Bentley
Bentley
Is it that these uber-luxury brands have their nose so high in the air that they don't want to attend the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit? Or is it really about economics or finding the right venue to promote the brand?
Bentley, Jaguar, Land Rover, Maserati, Tesla and Rolls-Royce have opted out of the show that's open to the public Jan. 16-26, Michael Wayland writes at The Detroit News:
“They have to weigh that decision every time: Am I going to spend $5 million to $6 million to be in an auto show or not?” auto show vice chairman Sam Slaughter said during a recent interview with The Detroit News. “I think it’s less about whether it’s Detroit or not, and more about the economics of those particular high-end brands.”
Jaguar Land Rover has sporadically attended the show in recent years. Some expensive foreign brands have pulled out of all U.S. auto shows. Tesla and Bentley have said the show doesn’t align with their brand strategies.
“Our focus in the U.S. is on intimate and experiential events that directly reach current and prospective Bentley customers,” Bentley said in a statement to The News. “We are working closely with our U.S. dealers on many of these programs while continuing some of our traditional and successful events, such as our bespoke Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance program.”
