Stellantis brands Ram, Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler have traditionally been staples at major U.S. auto shows, but that may no longer be the case.
The automaker this week said it is pulling out of next month's 2024 Chicago auto show as it reevaluates its marketing spend amid what it deems to be a “challenging U.S. automotive market.”
In a statement to the Detroit Free Press, Stellantis spokesman Rick Deneau said the automaker will assess its presence at other shows on a “case-by-case basis.”
The Chicago auto show won't be the first major U.S. auto show the automaker will skip. Citing last year's UAW strike as the reason, Stellantis pulled out of the SEMA show and Los Angeles auto show that both ran in November. The automaker will also skip next week's 2024 CES in Las Vegas. Though focused on consumer electronics, CES over the years has become a major event for automakers showing new vehicle concepts and technology.
Chrysler Airflow concept
Automotive News (subscription required) also reported this week that Stellantis will skip some of the smaller regional shows such as the Houston auto show and North Texas Auto Expo, both of which have been popular events for the Ram and Jeep brands in particular.
Some shows will still have some Stellantis brands on display, though the brands will be represented by dealers and not Stellantis. The automaker told Automotive News it will leave it up to dealers whether to participant in shows that the mothership skips.
The pandemic and the rise of social media have led to many automakers reducing their presence at auto shows or skipping them altogether. This has resulted in a number of shows around the globe being tweaked or fully revamped to attract both exhibitors and visitors.
Germany's top auto show was given a revamp in 2021, including being hosted in Munich for the first time instead of the traditional home of Frankfurt. The revamped show also placed a greater emphasis on urban and sustainable mobility solutions, as opposed to the luxury and high-performance cars that have traditionally dominated the show. The annual auto show in Geneva was also affected by the pandemic, with a number of shows canceled. This led the organizer in 2021 to strike a deal with Qatar's tourism board to split hosting of the show between Qatar and the traditional home of Switzerland. The Detroit auto show also moved from January to September with greater emphasis put on attendee experiences.
