Melbourne motor show to return – sort of

MELBOURNE’S motor show will return next year after years in the wilderness – although it won’t be as we remember it.

Instead, the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce says it plans to hold an interactive, hands-on event in conjunction with the RACV at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds early next year.

VACC executive director David Purchase said the Australian Motoring Festival would not copy the traditional display-style motor show, instead providing visitors with “multiple opportunities to interact with vehicles and vehicle technology through test drives and simulation”.

“The Australian Motoring Festival is a new concept and devised to connect automotive manufacturers and distributors with the vehicle-buying public in a new and dynamic way,” Mr Purchase said.

“Extensive research shows that people want to be able to engage and interact with the exhibits and activities at motoring events and that’s what we intend to deliver.” The four-day event scheduled for March 26-29 will combine displays and exhibits with on- and off-road experiences for show-goers.

The event will include displays of historic cars and motorcycles, aftermarket exhibits, a major industry conference, car and design award winners, and family entertainment including car-themed lm screenings and children’s activities.

Mazda has been a long-time supporter of previous motor shows, having lined up to take part in the 2013 Sydney-based event that was cancelled at short notice signalling the end of the static format.

Mazda Australia senior manager of public relations Steve Maciver said the event’ s organisers had not yet approached the car-maker to discuss the show’s format.

“I think the previous show format needed an injection of movement and colour,” Mr Maciver said.

“We’ve been looking at a number of marketing opportunities since the motor show disappeared to replace it, but we still haven’t found that ideal opportunity yet.” He said while public relations events such as the car-maker’s Australian Grand Prix celebrity race did lift Mazda’s national profile, it was always exploring options.

“Ultimately, though, when you look at our sales, it is not as though we’ve missed the motor show,” Mr Maciver said.

Melbourne last held the event in 2011 with Sydney holding the final Australian International Motor Show in October 2012.

Organisers had tweaked the two-show format to hold events in Sydney or Melbourne on alternate years after car-makers complained that the cost of attending separate shows in each city was making attendance financially unviable.

The VACC and the Sydney-based show’s organisers, the NSW-based Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries earlier this year announced they would end a somewhat rocky period for the joint venture after its formation in 2009, which saw declining attendance numbers and shrinking new-car displays rob the AIMS of its life force.

The FCAI has shaped plans to hold its own Sydney-based event but is yet to announce its format.