Canadian auto shows a go, but who will show?

After three years of pandemic-related cancellations, Canada’s auto show circuit is set to resume in-person shows in 2023. But it’s unclear how many automakers will exhibit amid inventory shortages and the growing popularity of direct business-to-consumer marketing events.

While some companies interviewed by Automotive News Canada are excited to return to large-scale events, others said they either will not be at Canadian auto shows in 2023 or have not yet decided whether to exhibit.

“My feeling is GM will be participating in the auto show circuit in 2023, but unfortunately, we will not be able to confirm before October or November,” said General Motors Canada spokesman Philippe-Andre Bisson.

The first event of the season is the Montreal International Auto Show Jan. 20-29, followed by the Canadian International AutoShow (CIAS) in Toronto, Feb 17-26.

Stellantis Canada spokeswoman LouAnn Gosselin said the company has yet to decide whether to exhibit at 2023 shows.

Toyota Canada spokesman Romaric Lartilleux also could not commit to a Toyota presence: “We need to confirm some details before being able to add anything on the topic.”

Volvo Car Canada spokesman Lucas Dias said the company is not participating in Canadian shows, “choosing instead to continue collaborating closely with our retailers and focusing on distinctive partnerships and experiences.”

One such experience was a fika bar that Volvo set up this earlier this year at select Canadian retailers. Fika is a Swedish tradition of daily coffee breaks similar to a British high tea, with sweet or savoury bites of food.

Jaguar Land Rover spokesman Taylor Hoel said the company “does not have any plans to participate in upcoming auto shows in Canada.”

And Mercedes-Benz Canada spokesman Zakary Paget confirmed a longstanding company policy of holding its own events to engage directly with consumers.

Canada’s auto shows aren’t the only ones coping with change. The North American International Auto Show in Detroit has only five major automakers — Toyota, Ford, General Motors, Subaru and Stellantis — on tap for the indoor/outdoor event, slated to run Sept. 17-25.

‘BIGGEST YEAR EVER’

Meanwhile, representatives of some brands in Canada continue to see value in auto shows.

“I think it’s going to be the biggest year ever for the auto show,” said Hyundai Auto Canada President Don Romano. “We’re definitely committed to the big ones — Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City and Vancouver.”

Hyundai launched a number of new products during the COVID-19 pandemic, which gives it plenty of “stories to tell” consumers at the shows, Romano said.

“There has been three years of new product that people don’t even know about,” he said. “We’re about to introduce the Ioniq 6 [EV] and haven’t even been able to show people the Ioniq 5.”

The return on investment goes beyond attendance, Romano said. Press days are an important factor, particularly when inventory shortages, caused in large part by the ongoing global scarcity of microchips, continue to dampen sales, he said.

That lack of inventory — experienced across all brands because of the microchip shortage — doesn’t reduce Romano’s enthusiasm.

“There are still cars being sold every day,” he said. “The car culture is still there, and people want to check out new stuff.”

ALIVE AND LIVELY

Nissan Canada is also gearing up for what it says will be a stellar year for attendance. Marketing Director Ken Hearn said the company is rolling out new two halo products — vehicles that signify the best a brand can offer — at the Toronto show.

“Most brands are lucky if they can present one halo vehicle, and we’ve got two,” Hearn said.

Jason Campbell, general manager of CIAS, said all of the manufacturers who committed to the cancelled 2022 show have returned and he has had conversations with eight more, with a Sept. 30 deadline for them to sign up. He said the 2022 show would have included 70 per cent of carmakers, and “I’m confident that this percentage will be considerably higher in 2023.

“Live events are back, festivals and such, and are busy, so we’re very excited about coming back, getting the auto sector re-engaged,” Campbell said. “We could have done a show last year with the number of brands we had and be successful, so with even more manufacturers coming in this year, we’re absolutely certain it will be a successful show.”

Gate revenue — the last show in 2020 drew 335,000 people — is the largest revenue source, Campbell said, followed by manufacturer floor rental and sponsorships.

Luis Pereira, general manager of the Montreal show, is “finally excited to move forward and talk about cars instead of the number of [COVID-19] cases.”

Pereira is unsure what to expect for attendance, though he foresees a drop from the usual 200,000 attendees, and doesn’t expect a full slate of brands.

“We acknowledge that product availability and chip shortages affecting supply will influence some [automakers] to not participate in the 2023 auto show circuit,” he said.

“This, too, may influence some visitors looking for a particular model to skip a year. But Quebec has a lot of passionate car enthusiasts, as demonstrated over the last 77 [shows]. We will do everything we can to present as many brands as possible while the industry works its way out of this crisis.”

Barring a significant COVID-19 outbreak, Pereira doesn’t anticipate the show’s cancellation in 2023.