22 Brands Opt Out of Frankfurt Auto Show

This year’s Frankfurt auto show in September won’t include 22 vehicle brands, according to Automobilwoche.

The German newspaper says this year’s no-shows include Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Citroen, DS, Fiat, Infiniti, Jeep, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Rolls-Royce, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota and Volvo.

Nine of those marques—Alfa, DS, Fiat, Infiniti, Jeep, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot and Volvo—also skipped the biennial Frankfurt show in 2017.

Carmakers say cost issues and shifting marketing strategies have made them more selective about exhibiting only at auto shows whose timing aligns with their new-product launches. Even then, many note, they are increasingly turning to cheaper stand-alone new-car debuts and fair-like events that offer more consumer interaction options.

Automobilwoche warns that the rise in opt-outs threatens to reduce Frankfurt, which has touted itself as the world’s largest auto show, to second-tier status. The newspaper makes the unlikely claim that this year’s missing brands at the venue represent two-thirds of the world’s annual vehicle production.