Ferrari Pulls Out Of L.A. Auto Show

If companies pull out of trade shows, it's because they lose more money attending them than they gain from attending. If it were the opposite, for sure they would attend.

The purpose of LA show is really for your average joe and jane to go to one place and sit in every $30K and under sedan they can without going to each dealer.

The exotics were just sexy window dressing to bring in the average car guy to take photos behind the ropes. I'm not surprised so many are pulling out but it will be a lot less interesting to your average joe and jane.

 

Welcome back.

 

Guess I will be skipping the show this year

 

No Chicago, No LA, No Detroit...Just NY ?

 

I was going to go LA, but after Ronnie's post, that is now cancelled.

 

ferrari hasn't been at the NY show in a few years...

 

EXACTLY! GREAT RESPONSE. The last car show I went to was beyond depressing and a huge waste of effort and my free time. I'll never attend one again in the US.

 

All the major auto shows are down in attendance and in the amount of exhibitors.

I just worked at the Miami show and Mercedes, Infinity, Bugati, Bentley and others weren't there for the first time i can remember. The hallmark of the show had always been "million dollar alley" where all the high end cars displayed in one room. This year only Ferrari (The Collection) and Lamborghini displayed and the promoters didn't even use the million dollar alley term.

The Chicago show always filled two huge halls at McCormick Place and will only fill one this year. Both Houston and Atlanta are moving from a 10 day show to a 5 day one.

Making the situation worse is that 3 major auto shows take place on the same weekend (Philly, DC, Houston). These companies that have to build concept cars and displays now have to build 3 to be in all the major markets. I can't figure why when times are tight the auto shows would have their dates overlap like that when it's tough to keep the exhibitors as it is? Attendees are forced to park in lots with ever increasing fees. Miami has gone from $5 a few years ago to $15 now, L.A. from $7 to $20 in the same amount of time. D.C. tore down a perfectly good convention center only to build a multimillion dollar one next door that's no nicer and has no parking so your left to park in crappy independent lots. Used to i'd have to pull my display inward so people watching my presentation could watch without blocking the flow of traffic. Now i could roll a bowling ball down the aisle without hitting a soul at times.

Ferrari always had it's best display at the L.A. show. On the preview night press camera flashes went off non-stop.

With less exhibitors there'll be less attendees which in turn will lead to less sales etc.
The downward spiral is underway.

 

Ronnie, where have you been?

 

The LA Auto Show will not be worth attending then. If there aren't any exotics to speak of whats the point?

 

I'd love to see the special stuff too but, honestly, are there no car enthusiasts here? I mean, cars are fun, regardless of their exclusivity or technical prowess. Cheap performance cars are truly amazing nowadays (direct injection, twin-clutch boxes, etc.) which is fascinating to me. I'm just as curious to see an inexpensive GTI or some brand's performance concept as any mid-six figure car.

Just me?

 

First, there are virtually no concept cars at this show. If you see anything, it's last year's left over from Detroit -- almost a year old. And few at that.

Second, this show is all about getting potential consumers to look over all the different models in one place. 95% of the cars are stuff you would see in any dealership right now if you had the time to go to them.

Most people attending just like the idea of getting in all different the cars without a salesman around. With the exotics, the closest you could get is 20 feet.

Enthusiasts can stay home now. There's nothing really to look at anymore. But, that was only 5% of the LA Auto show's market so it's no big loss.

 

The new Prius will be there of course!

 

Why would I travel to Chicago, Detroit, or LA to see a Ford Pickup truck, Scion, mustang, or a nissan? When I go to car shows, I want to see at least see cars that aren't in my parking lot right now.

 

When in the Los Angeles area ... You want to see the latest & greatest within weeks of introduction? You want to see a ridiculous display of exotic cars in the wild? Every week about an hour south of the LA Convention Center you can witness this ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdqC8KSihJ4&feature=player_embedded

Not much else I can say

G

p.s. Yours truly at 9:35

 

awesome

 

What makes the LA Show special is the variety of new cars from a range of makers, from exotics to domestic sedans. With this news I scarcely care to even go.

 

If I were the Auto show, I would be reaching out right now for owners of exotics and classics to put their own cars on display to bring in more people -- sort of like a Cars n Coffee thing that lasts 10 days.

Most people attending have zero intention of buying an exotic. They just want to see them, take some pictures, and dream. You can do that without the manufacturers being there... maybe even better.

 

I hear you, and I totally get your POV. But as you said yourself, the closest one gets to the exotics is 20 feet away (looking over a three-deep crowd of lookie-loos). As a result, I never cared to see the exotics there much anyway. It's so much easier to visit a proper showroom.

For me, I'm a bit like the masses, as I simply enjoy that one time of the year to see everything without spending an entire day fending off salesmen. I just love cars, period. It'd be cool to see the 458 but Ferrari are seeing the light (much like Apple and others) and allocating marketing resources away from expensive mass market shows like this.

 

I borrowed this photo from Carbon's Facebook that he posted earlier this evening, this is the so called area Ferrari was going to be located in. It sure good to know the city of Los Angeles can afford to pay someone to stand there protecting some empty tables.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

January? or when?

 

Strange thing is they have an Italian "products of Italy" expo every year at Navy Pier in Chicago with Ferrari, Alfa and FIAT displays.(The FIAT CEO came last year) They leave it to the dealers to display at the AutoShow. Does not make sense.


Tom Tanner/Scale Designs/Ferrari Expo model/photo contest-Chicago April 24th 2010 at Continental Autosport Ferrari/Maserati

 

I agree. Inviting exotic owners to display their cars is a great idea.

As a car guy in general, I still enjoy the auto show. Especially the freedom to enjoy any car without a salesperson hanging around.

Mike