Keeping Up with Car Show News and Events

One thing the Internet has delivered, is almost real-time ability to keep up with car show news and events.

At one time, the primary way to find out the latest car show news from the car show events, (unless one happened to be on one of the major news networks,) was to have a subscription to Automotive News or AutoWeek.

Weekly Publications

Generally, these publications appeared on the Tuesday following the event, so one had to wait until that day to find out what had happened. The real analysis of each event was reserved for the monthly publications, such as Car and Driver or MotorTrend, which had the extra time each month to examine the trends that were first mentioned in the weeklies. The monthlies also, in general, had the first chance to examine each vehicle in depth so that each writer could provide a full background report on each event.

Shows and Internet

Car show events now and the Internet, as well as the advent of the 24-hour news cycle on one of the many cable news networks, bring one the information that was once the sole province of the weekly publication. For example, when Toyota’s problems first surfaced last summer, AOL Auto News provided the first inkling that there was a major problem. They were joined by MSN in providing more information. Finally, the major cable news Internet sites, reading the car show magazines and sensing there was a story here, joined the information flow.

The same is true now of major shows such as the Geneva International Auto Show where major manufacturers not only unveil their new products for the coming year, but also give you a quick look at their concept cars. These vehicles are likely to have a major design or other implications for the future. For example, Fiskars introduced its high-performance electric vehicle at this year’s Geneva event, and followed it with a showing at the Paris show.

Same Day Coverage

Coverage of each event was provided the same day, within minutes, by the major Internet auto stakeholders. One will find they not only include the event, but, if the commentator assigned to the event talks with the proper people in marketing as well as management, they will also receive an early idea of what the event means.

As an example, it was revealed at last year’s Paris Auto Show that although Fiat was likely to be taking a 20% stake in Chrysler, it was unlikely that a version of the highly popular micro Fiat 500 would be appearing in the U.S. market. Within hours, the company changed its tune, and marketers were telling Internet columnists that the Fiat 500 would likely make an appearance. The same is true of last winter’s Los Angeles Auto Show where Toyota suddenly announced they were going to provide an initial fleet of 800 all-electric--not hybrid--Priuses for the 2010/11 model year. This was to counter Chevrolet’s all-electric Volt and its 40-mile range on battery.