A successful and promising fresh start for the Geneva International Motor Show 2024

The Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) has closed its 91st edition on Sunday evening, March 3, with a pleasing outcome, marking a promising return for one of the most prestigious international events in the automotive industry.

The new format adopted, aimed both at better meeting the expectations of exhibitors and offering an amplified experience for visitors, propels GIMS 2024 into a new era where the rapid evolution of the industry and its needs call for increased flexibility and agility.

23 world and European premieres

For its rebirth edition, GIMS welcomed 37 exhibitors, including 19 manufacturers, who unveiled no less than 23 premieres divided into 13 world premieres and 10 European ones.

The public in attendance

With attendance increasing throughout the week, peaking with two “sold-out” days at 40,000 entries, the maximum capacity of the Palexpo halls, nearly 168,000 visitors in total walked the aisles of the exhibition over the 7 days of the show. This reaffirms the public’s need to meet with exhibitors and manufacturers to discover the latest novelties, compare them, and experience the emotions that are an essential component of the automobile. Alexandre de Senarclens, President of the Comité permanent du salon international de l’automobile: “I am convinced of the relevance and necessity of GIMS. Given the major importance of the automobile in our society, now and in the future, the industry needs a uniting voice and platform to engage with the public and final customers in the real world. In light of the very encouraging attendance recorded for this 91st edition of GIMS, both from visitors and the media, the Geneva International Motor Show can and must hold this role.”

The world’s automotive stage

Moreover, GIMS has confirmed its role as an essential platform for the launch of new models and industry connections.

The press day, which began with the prize giving ceremony of the 2024 Car of the Year award to the Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric, brought together nearly 2000 journalists, generating significant media impact in Switzerland, Europe, and beyond. To date, more than 60 global television channels have echoed the holding of GIMS 2024 and the novelties that were presented at the show.

The “Auto.Future.Now” Forum 2024, which took place on Tuesday, February 27, welcomed leading figures from the automotive industry and motorsports to its stage. In front of a captivated audience, the future of the automobile was discussed from industrial, sporting, and technological perspectives.

To date, GIMS’ social media traffic amounts to: 4,320,000 impressions, video views at nearly 2,000,000 for a number of followers and subscribers amounting to 271,500. GIMS TV, a concept launched during GIMS Qatar last October, and its daily programme “The Daily Show” has been a great success with nearly 230,000 viewings.

A unique platform connecting brands and the public

At the heart of this edition, the meeting between exhibitors and the public took on a new, more intimate and interactive dimension. Visitors had the unique opportunity to engage directly with some creators, brand representatives, and engineers, thus discovering in detail the novelties of the models presented or the behind-the-scenes of the industry. This proximity has enriched the visiting experience, transforming each stand into a space for discovery and sharing.

Thematic zones stimulating curiosity and experience

The four thematic zones, Adrenaline Zone, Design District, Mobility Lab, and Next World were true epicenters of curiosity and sparked marked interest among visitors. Each space, dedicated to a particular aspect of the automotive, offered an informative, entertaining, or experiential dimension. Designed in collaboration with the e-gaming franchise Gran Turismo and Lamborghini, the Next World zone allowed visitors to try to beat the reference time set by the European Gran Turismo champion driver, Giorgio Mangano. More than 5000 players, aged 16 to over 80 years old, tried their luck throughout the duration of the show.

The automotive design masterclasses, led by Frank Stephenson Design Studio, also met with resounding success among the public. The sessions scheduled before the opening of the show were all pre-booked, requiring additional sessions to be set up.

In addition to these thematic zones was the Classics Gallery. Named “100 Years of Icons”, the Classics Gallery exhibition offered a journey through more than a century of automotive history via 40 iconic models, more than half of which were, in their time, presented as world premieres in Geneva.

Sandro Mesquita, CEO of the Geneva International Motor Show: “Our event has proven its importance, underscoring the need for professionals and the general public to meet to exchange, discover, and live an experience. The show concept, mixing traditional stands and thematic zones, was particularly appreciated for its relevance and ability to offer a rich and diversified experience. This new format also allows for increased flexibility in the offering to exhibitors, enabling them to adjust their participation in GIMS either through a traditional custom stand or within a thematic zone according to their needs.”

See you in 2025

The dates for GIMS 2025 are already known; the show will be held from February 17 to 23, 2025. Registrations for exhibitors are already open.

The organizers promise an even richer and more immersive edition, with always more to discover and experience.