitors on January 9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The automotive giant also retired from the 2024 Speciality Equipment Market Association (SEMA), that also took place in Las Vegas between October 31 and November 3, a move that they had announced in October.
Stellantis announces that from now on, it will be up to dealers to decide if they go to local events in their respective cities or decide to skip them.
As Stellantis US spokesperson states for Automotive News that they are evaluating their participation in auto shows on a case-by-case basis, while "prioritizing opportunities for consumers to experience our vehicles firsthand." Which is obviously not going to happen on auto shows any time soon.
This leaves potential buyers with a visit to the dealerships as the only way to get close to the cars they are interested in. For the past few years, most carmakers have chosen digital unveiling of their new models. Following the online presentation, the model ends up at the dealership or only in the online configurator.
The decision to retire from all the events set to take place in the fall and winter should help Stellantis steer the budget previously allocated to the events to other sectors and mitigate the financial impact of the UAW strikes. The car giant is planning on becoming a mobility tech company through other means than participating in car shows.
Stellantis currently integrates 14 car brands: Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, DS Automobiles, Dodge, Fiat, but also Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall. None of them will be present at the car shows this winter.
The announcement does not come as a surprise. Stellantis also pulled out of the Los Angeles Auto Show that took place last November. The event would have marked the comeback of the Fiat 500 to the American market, this time as an electric car, bearing the 500e designation.
They also gave up on the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It was the costs of the United Auto Workers (UAW) strikes that forced them to retire from all displays and presentations scheduled at the CES that opens its gates to visitors on January 9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The automotive giant also retired from the 2024 Speciality Equipment Market Association (SEMA), that also took place in Las Vegas between October 31 and November 3, a move that they had announced in October.
Stellantis announces that from now on, it will be up to dealers to decide if they go to local events in their respective cities or decide to skip them.
As Stellantis US spokesperson states for Automotive News that they are evaluating their participation in auto shows on a case-by-case basis, while "prioritizing opportunities for consumers to experience our vehicles firsthand." Which is obviously not going to happen on auto shows any time soon.
This leaves potential buyers with a visit to the dealerships as the only way to get close to the cars they are interested in. For the past few years, most carmakers have chosen digital unveiling of their new models. Following the online presentation, the model ends up at the dealership or only in the online configurator.
The decision to retire from all the events set to take place in the fall and winter should help Stellantis steer the budget previously allocated to the events to other sectors and mitigate the financial impact of the UAW strikes. The car giant is planning on becoming a mobility tech company through other means than participating in car shows.
Stellantis currently integrates 14 car brands: Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, DS Automobiles, Dodge, Fiat, but also Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall. None of them will be present at the car shows this winter.
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