Hyundai drops out of shrinking Tokyo auto show
09-30-09, 05:49 AM
#1
G35x - RWD/AWD goodness
Thread Starter
Hyundai drops out of shrinking Tokyo auto show
The incredibly shrinking Tokyo auto show just got even smaller.
Hyundai Motor Co., the last major foreign automaker which was scheduled to participate in next month's show, has decided to pull out with just weeks to go, organizers say.
“Hyundai called last week and orally confirmed their intent to cancel,” said Toyokazu Ishida, who administers the international exhibition for the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. The call came Friday, Sept. 25. “It's unbelievable,” Ishida said.
The South Korean carmaker's exit leaves just two minor foreign manufacturers at the Oct. 24-Nov. 4 event: German boutique manufacturer Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen and British sports-car maker Lotus. The Detroit 3 were among the first to drop out earlier this year.
The Tokyo show, held every two years, was once the premier auto event in Asia. But it is being hit hard as international players sit out to save cash amid the global market slump.
It can cost millions to exhibit, and even some Japanese manufacturers had proposed that this year's event be canceled because of the slumping economy.
Hyundai officials in Seoul could not immediate confirm or comment on their plans for the show. JAMA is still awaiting written confirmation of the decision.
JAMA officials said they did not know why the company was pulling out. Japan's Mainichi newspaper said it was a cost-cutting measure.
Dropping out now will minimize Hyundai's losses. Hyundai already has paid ¥10.9 million ($122,000) in nonrefundable fees for a 4,300-square-foot exhibit, according to JAMA. Ishida said it's unclear what will be done with the empty floor space.
Hyundai Motor Co., the last major foreign automaker which was scheduled to participate in next month's show, has decided to pull out with just weeks to go, organizers say.
“Hyundai called last week and orally confirmed their intent to cancel,” said Toyokazu Ishida, who administers the international exhibition for the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. The call came Friday, Sept. 25. “It's unbelievable,” Ishida said.
The South Korean carmaker's exit leaves just two minor foreign manufacturers at the Oct. 24-Nov. 4 event: German boutique manufacturer Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen and British sports-car maker Lotus. The Detroit 3 were among the first to drop out earlier this year.
The Tokyo show, held every two years, was once the premier auto event in Asia. But it is being hit hard as international players sit out to save cash amid the global market slump.
It can cost millions to exhibit, and even some Japanese manufacturers had proposed that this year's event be canceled because of the slumping economy.
Hyundai officials in Seoul could not immediate confirm or comment on their plans for the show. JAMA is still awaiting written confirmation of the decision.
JAMA officials said they did not know why the company was pulling out. Japan's Mainichi newspaper said it was a cost-cutting measure.
Dropping out now will minimize Hyundai's losses. Hyundai already has paid ¥10.9 million ($122,000) in nonrefundable fees for a 4,300-square-foot exhibit, according to JAMA. Ishida said it's unclear what will be done with the empty floor space.
09-30-09, 08:08 AM
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Might as well call it the Tokyo Toyota Motor Show.
09-30-09, 08:33 AM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: A better place
Posts: 7,285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Also with no major introductions from Honda or Nissan, this year pretty much might as well be the Tokyo Toyota Auto Show
. With the amount of products Toyota is supposed to unveil, they will be very happy that almost all media coverage will be centered on them.
Trending Topics
09-30-09, 09:08 AM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: A better place
Posts: 7,285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
With Toyota set to debut the LF A, possibly the Toyobaru production coupe, and an updated FT-HS concept at the very least, all the attention will be on them.
I expect the LF A alone to take up most of the media's attention
.
09-30-09, 09:13 AM
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
The M37/M56 is not supposed to make it's autshow debut until November/December, from what I understand? Otherwise, cars like the Leaf, or this CR-Z by themselves are not really major unveilings.
With Toyota set to debut the LF A, possibly the Toyobaru production coupe, and an updated FT-HS concept at the very least, all the attention will be on them.
I expect the LF A alone to take up most of the media's attention.
With Toyota set to debut the LF A, possibly the Toyobaru production coupe, and an updated FT-HS concept at the very least, all the attention will be on them.
I expect the LF A alone to take up most of the media's attention
.The car will debut as a Nissan Fuga next month and we can finally see it inside and out completely. Then probably at Detroit it is revealed as the Infiniti M37/56 in January.
Honda EV N concept
Honda Skydeck
09-30-09, 09:21 AM
#12
Lexus Champion
What I'm saying is it will make its DEBUT as the Nissan Fuga.....Infiniti tried to trick people into presenting the M37/56 first with some computer sketch at Pebble Beach (no real model) and Edmunds has a couple (even badges are covered) to share.
The car will debut as a Nissan Fuga next month and we can finally see it inside and out completely. Then probably at Detroit it is revealed as the Infiniti M37/56 in January.
The car will debut as a Nissan Fuga next month and we can finally see it inside and out completely. Then probably at Detroit it is revealed as the Infiniti M37/56 in January.
Honda Skydeck
P.S.
I hope Honda unveils the next-gen Elysion in this year's motorshow (but that's just wishful thinking). Still, it would be neat if they debut it there since the RR1 has been around since 2004 so now would be ripe IMHO for a Full Model Change hehe
09-30-09, 09:57 AM
#14
Lexus Fanatic
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: A better place
Posts: 7,285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What I'm saying is it will make its DEBUT as the Nissan Fuga.....Infiniti tried to trick people into presenting the M37/56 first with some computer sketch at Pebble Beach (no real model) and Edmunds has a couple (even badges are covered) to share.
The car will debut as a Nissan Fuga next month and we can finally see it inside and out completely. Then probably at Detroit it is revealed as the Infiniti M37/56 in January.
Honda EV N concept
Honda Skydeck
The car will debut as a Nissan Fuga next month and we can finally see it inside and out completely. Then probably at Detroit it is revealed as the Infiniti M37/56 in January.
Honda EV N concept
Honda Skydeck
. They did trick us indeed. I guess still no Infiniti for Japan then. I wonder if that huge gaping grille is the future of Honda front ends.
Apart from Toyota, and now it seems Nissan with the Fuga, there are no MAJOR production car unveilings that will be happening (unless Toyota and Subaru simultaneously unveil their own versions each of the production Toyobaru).
09-30-09, 11:04 AM
#15
Lexus Champion
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MO
Posts: 2,545
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think we still have the recession to thank for that. Auto shows will continue to be lean this year. But there are always some last minute surprises so let's hope somebody drops something unexpected.