Los Angeles auto show moves to 2021

Organisers of the Los Angeles motor show have reportedly been forced by the coronavirus to postpone the annual event from November 2020 to May 2021.

According to the authoritative industry newspaper Automotive News, the increasingly important event for luxury brands will instead take place over May 21-31 next year, wedging it between the New York show in April and the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in June.

Such a traffic jam of high-profile US motor shows is sure to force hard decisions among auto brands hit hard by the pandemic about which of the shows they attend.

At this stage, the Geneva motor is expected to be the next major international auto show, in March 2021, while Germany’s traditional Frankfurt show will move to another city in the country next September.

The 2020 editions of the New York and Detroit shows had already been cancelled because of COVD-19.

They joined just about every high-profile show on the planet in being cancelled, including the 2020 Geneva, Beijing and Paris shows.

Traditionally, Detroit had been far and away the biggest motor show in North America. But a steady decline in support by foreign brands, the reduced presence from the hometown big three – Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler – and the often shocking January weather had eroded its support to the point it opted for a June date in 2020.

By contrast, both the New York and LA shows had gained support in recent years, reflecting the wealth of both cities and regions and interest in more expensive vehicles.

The organisers of the LA show have so not confirmed the date change reported by Automotive News.

Australia has not hosted an international motor show since 2013.