The head of Germany’s auto-lobby group VDA, Bernhard Mattes, has unexpectedly resigned as its prestigious Frankfurt motor show opened to the public.
Mattes will go at the end of the year after being in post only 12-months but it has been a very tough time for the German car industry and this year’s show saw over 30 brands including Toyota, PSA, Volvo and Ferrari ignore it, leading to the VDA rearranging stands to fill voids in the sprawling halls of the show held every other year.
Manufacturers have been seeking alternatives to the expensive motor shows around the world to engage with potential buyers, and last October’s Paris Show was also hit by boycotts of manufacturers. It has been the same story in the United States and some car makers are using technology events instead to showcase their models.
Only the spring Geneva motor show has so far weathered the cut-backs.