The British International Motor Show resumed after WWII in 1949 at Earls Court in London.
For the first time since bombs began raining down on London, during the Blitz, the British have pulled the plug on their annual auto show.
The British International Motor Show was cancelled by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, following extensive negotiations with auto company officials. There has been growing pressure by the industry to scale back or even eliminate shows, around the world, especially those that are not considered top-tier. Nissan, for one, recently announced it would pull out of all but four of the world’s biggest car shows, during the coming fiscal year.
“The decision to cancel the 2010 show is an extremely difficult one,” said Paul Everitt, the SMMT’s chief executive. “However, the global credit crunch has placed the automotive sector under unique pressure and has created a level of uncertainty that deters manufacturers from committing to large-scale, international events.”
The Brits aren’t the only ones wondering about the fate of their auto shows. Earlier this year, organizers of the Tokyo Motor Show indicated they may cancel their biennial event, this coming October, as a result of numerous automakers planning to pull out, at least during the current recession. At this point, it is not clear if the Japanese event will be saved.
Even the biggest auto shows, such as the North American International Auto Show, in Detroit, are feeling the heat. The NAIAS has traditionally strained the space available at Detroit’s aging Cobo Hall convention center, but this year, organizers had to scramble to fill space abandoned by Nissan and a number of other makers, including Mitsubishi, Land Rover and Ferrari. Click here for other auto show cancellations.
While the recession and subsequent auto sales slump began in the U.S., they have now spread across the globe. Only a few markets have been able to prop up motor vehicle demand by offering hefty consumer incentives. The U.K. is facing an increasing downturn in sales, which is translating into waves of job cuts.