Mustang GT Coupe

Make
Ford
Segment
Coupe

Thanks to the pandemic, a number of auto shows were canceled in 2020 and 2021. Automakers quickly began moving their new releases online, revealing cars on social media and their own websites. And once pandemic restrictions began to lift, these automakers questioned the value of the auto show outright. After all, it costs a fortune to design a display, fly cars and personnel to a show, and then pack all of that up when it's time to go home, and in these modern times, a viral post on social media is a far more effective marketing tool than an industry-specific event seen by relatively few people. Moreover, automakers don't have to compete with rivals whose reveals coincide with their own - they can simply reschedule.

But it seems that the public motoring event may be making a comeback, as the LA Auto Show has revealed a long list of attendees.

Taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from November 18-27, this year's 115th-anniversary event will be preceded by the media and industry day (better known as AutoMobility LA) on the 17th. Showgoers will be treated to displays from (in alphabetical order) Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Charge Cars, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, ElectraMeccanica, Fiat, Ford, Genesis, GMC, Honda, Hummer, Hyundai, INDI EV, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Nissan, Porsche, Ram, Subaru, Supernal (Advanced Air Mobility), Toyota, VinFast, Volkswagen, and Volvo.

More than one million square feet of indoor and outdoor space will be filled, and visitors can look forward to ride-alongs from Camp Jeep, Ford Bronco Built Wild, and Ram Truck Territory, while street drives from Alfa Romeo, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, Jeep, Ram, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen will give showgoers a taste of what OEMs are cooking up. An outdoor EV test track put together by Electrify America and the LADWP will feature electric cars from Kia, Porsche, VinFast, and Volkswagen, with more to follow.

It's encouraging to see that manufacturers still have an interest in public shows. The SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show in Las Vegas was always well attended by OEMs, but this year's event, planned for November 1-4, has already seen Honda and Ford back out in April, with Hyundai and GM following suit a month later, and we were beginning to wonder if major shows would ever reach the lofty heights they once did.

Even the recent Detroit Auto Show was something of a letdown. Apart from the reveal of the seventh-generation Ford Mustang, there was almost nothing new to see. Most brands chose to showcase electric concepts that had already been revealed, and missing the show would not have been a huge regret.

That said, if you cast your minds further back to Monterey Car Week, you'll remember that a number of high-end manufacturers like Koenigsegg and Bugatti wowed us with a great number of new reveals, suggesting that the personal touch is still very important to the world's most affluent car lovers.

The 2022 LA Auto Show will, hopefully, be just as exciting, albeit on a much less expensive scale, and we hope that this is well-attended and that it continues for many years to come. Founded in 1907, it's a mainstay of the American automotive calendar.

If you're interested in attending, general admission tickets cost $22 for adults, $12 for seniors, and $6 for children. VIP packages, guided tours, and group buy options are also available.