Mercedes-Benz a no go for Melbourne show
January 16, 2008 by Matt Brogan
Mercedes-Benz has today announced it will not attend the Melbourne International Motor Show this year citing economic rationalisation as the key reason.
Now you’d be forgiven for thinking the German marque cannot afford the $1 million costs associated with hosting their stand at the show, but this is not entirely the case. Mercedes instead claiming the show is ineffective at reaching their target audience.
The decision was reached after the realisation that the cost of attending the show was excessive when weighed against the manufacturer’s market share, though it could be argued this may now decrease further without the presence of the stand this year.
Held in conjunction with the Australian F1 Grand Prix, the Melbourne International Motor Show attracts a large audience from both Australia and overseas though Porsche, Jaguar and Citroen have also decided it is not in their better interest to attend.
In what may be a lean show for Melburnians, the show opens on February 29.
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Again the jealousy shows. There is more to do and see in Melbourne and Victoria in general per size of state compared to all the other states. Wanna see Paris go to the Paris end of Collins street. Wanto see Italy go to Lygon Street, wanna see asia go to Victoria street Richmond. Want to see Gold go to Ballarat and surrounding area. Want to see the most famous Australian sports arena go to the MCG. Want to see the largest sporting arena in the world with a retractable roof go to Telstra dome, Wanna see Australias only grand slam tennis tournament go to Melbourne Park. All our sporting arenas are also within a 5 inute drive of the CBD and all well serviced by Public Transport. Want to see Australia most booked movie studio head down to Docklands studio.Want to come and see the most famous pub venues where all the big aussie bands start out go down to the Espie in St. Kilda. Want a break from the dreary wet weather in the northrn states come to Melbourne which has nice sunny weather 95% of the time due to our 12 year drought, Want to see little penguins (fairy penquins as known in the past. Come to Philip Island where you can get close and personal. Want to catch a great wave go down to Bells beach, want to drive along the most sensational road in Australia and one of the most famous drives in the world come down to the greatocean road. Ouch sor fingers again, more to come.
As usual the MMS will have a huge array of both current and concept cars. Even without MB there will be plenty to see.
Couldn’t agree more with u guys. I grew up in Sydney thinking Sydney was better but when house prices forced me to look else where i found out just what a little gem Melbourne is.
Unfortunatley after my seperation i’ve had to come back to Sydney but without being rude or putting Sydney down because if you are rich enough to live on the harbour or the anglo north shore then Sydney is great for those people but if you can only afford working class suburbs then Melbourne is a much more livable and classy city to live in…. in my humble opinion!!!!
Gosh, I think I started all this just by saying more than one manufacturer at a time has been known to give the Perth motor show a miss. I attended Sydney’s 2006 show and ours wasn’t massively behind in stature.
Steve, I’m sorry I caused you to say perth is a s**t hole. I didn’t mean to, really I didn’t. Please advise your precise outer suburb name so I can hang some crap on that without invitation.
Food? I’ve eaten all around Australia, and it’s no better or worse here. I know where good is and I know where bad can be found.
Oooh this interstate stuff is really kickin off. I lived in Mel for a year 2005/6 loved it apart from driving round that stupid grid system. Driving was a bore. Great place to live and really cosmopilitan like you say. Sydney was OK for the short visit i was there. But perth to me was real nice. Smaller city suited me just dandy. Good transport links and enaough to see. Oh fvck why did I have to come home to Pohmmieland.
Oh yeh Mercedes & car shows…why have a car show for cars you can see in the showrooms.Uh don’t get it.
Benz is right. Their target market (old people, mostly) would not bother going to the show.
I have a 2001 E55 AMG, I can’t afford a new one, but it was always nice to dream around the new ones on display. I didn’t go to the Motorshow in 2008 because Mercedes-Benz weren’t there, and I won’t go again this year for the same reason. So the motorshow have lost a total of $19 dollars in 2008 and again this year. I think the Motorshow would be greedy exhibitors when it comes to the crunch for floor space rental so good on you Mercedes-Benz. I’m an ex-Benz technician and love the marque, apart from the W140 which did my head in. He he.
I love Melbourne!!! There is no place like Melbourne in Australia. Perth is boring, South Australia is a ghost town, Sydney is full of Muzzas, Queensland is full of Asian tourists and NT is a backpaccker haven for Abo’s. Oh yeah, The Motorshow here sucks. Lame event.