At the New York auto show, it wasn’t hard to grab the spotlight

So it was a huge demonstrate for Hyundai — which also received to rejoice its Ioniq 5 electric powered crossover winning Earth Vehicle of the Yr — and to a lesser extent for sibling brand Kia. Both equally showed off freshened variations of their hugely prosperous big crossovers: the Palisade and the Telluride.

It also seemed like a fantastic show for Stellantis, with its Jeep Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L prolonged variations, which seemed perfectly timed with gasoline charges falling from the thermosphere to the stratosphere. A dressed-up Chrysler Airflow Principle and a minor news about the development of the Ram EV included to the pleasurable.

But or else, automakers’ engagement with the display was very minimal. Several brand names — most prominently the European luxury marques — didn’t even hassle to put up a stand.

Toyota had a massive stand — it appeared like an acre of place — even though it didn’t maintain a push meeting this yr. North The us income chief Bob Carter said it was just a perform of the timing of new releases.

But then the pursuing 7 days, Toyota unveiled the Lexus RZ electric crossover on the net. And Lincoln, which also experienced a massive and stunning display at the Javits Heart, unveiled its initial EV strategy — an inspiration for the brand’s potential — at an celebration in Los Angeles. That notion experienced been prepared for the Beijing clearly show, which was not held last 7 days for the reason that of a surge in COVID-19 situations.

(Apart No. 3: Certain, the U.S. is at the rear of the curve on electrification, but Lincoln’s choice for Beijing about New York was a placing contrast to pre-pandemic instances when Matthew McConaughey served display off the redesigned Navigator at the Large Apple display. Nevertheless I see he is nevertheless linked to the brand name — becoming a member of manufacturer main Joy Falotico on phase in L.A.)

These slights to New York could be forgiven, probably, as a merchandise of the shifting calendar. But BMW unveiling its redesigned iconic 7 Collection online after briefing media in New York (outside of the exhibit) is a highly effective condemnation of the present — and potentially the long term — of automobile displays.

Initial, it may possibly just be the present. Previous month, Honda’s Jay Joseph instructed me that the organization did not see a great deal point in working with car demonstrates to draw individuals into the browsing funnel when the enterprise can’t develop plenty of motor vehicles to satisfy current demand from customers. Honda, like BMW, did not have a stand at the show.

And the choices may possibly have to do with the current earlier: Following so a lot of stops and starts off — particularly for the New York exhibit — automakers with important reveals may well be understandably cautious of hanging their solution rollout plans on the city that has been a bellwether of the pandemic in America.

This 12 months, it felt a whole lot like a Chicago-amount car demonstrate from the In advance of Situations. Some refreshes and new trim amounts. Some good walkarounds. And apart from Hyundai, not a great deal of star electric power.

Is it the end of the auto display as we know it? I hope not. And the end was not proved by this present, but it wasn’t disproved, both. If the pandemic proceeds to recede and the subsequent year of exhibits — from Detroit in September to New York up coming spring — you should not get more participation, they actually could turn out to be gatherings for sellers and buyers only.

Online reveals are obviously the wave of the present. If they’re also the wave of the foreseeable future, we are likely to will need events these types of as the Automobile Forum and our Automotive News Congress much more than at any time.