The Paris auto show will return in fall 2022, show organizers confirmed last week via press release.
The auto show (formally known as Mondial de l'Auto) will be combined with the Equip Auto trade show to form one event dubbed Paris Automotive Week, running Oct. 17-23, 2022.
The Paris show was, like other auto shows, put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. Organizers initially tried to stage the show in late 2020, but under a different format that eliminated displays from automakers. Auto shows are designed to attract large crowds, however, so it was likely never realistic to hold one during that stage of the pandemic.
Organizers previously attempted to rebrand the Paris auto show, as the Paris Motion Festival, with an emphasis on transportation in general rather than cars, and more hands-on experiences for attendees. It's unclear if any format changes will carry over to the 2022 Paris auto show, beyond hold the show back-to-back with the Equip Auto trade show.
The proposed changes were part of a trend of auto-show format changes, intended to attract more interest from the general public and compensate for the declining presence of automakers, which were increasingly turning to standalone launch events for new vehicles even before the pandemic.
With vaccines now available, however, auto shows are returning. The Chicago auto show reopened earlier this month, and the New York auto show is slated to return in August. Despite being put up for sale, the Geneva auto show is also scheduled to return in 2022, with press days scheduled for Feb. 17-18.