Europe’s international car show returned to Paris after 4 years, with a bang. The first traditional indoor car show since 2019, it may be smaller in size but still offers plenty of quality.
The Mondiale de l’Automobile is an automotive icon and a signature member of the international car show calendar. The name pays homage to the historical first world expos: the 2022 show marks the 124th anniversary of the International Automobile, Cycle and Sports Exhibition, first organised in Paris in 1898.
The Paris Car Show is organised every even year, and in the odd years, the shift is taken over by the German International Automobile Exhibition IAA. Historically, the Paris Car Show is more compact than Frankfurt or Geneva, but aims to go beyond the automotive and mobility, with special exhibitions following a dedicated theme. The venue is on Paris’ outskirts, at the expo area by Porte de Versailles’s metro station. There are plenty of car parks for those arriving by car, but even the website discourages visitors from arriving by car, and the prices grew sky high. We paid almost 30 euros for a good half a day in Parking 6.
Since the pandemic, a lot has changed. Covid paralysed the car show scene, leading to the cancellation of the 2020 Paris Car Show (among many other shows). Since the return to (some level of) normality, the IAA moved to a new city, but the show tried to keep its momentum fuelled by the hiatus. This year, however, most car events took back a bit, and this has culminated in Paris now.
Historically this event excels in every area a car show can. It offers important premiers reflected in many articles (websites and magazines send teams to cover the unveilings). The magnificent stages host receptions and team-building programmes, and the car show is a red-letter day for stakeholders.
This is where manufacturers and suppliers can do business. We still recall 2018, when President Macron literally raided the show with his bodyguards, barring everybody from the main hall. He reserved the big hall for himself and sat down with the big bosses to discuss the state of play (Ghosn was still in office).
The breathtaking stages also provide elegant scenery for us to buy a new car. Car shows still function as retail trade shows, and manufacturers often provide extra discounts at car shows. In Belgium, dealers make their best months during car show sales.
Finally, the Paris Car Show is also an essential automotive pilgrimage site. It usually offers a special exhibition following a dedicated theme (like movies, fashion, or an automotive LSD trip).
The Paris Car Show has always been a spectacle. At its peak (the late 2000s), it received some 1.5 million visitors per event. At rush hours, I would not use the term “accommodate”, though…
This year’s Pars Car Show satisfies on all fronts but not without losses: the surface area and the whole show suffered a significant downsizing. The entire exhibition occupied merely three mid-sized halls, including an indoor go-kart track.
The Press day started on Monday, and the show opened its gates to the public from October 18 to 23 as part of Paris Automotive Week 2022. For prices and ticket availability, check out their website.
The most important part of a car show is, of course, the presence of manufacturers. There was an alarming trend of absence, but this year it probably hit rock bottom. Apart from a few exotic Asian brands, only French manufacturers bothered to show up. Well, even Citroen and PSA’s Opel stayed away. With all the other European brands. This is particularly striking, as we have seen more brands at the Prado Zoute or even at Chantilly Concours than here.
Those who came, on the other hand, did not spare expenses. Renault and PSA delivered a decent show with concepts, premieres and a bit of extra flavour. Renault unveiled three cars, the 4EVER Trophy, the R5 TURBO 3E and All-new Kangoo E-Tech Electric, along with the all-new Austral, Renault’s latest C segment SUV.
Stellantis was represented by DS Automobiles, Jeep, and Peugeot. They all showcased electrified technologies and new vehicles. And, of course, a stage that steals the show with its concepts and the Le Mans hypercar.
Unfortunately, quite a few Stellantis brands stayed away, like Citroen, Fiat or Maserati, which recently presented a brand-new coupé online.
Among traditional brands, Ford showed some signs of presence, but the most prominent presence came from Asia. These brands sported world-class stages with complete model ranges that they never sold in Europe.
We were particularly baffled by the out-of-nowhere Vietnamese Vinfast, which produced an entire line-up of 4 electric SUVs of different sizes with distinctive designs and capacities.
In addition to the Chinese, several other companies brought along their cars, concepts and business plans for an alternative way of transportation.
There were quite a few stages dedicated to alternative forms of mobility (/ownership) showcasing vehicles and uniform design. There are a lot of bold plans now to change what worked quite well for over a century. We will see in a few years if they manage to reinvent the wheel.
As in previous editions, the Paris Car Show offered a thematic exhibition, though at a much smaller scale. In Pavilion 6, a 1,000 m2 stage hosts a selection of 16 Ferraris celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Sport Auto magazine.
The show offers many activities for its compact size, from an electric go-kart track to simulators.
You might still get souvenirs at some of the Chinese stages and also an overview of what the (French and Asian) car industry offers now and plans for the future.
We spent about half a day at the show, and left with positive impressions. Car shows are not dead, but indeed, they could use a new momentum. The car industry is under pressure from several fronts, and this was well reflected in Paris.
We will post more about the show in the coming days, so stay tuned for more content!
