The Paris Motor Show reopens its doors

Are motor shows doomed? Not at all: in Paris, the lights are back on and shining from today until 20 October. 48 car brands, dozens of world premieres and a packed calendar of conferences reminiscent of the good old days.

While the first lights are captivating, there's one important unspoken fact to bear in mind: this Motor Show was born out of necessity - a necessity dictated by the survival instinct of an automotive industry sorely challenged by the transition underway and the structural crisis of the sector. This is generating profit warnings, company reorganisations and, most prominently, uncertainty.

The new Golf GTE takes centre stage on the Volkswagen stand

The Stellantis stand at the Paris Motor Show 2024 will also feature the Alfa Romeo Junior.

Models of the new Renault 4, superstar of Paris

So everyone who needs to be there is in Paris. The Volkswagen group, which is producing more than it sells and will have to close some factories; Stellantis, which has to convince consumers (and shareholders) that it is offering viable multi-energy cars to boost sales in 2025; and the Germans at BMW, who have seen further ahead than others, but must remain balanced between three continents, avoiding European customs duties against the Chinese and the consequent reprisals from the Beijing government.

Renault press conference in Paris, with CEO Luca de Meo

Renault is there, in the role of host, thanks to the strong leadership of Luca De Meo, and there's even Tesla, which until now hasn't taken part in trade fairs because they were 'old'.

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Paris debuts:

New Renault 4 Electric revealed: The French all-rounder is reborn

Renault Embleme revealed: The hydrogen shooting brake that anticipates the future

And then there are the Chinese, of course, the ones with the broadest shoulders like BYD - but also other brands that have just arrived in Europe and which, in Paris, want on the one hand to showcase their products and at the same time understand how cars work on this side of the world where everything is more complicated.

At the Mondial de l'Automobile, on the other hand, the luxury brands (Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, etc.), who are by definition feeling the crisis, are not there. Too bad for the public, who would have been happy to start dreaming again. But there is also no solid group like Toyota and the whole world of Japanese and Korean brands, with the exception of Kia, which preferred to take part to celebrate the launch of its new electric car.

The new Korean electric, the Kia EV3 at the Paris Motor Show

The many faces of the 2024 Paris Motor Show: Ligier and Ford side by side

Never before has an inventory of attendees (and absentees) provided us with such a clear understanding of the current climate. The good news is that the Mondial de l'Automobile - as a format - is once again the place where a sector that had deluded itself into thinking it could go it alone finds itself working as a team.

For it is only together that we can first survive and then (perhaps) hope to win.

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