Why do car shows remain important, and what makes them interesting? After all, today you can thoroughly examine a new car online even before it reaches showrooms. So is it still worth traveling hundreds or even thousands of kilometers for a car show?
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Car journalist and editor of “Auto Bild Lithuania” Vitoldas Milius has been attending car shows for about 30 years – he says he has been to events from Europe to Japan, China, and India. Vitoldas is convinced – it is worth visiting car shows.
The opportunity to see a car among the first
One of the main reasons to attend major car shows for a long time has been world and European premieres. This reason has not disappeared and remains today.
“Often at shows, both historically and now, world or European premieres are presented. Seeing a car as early as possible is probably only possible at a show,” says V. Milius.
However, for the journalist, a show is not just an opportunity to be the first to photograph a new model. Representatives of car manufacturers, designers, engineers, and other people who would be much harder to reach under normal circumstances gather in one place.
“Shows are full of various innovations and presentations. For us as journalists, it is an opportunity to talk with designers, engineers, salespeople, to ask questions that you probably wouldn’t ask in writing. You can just talk to someone at the stand or over lunch,” he explains.
Equally important is the other side of shows – the people. Car journalists from many countries meet here.
“You meet your colleagues from all over the world and can sit down, talk about how things are with them. Share how things are in Lithuania. That’s really interesting. A show is a kind of gathering of people who are interested in cars, write about them, and generally live in the car world. It’s a place for car enthusiasts,” summarizes V. Milius.
Is it possible to surprise?
Car shows always try to amaze. Concept models, autonomous cars, futuristic technologies, and in recent years – increasingly impressive stands from Chinese manufacturers. But is it still possible to surprise someone who has been visiting such shows for three decades?
“The word ‘surprise’ fits, and at the same time not really. When you have been going to shows and living in the car world for about 30 years, it’s quite hard to be surprised by something,” admits the speaker.
Still, shows maintain one of their most important qualities – they awaken curiosity.
At them, you can see not only cars that will be available for purchase in showrooms in a few months. Manufacturers showcase concept models and their visions of the future. Some of these never become production cars but allow understanding the direction the manufacturer is heading.
“It’s nice to see the future or at least understand which way the design language of a particular manufacturer is moving. You can see new technologies. Also, around shows, various activities are often organized – you can try something out, ride an autonomous car, or test some new feature,” lists V. Milius.N
Not necessarily a new car surprises
Paradoxically, sometimes a journalist who sees the newest cars for many years is more interested at a show not in a world premiere but in a car made several decades ago.
“Sometimes you come to a new car show and see some historic car, very rare, which you didn’t even expect to see there. Maybe you didn’t even know it would be exhibited. And suddenly you see something you probably wouldn’t see anywhere else,” he says.
Such cars may have come from private collections, and alongside them at shows appear heavily modified, unique projects. After all, not only manufacturers but the entire industry formed around cars participates in car shows.
Each participant competes for the visitor’s attention, so they try to bring something to the stand that will make people stop.
Not only passenger car shows
The car world is much broader than just premieres of new passenger models. Therefore, V. Milius recommends not limiting yourself to traditional car shows.
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“Sometimes I go not only to new car shows. It’s interesting to visit truck shows, I have been to the bus show ‘Bus world’ – very impressive. Camper shows are also very interesting,” lists the speaker.
He has also attended a huge open-air show held in Germany dedicated to SUVs, off-road campers, and expedition vehicles.
“It’s a huge area, like a whole camp outside, dedicated to off-road, off-road campers, and travel vehicles. Everyone can find a suitable show according to their car theme or sub-theme – there really are many,” says V. Milius.
A good stand is not necessarily the one with the biggest screen
At modern shows, manufacturers compete not only with cars. Huge screens, light effects, music, decorations, and various entertainments often cost huge amounts of money. But for V. Milius, as a journalist, the criteria for a good stand are somewhat different.
First of all, there must be something to see.
“Most of us journalists are attracted to a stand by some kind of news. We don’t just go there to look around – it’s work for us. We need to do something. So the main thing is still the presented news, premieres. That’s where most people gather,” he explains.
It is also important that the car can be properly examined.
“A journalist needs to do their job. If you can’t get close, you can’t photograph, film, or touch the car, even though it’s right there live, that’s not necessarily an example of a good stand,” notes V. Milius.
However, he appreciates creativity. Over many years, he has seen stands where the car becomes part of the entire created environment.
“Sometimes you don’t realize you are indoors: you feel like you’re in a forest, a waterfall flows, and next to it stands an SUV perfectly fitting the whole context. Really beautiful. You understand that it costs a lot. But creativity is one of the most important things. Those who can do something differently, not just put a car and say ‘hello, here, look,’ win more attention,” says the speaker.
When a new car was still a dream
A regular show visitor often has a completely different goal than a journalist. They may travel hundreds of kilometers just to see a car live for the first time, about which they had only read or watched videos before.
V. Milius recalls that he himself had such cars.
“There was a time when some new cars were like a dream to me – a possible dream. It was interesting when, no matter if it was Škoda or another manufacturer, they released some RS model. I really wanted to see it,” he remembers.
Several decades ago, there was also a very practical reason for this. The newest models reached Lithuania much later than the major Western European markets, so an international car show really gave the chance to see a car much earlier.
Today the situation has changed. New models reach the Lithuanian market quickly, and V. Milius’s attention increasingly turns to car history.
“My interest, love, or just curiosity probably leans more towards old, historic cars. And new cars reach our market quite quickly today,” he says.
But that does not mean that shows have lost their meaning. Even after 30 years of attending them, for V. Milius they remain a place where you can not only see cars:
“You go to see, meet industry representatives, your colleagues, and talk about what is happening in the world.”
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