Second motor show touches down in Melbourne

MELBOURNE’S motor show drought appears to have broken, with different organisers revealing a second event for the southern state’s capital in November next year.

Definitive Events has revealed that MotorWorld, which will be held from November 25-29, 2015 at Sandown Raceway, will run a very similar format to a separate event being organised by the group behind the Melbourne-based version of the failed Australian International Motor Show, which was last held in 2011.

The Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) is behind a separate event called the Australian Motoring Festival, which is planned for March next year at the Melbourne Showgrounds and provides for a range of static displays and driver demonstrations of old and new cars, and even motorbikes – just like MotorWorld says it will.

“MotorWorld Melbourne is designed to become the iconic destination event presenting the Australian automotive industry to buyers throughout Australia and Asia,” MotorWorld’s organisers said in a statement posted on the event’s website.

“It is a live and interactive exhibition, a vibrant festival, a significant industry event and a memorable family day out. Visitors will experience firsthand the latest release motor vehicles and motorbikes in motion.”

As well, the organisers say the event will include “a series of activities for industry representatives” – also a feature of the VACC-organised event.

“Dedicated precincts have been designed to make navigation through the event simple, and assist in visitors finding their particular areas of interest easily,” it said.

While the Sandown-based event will make use of the racetrack and a dedicated off-road course, the Australian Motoring Festival has committed to spending millions of dollars installing purpose-built on- and off-road test-drive circuits within the Melbourne Showgrounds.

The Australian Motoring Festival has former Top Gear Australia presenter Shane Jacobson as its ambassador, while organisers of November’s event have sided with former formula one world champion Alan Jones and vintage car enthusiast Warren Brown.

A spokeswoman for MotorWorld said more details about the event would be revealed early next month.

The VACC, and the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries which was behind the Sydney version of the Australian International Motor Show, decided in 2010 to move from two shows a year to a single show alternating between Melbourne and Sydney.

The move was in response to car-makers saying holding two separate shows a year was becoming too expensive, with show stands believed to be costing some brands as much as $2 million an event.

However, dwindling public attendances and a lack of support from some of the core car-making brands meant the 2013 show planned for Melbourne was cancelled only months before opening its doors.

At the time, the VACC said it had enough car-maker support to run the show, but it did not want to host what it said would have been an inferior event.

The VACC has planned the Australian Motoring Festival as part of its charter, which says it should promote the car industry to encourage new buyers to open their wallets.