After having welcomed 648,000 visitors, the Geneva International Motor Show closed its doors last Sunday. Despite the success of the event, organizers noted a 9.3% decrease in attendance compared to 2008, in keeping with the worldwide trend.
Over the course of 11 days, a little over 75 cars were unveiled before the public and the international press. Among the new production models were a Mercedes-Benz E Class Coupe, a Porsche 911 GT3 and an Aston Martin One-77. Switzerland also saw its fair share of concept vehicles, such as the newly introduced Lagonda, Rolls-Royce 200EX and Infiniti Essence.
Numerous specialized manufacturers used the Motor Show as a stage to present their latest modified models, Alpina, among others, launching its interpretation of the BMW 7 Series, the Alpina B7. Swiss company Rinspeed introduced the iChange Concept and the small E2 city crawler.
Organizers were satisfied with this year's event. "We have the privilege of organizing a motor show known not only for its deep-seated tradition but also its great quality," said Motor Show president Luc Argant. The most ambitious of the organizers are far from discouraged by the industry's international difficulties, as CEO Rolf Studer states: "The admissions, wonderful atmosphere and satisfaction of the exhibitors prove that the Motor Show has its place and captures the public's interest, even when times are tough!"
With its 648,000 visitors, the Geneva International Motor Show still ranks among the top five shows worldwide according to the OICA (International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers). Geneva shares the honours with Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo and Detroit.
Next year will mark the show's 80th anniversary. The next edition will be held from March 4 to 14, 2010, at Palexpo-Geneva.
photo:Mercedes-Benz, Aston Martin
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Over the course of 11 days, a little over 75 cars were unveiled before the public and the international press. Among the new production models were a Mercedes-Benz E Class Coupe, a Porsche 911 GT3 and an Aston Martin One-77. Switzerland also saw its fair share of concept vehicles, such as the newly introduced Lagonda, Rolls-Royce 200EX and Infiniti Essence.
Numerous specialized manufacturers used the Motor Show as a stage to present their latest modified models, Alpina, among others, launching its interpretation of the BMW 7 Series, the Alpina B7. Swiss company Rinspeed introduced the iChange Concept and the small E2 city crawler.
Organizers were satisfied with this year's event. "We have the privilege of organizing a motor show known not only for its deep-seated tradition but also its great quality," said Motor Show president Luc Argant. The most ambitious of the organizers are far from discouraged by the industry's international difficulties, as CEO Rolf Studer states: "The admissions, wonderful atmosphere and satisfaction of the exhibitors prove that the Motor Show has its place and captures the public's interest, even when times are tough!"
With its 648,000 visitors, the Geneva International Motor Show still ranks among the top five shows worldwide according to the OICA (International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers). Geneva shares the honours with Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo and Detroit.
Next year will mark the show's 80th anniversary. The next edition will be held from March 4 to 14, 2010, at Palexpo-Geneva.
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| Aston Martin One-77 |
photo:Mercedes-Benz, Aston Martin