Swiss authorities have indirectly canceled the 2020 edition of the Geneva International Motor Show by banning all public and private gatherings attended by over 1,000 people. The decision is a response to the deadly, highly contagious coronavirus that traces its roots to China and is quickly spreading across Europe.

Maurice Turrettini, the show's president, explained the circumstances that led to the cancellation are out of his team's control, and ignoring the government's orders would be illegal. The ban announced by Switzerland's Federal Council on February 28 will be enforced until March 15, but postponing the event is not an option.

"We can't postpone such a big show for weeks or month. There's so much organization involved. It's not possible to organize it again in 2020," he stated, adding the next edition will open to the public on March 4, 2021.

Speaking during a press conference held shortly after the announcement, the organizers explained they briefly looked into scheduling only the press days but couldn't because they would have inevitably drawn over 1,000 people. Letting automakers introduce their new models in the Palexpo center and live-streaming the press conferences wasn't an option for the same reason; it takes more than 1,000 men and women just to keep the Palexpo convention center running. "There is no plan b possible in the current context," Turrettini affirmed.

Olivier Rhis, the show's director, noted the financial consequences will be "huge for everyone," but he didn't provide a specific figure, or reveal who will bear the burden. The show-goers who purchased their tickets will be able to claim a refund. While most of the cars that were supposed to bask under the brights lights weren't expected to arrive in Geneva until this weekend, the stands are about 95% assembled and will need to be taken apart by March 7. There was even supposed to be a 1,500-foot-long indoor race track in one of the halls.

The last-minute decision turns the entire automotive industry on its head. Cars unveiled online ahead of their scheduled debut at the show, like the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI, might not be seen in public for months. And, many models that haven't been introduced yet won't break cover during the first week of March as originally planned. Automakers will individually decide when, where, and how to introduce their next cars.

That's not to say next week will be eerily quiet. Although some automakers have already asked us not to publish information about their formerly Geneva-bound cars, those who shared pictures and press releases under embargo weeks ago can't backpedal because magazines have already sent their next issue to print. Check back for more on this developing story, and tune in for a fragmented, digital version of the show starting on March 2.

Earlier this year, the Geneva motor show was canceled just hours before members of the media were set to walk through the doors of a Swiss convention center. Turns out 2021 won't happen either, as the event has been canceled again, officially.

According to a statement from the Geneva International Motor Show, or GIMS, the decision comes after surveying prospective exhibitors who responded that they would not likely display in 2021. The statement reads, “The Committee and the Foundation Board have decided not to organize an event in 2021: A majority of GIMS exhibitors who took part in a survey stated that they would probably not participate in a 2021 edition and that they would prefer to have a GIMS in 2022.” Of course, without exhibitors you’re not going to have an auto show.

The cancellation of the 2020 show shortly before it was scheduled to open, and the resulting financial impact, led to the Committee and the Foundation Board of the GIMS to reach out to the Swiss government to secure a loan to cover the cost of the canceled 2020 Geneva motor show. The Swiss government responded by approving a $17.6 million loan.

While that might seem like good news for organizers, if the GIMS committee accepted the loan, it would have been required to put on the show in 2021. Instead, show officials have declined the loan and decided to put the show up for sale.

The statement from show organizers goes on, “The Foundation has therefore decided in favor of the sale of GIMS to Palexpo SA. The aim is to find a solution that will ensure the regular organization of an International Motor Show in Geneva. The purchase of the assets would transfer all rights to the organization of GIMS to Palexpo SA. As a reminder, GIMS is the largest public event in Switzerland.”

Palexpo SA, for those unfamiliar, is the organization that runs the Palexpo convention center in Geneva, home of said motor show. It’s hard to imagine the terms of a major auto show’s sale, but we wouldn’t be surprised to hear something official sooner, rather than later.

We hope that the Geneva motor show will return for 2022, and with it bring the over-the-top super- and hypercar debuts that we expect from the event. Until then, we’ll just have to look back at previous years and remember all of the wild reveals.

We've seen quite a few cancellations, postponements and general plan changes for almost every auto show in the last year and a half, and they just keep coming. The organizers of the Geneva Motor Show have announced that the 2022 event has been cancelled, with the show opening again in 2023. This marks the third time in a row the show has been cancelled.

The first cancellation was at nearly the last possible minute in 2020. The show was supposed to open shortly after the coronavirus pandemic began spreading through Europe, and it was closed out of concerns for public health. It wasn't an easy decision considering the show was having some financial difficulties – which is a bit ironic considering the show is known for its exhibition of some of the most expensive and high-end automobiles in the world. And the 2021 event's cancellation was announced in the summer of 2020 with no signs of an effective method for combating the infection.

This latest cancellation comes back to the pandemic, but for slightly more complex reasons, at least according to the organizers. Apparently some exhibitors were either pulling out of the event or unable to commit to a booth. The reasons the organizers said they've heard have been both general health concerns as well as some financial issues that could be related to difficulty getting components and computer chips. The show organizers also noted difficulties with international travel due to the pandemic. So with all these issues, they cancelled the show, which was set for this coming February.

The organizers of the Geneva International Motor Show, also referred to as GIMS, have made an announcement regarding next year's edition. Ever since 2020, the show has been canceled for one reason or another, and the 2023 edition was supposed to mark the event's comeback. However, the curtain will not be drawn next year, or not how everyone expected it to be.
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Instead of hosting the event in Geneva in the spring of 2023, while also supplementing the event in November 2023 through a show in Qatar, the organizers have announced they will no longer hold the event in Switzerland.

Instead, due to "unspecified economic, geopolitical, and pandemic-related concerns," as Maurice Turettini, the President of the foundation that organizes the auto show says, they will hold the event in Doha in November 2023, Automotive News (sub. req.) noted.

Therefore, the 2023 Geneva Motor Show, or 2023 GIMS, will be the Geneva International Motor Show Qatar. The last bit refers to the country where it is being held, while the first refers to its origin-town, where it is unclear if it will ever return.

In other words, while it will retain the "Geneva" part in its name, visitors should not book flights to Switzerland or organize any trips there, but go to Qatar instead. According to previous statement, the Geneva International Motor Show Qatar is supposed to be held every two years.

Back in 2021, the Frankfurt Motor Show was replaced by the IAA Mobility Show in Munich, where a different approach was taken to allow a broad-scale exhibition. The show in Frankfurt took place alternatively with the event in Paris, and they completed the year of European launches with GIMS.

Traditionally, vehicle manufacturers would use these events to showcase their latest concept vehicles, as well as production cars. On top of the two main European events, the Detroit Auto Show would also fill in the blanks, along with events held in Tokyo, Shanghai, and other trade fairs in the world.

With Geneva out of the picture for the fourth time in a row, we are yet to find out if the event will ever return to Switzerland. The last part might be decided by how things work in Qatar, but that is another matter.