Auto Expo to witness launch of 24 passenger vehicles this year

Harley-Davidson, Fiat Chrysler, Volkswagen, Triumph Motorcycles, Ford, Volvo, Nissan, Daimler, Bajaj Auto, and Royal Enfield are staying off from Auto Expo 2018

As many as 24 passenger vehicles and two-wheelers will be launched in this year’s edition of Auto Expo — The Motor Show 2018, said officials of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam). The event will also witness unveiling of 100 vehicles, even as a few big brands deciding to give it a miss. 

The Siam is co-hosting the biennial show, set to be held from February 9 to 14, with Auto Component Manufacturer Association.

The regulars at the show, including Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mercedes Benz, Mahindra & Mahindra, Honda Cars, SML Isuzu, Renault, Hyundai, Toyota Kirloskar and Hero MotoCorp, are gearing up to make a splash with a slew of concepts. On the other hand, Harley-Davidson, Fiat Chrysler, Volkswagen, Triumph Motorcycles, Ford, Volvo, Nissan, Daimler, Bajaj Auto, and Royal Enfield are staying off. 

Sugato Sen, deputy director-general at Siam, said there is nothing extraordinary about some companies deciding to stay off. On an average, only half of the 48 members of Siam take part in the show, he noted. 

The reasons for a few top brands staying away from the Auto Expo vary from not having enough to showcase to some companies still coming to grips after disruptions in form of transition to goods and services tax (GST), leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI and electric mobility.

Sen dismissed concerns of some non-participating members that the show is becoming unaffordable.  

The amount the participants pay for booking the space — Rs 8,200 per sqm — has remained the same over the past three editions, he said, pointing that it was on a par with other international shows.   
 

Besides pavilion for regular displays,  the show this year will have an auto-gaming arena, virtual reality experience of driving connected and autonomous electric vehicles. It would also have a special zone on 70 years of the automobile industry in India.

Online booking of entry tickets have commenced and visitors are exclusively available on BookMyShow.com. The tickets for the expo are priced between Rs350 and Rs750. This time the organisers have extended the show with one additional day. The ticket price for the additional day (February 14) will be Rs 450. The last edition of the exposition saw an average of 100,000 visitors every day, which is the highest as compared to any of the global motor shows, said Sen.