Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Jeep Skipping This Year’s Paris Motor Show

As the industry shifts to online showings and private debuts, and the cost for a large auto show stand regularly reaches into the millions, more automakers are deciding to forgo these events entirely. Most recently Lamborghini said it would be skipping the Paris Motor Show, and before that BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Now one of the world's largest auto groups is doing the same with three of its core brands.

Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Jeep will not be in attendance at this year's Paris Motor Show, according to a report from the website AutoPlus France. This is the first major show in years that either of the three automakers have decided to skip. Fiat suggests that auto shows are no longer a must do as part of its ongoing strategy. Though three of FCA's core properties won't be in attendance, its mainstay luxury marque, Maserati, will be there, as will Ferrari.

Of course, this departure from the auto show circuit is nothing new. Other automakers that will be skipping this year's Paris Motor Show include Ford, Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Subaru, and Volvo. Brands like Citroën, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Smart, Suzuki, and Toyota, meanwhile, have committed to Paris for 2018.

But Paris isn't the only auto show taking a hit; already Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz have announced that they will be skipping North America's largest show in Detroit (which could move from January to October to avoid conflict). Instead, the German marques will focus on tech expos like CES in Las Vegas, and the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Mercedes-Benz, at least, promises that it could be back to Detroit in 2020. CEO Dieter Zetsche said, "I very much expect in 2020 we will be back with some product launches."

The 2018 Paris Motor Show opens its doors on October 2 to the press, and runs until October 14.