Revived Geneva Motor Show Comes to Life for 2024Revived Geneva Motor Show Comes to Life for 2024

Financial CPR from Qatar resuscitated the traditional exotic car show.

Dan Carney, Senior Editor

February 26, 2024

8 Slides
The BYD booth at Geneva showcased the company's newest models.

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The BYD booth at Geneva showcased the company's newest models.Geneva International Motor Show

At a Glance

  • Back for 2024
  • Already planned for 2025
  • A satellite show in Doha, Qatar, is planned for Q4 2025

After an absence of four years, the Geneva International Motor Show made its return to the international stage with a press preview day that included fourteen press conferences introducing ten world premiere vehicles.

The pandemic canceled the 2020 Geneva show only hours before it opened and the resulting costs nearly ended the show. An infusion of cash from Qatar means that now there’s an affiliated show in Doha that was held last year. But Geneva reopened this year and has another show on the schedule for 2025, so hopefully the once-favorite show can regain its stature in the industry.

This was normally the place to debut exotic supercars, and while coachbuilder Pininfarina was on hand, this year’s crop of introductions was mostly more mainstream models. Europe was led by Renault, which showed a concept car and had several models from its Dacia budget brand on display. The Chinese were out in force, with debuts from BYD and SAIC Motor’s MG brand.

“GIMS 2024 represents a totally new way of holding a motor show,” said Sandro Mesquita, CEO of the Geneva International Motor Show. “It is more focused and collaborative than ever before, with each of our exhibitors bringing something unique and adding to the visitor experience. This includes bespoke immersive experiences, high-level thought-leadership from those at the top of their game, and the world premieres that visitors expect from the Geneva International Motor Show.”

Related:2023 Los Angeles Auto Show Regains Traction

That sounds like a promising foundation, but Geneva won’t be the same until we see the likes of Koenigsegg, Rimac, and Pagani have returned to their natural places at the show and guests are surging at the velvet rope around the Ferrari exhibit. For now, enjoy this year’s crop of debuts in our slide show.

About the Author

Dan Carney

Senior Editor, Design News

Dan’s coverage of the auto industry over three decades has taken him to the racetracks, automotive engineering centers, vehicle simulators, wind tunnels, and crash-test labs of the world.

A member of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year jury, Dan also contributes car reviews to Popular Science magazine, serves on the International Engine of the Year jury, and has judged the collegiate Formula SAE competition.

Dan is a winner of the International Motor Press Association's Ken Purdy Award for automotive writing, as well as the National Motorsports Press Association's award for magazine writing and the Washington Automotive Press Association's Golden Quill award.

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He has held a Sports Car Club of America racing license since 1991, is an SCCA National race winner, two-time SCCA Runoffs competitor in Formula F, and an Old Dominion Region Driver of the Year award winner. Co-drove a Ford Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost to 16 Federation Internationale de l’Automobile-accredited world speed records over distances from just under 1km to over 4,104km at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.

He was also a longtime contributor to the Society of Automotive Engineers' Automotive Engineering International magazine.

He specializes in analyzing technical developments, particularly in the areas of motorsports, efficiency, and safety.

He has been published in The New York Times, NBC News, Motor Trend, Popular Mechanics, The Washington Post, Hagerty, AutoTrader.com, Maxim, RaceCar Engineering, AutoWeek, Virginia Living, and others.

Dan has authored books on the Honda S2000 and Dodge Viper sports cars and contributed automotive content to the consumer finance book, Fight For Your Money.

He is a member and past president of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers

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