Geneva Motor Show Ends After 119 Years

After 119 years, the famous Geneva Motor Show will no longer be held in Switzerland. Organizers confirmed on May 31 that the event is ending due to decreasing visitor numbers and less interest from car manufacturers after the COVID pandemic.

A Century of Car History

The Geneva Motor Show started in 1905 and became one of the most important events for car fans and brands. Except for breaks during wars, financial crises, and the COVID pandemic, the show ran for over 100 years. At its peak in 2005, nearly 750,000 people attended. Many famous cars were first shown at this event, like the Jaguar E-type in 1961, the Porsche 917 in 1969, the Range Rover Classic in 1970, and the McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari in 2013.

No More Shows in Geneva

The Geneva International Motor Show Foundation announced that the event will no longer be held in Geneva. Foundation president Alexandre de Senarclens said it was a “regrettable decision,” but they felt the market was not in favor of continuing the show for 2025. After a four-year break due to COVID, only 37 exhibitors and 168,000 visitors came to the show in 2024. In comparison, 184 exhibitors and over 600,000 visitors attended in 2019. Although the 2024 re-launch was considered a success, de Senarclens noted that a lack of interest from manufacturers, competition from Paris and Munich shows, and high costs led to the decision to end the event. The foundation explained that there were too many uncertainties in the car industry and the major European shows were less attractive, making further investment too risky.

The Show Moves to Qatar

Fans of the Geneva Motor Show can still experience it, but they will need to travel to Qatar. The foundation confirmed that the show will continue in Qatar after a successful first event there last year. The next Geneva International Motor Show in Qatar will be held in Doha in November 2025.