Toronto, Ontario — According to the automaker, a ‘challenging’ market has prompted Stellantis to re-evaluate its future North American auto show participation.
The Chrysler parent company says its future North American auto show participation will be looked at on a “case-by-case” basis.
“With a focus on preserving business fundamentals to mitigate the impact of a challenging automotive market in North America, Stellantis is working to optimize its marketing strategy as it relates to auto shows,” Stellantis spokesperson LouAnn Gosselin originally said in a statement to CBC News.
Gosselin, head of communications for the company’s Canadian operations, confirmed the company will be represented at the Canadian International Auto Show in February, but that Toronto area dealers will be in charge of the costs.
Joe McCabe, president and chief executive officer of AutoForecast solutions spoke with CBC about the decision and said that Stellantis’s move perhaps reflects a decline in the relevance and popularity of auto shows, with vehicle manufacturers now more focused on showing off their tech at shows like CES.
“The floor space is also very expensive,” McCabe noted. “I think [automakers] are going to focus on their innovation.”
McCabe further noted that automakers are currently facing challenges such as new entrants into the market, higher labour and material costs and an increased focus on domestic production, which costs more.
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