Car dealers, manufacturers, auto journalists and avid car enthusiasts are always on the lookout for the best auto shows across the globe.
In theory, car shows or auto shows are ways to showcase a new roster of sports, production automobiles, exotic concept rides and even restored classics.
Today, signing up for a car show isn’t just for the purpose of witnessing innovative engines in display. Such events also serve as an excellent venue to meet fellow enthusiasts and experts, all while participating in fun live performances, booths and raffle promos.
Pump up your engines and release the breaks, here’s a list of the best car shows from around the globe that you surely wouldn’t want to miss out:
The ‘Big Five’—Paris, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Geneva, and Detroit.
If you’re a certified grease monster, auto events organized by ‘The Big Five’ will surely be at the top of your bucket list.
Paris Motor Show
The Paris Motor Show or the Mondial de l’Automobile is an event typically organized in October, every other year. Held in the largest French exhibition center, Paris expo Porte de Versailles in 2016, the event was titled the first motor show ever organized in the world.
It exhibits the automotive innovations that car aficionados pine over and over again. Brands like the French Peugeot and Renault, German Audi 5, Hyundai’s racing concept cars, Porsche, Mercedes- Benz and the classic favorite, Volkswagen always make it to the cut.
The most sought-after Paris Motor Show was in 2014, garnering a total of 1.25 million visitors in attendance. The 2016 edition gathered 245 car brands from 19 countries. Tickets were charged at 16 Euros for the adults while taking a child costs 25 Euros. They also allow interested viewers to access the show’s tickets on its official website.
The next Paris Auto Show is slated to be on October 2 to 14, 2018 at the Paris Expo Place de la Porte de Versailles.
Tokyo Motor Show
Similar to the Paris Auto Show, Tokyo is taking the world by storm biennially. Dubbed as the world’s wildest auto event, the Tokyo Motor Show will surely make you book a roundtrip ticket to Japan. Now successfully down to their 45th year, the auto event is organized by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. (JAMA).
Inspired by the rapid changes surrounding the automobile industry, the Tokyo Auto Show or TMS aims to play a significant role in the next-generation mobility.
Exhibitors for the show include brands offering passenger cars such as Honda, Lexus, Mazda and Mitsubishi; Commercial Vehicles that include Hino, Isuzu, Swedish Scania and Volvo; Motorcycles’ Yamaha, Harley-Davidson, and BMW and other vehicle bodies both for indoors and outdoors.
For their 2017 edition, the show themed as “Beyond the Motor,” kicked off October 28 and ran until November 5 at the Tokyo Big Sight Convention. From forward-thinking concept cars to showroom cars, the spectacular show definitely took the definition of ‘marvelous’ and ‘futuristic’ engines a notch higher.
Some of the brands who took the spotlight for the 2017 show included the Honda Sports EV retro concept, electrified with squared circle rear lights; Nissan Serena’s e-Power; Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross; Mercedes’ Smart Vision EQ Fortwo which is imagined to be a robotic smart taxi, equipped with screens to greet passengers.
Frankfurt Motor Show
Meanwhile, Germans prove to be at the forefront of the automobile industry with its massive Frankfurt Motor Show, taking place every September second, switching highlights with the Paris Motor Show.
For its 2017 stunning edition, the show ran from September 14th to 24th, earning millions of viewers. Auto journalists consider the Frankfurt show as the most significant automotive event where homegrown brands –BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Porsche, and Audi take charge of the spotlight alongside global brands.
This year, leading international brands such as Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz unveiled heart-stopping concepts. Japanese auto brands Subaru, Honda and Suzuki as well Korea’s Hyundai and Kia all showcase show-stopping and aggressive styling as well hybrid engines.
International Geneva Motor Show
Moving onto Switzerland’s second most populated area, Geneva, we take a closer look at the famous International Geneva Motor Show or TSalon international de l’automobile.
Held annually in March, the show is organized by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers at the Geneva Palexpo convention center. Similar to the rest of the world’s most important auto shows, Geneva serves as a playing field for production and concept automobile brands alike.
For its 2017 edition, more than 100 new cars were unveiled for the very first time. Some of the most insane supercars at the 2017 Geneva Auto Show include every car enthusiast’s favorite supercars. An abundance of extreme-performance and precisely engineered machines from significant car brands such as Lamborghini and Ferrari swarmed the show.
Technical breakthroughs, new equipment, and other fresh prototypes stunned viewers coming from different continents. The upcoming 88th International Geneva Motor Show is scheduled to commence on the 8th of March until the 18th, next year. Admission rates for adults are at 16 Swiss Franc, while children from 6 to 16, pensioners and disabled person are charged 9 Swiss Franc.
Detroit Auto Show
Let’s take a trip out of Europe and move straight to the Americas to complete the ‘Big Five.’ Another annual auto show hailed as the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), known to many as the Detroit Auto Show is annually held in January at the Cobo Center, Michigan.
Like any auto show event, Detroit’s kicks off with a preview period with the press and other key leaders in the automobile industry. A charity preview which is also a central part of the show aims to raise funds for local children’s charities.
This year, it ran from January 9 to 22nd, opening the floor to production, concept and race cars from brands across the globe. Detroit Auto Show gives the public a peek into the most massive automakers, creating mobility innovations as the world has never seen them before.
It also provides a unique platform for top automotive executives, designers, and engineers to gather and debut brand-defining vehicles. The upcoming Detroit Auto Show is set to open this January 13-28, 2018.
When it comes to car shows around the world, these are the top 5 Gearheads recommended car shows that should be on your bucket list. Don’t miss out on these great shows next year. Which one are you going to first?
Chris Riley is an auto enthusiast who enjoys spending time at car shows and learning more about the auto industry. He is the owner of Gearheads.org and loves to read or write about anything automotive related. All of his spare time is devoted to working on GearHeads and traveling.
