Geneva Motor Show celebrates 70th year

Thousands of car enthusiasts from around the world have been descending on Geneva for the city's 70th annual motor show.

Thousands of car enthusiasts from around the world have been descending on Geneva for the city’s 70th annual motor show.. The show’s organisers are predicting a record-breaking year with some 700,000 people expected to attend the ten-day event.

Firmly established as one of the top four motor shows in the world, the Geneva exhibition is aimed at more than just the car-crazy.

“Our show appeals to the public at large,” insists head of marketing, Georges Kindhauser. “You can see that in Switzerland’s car sales figures which always increase in the three months following the show.”

The size of the Geneva Motor Show certainly makes for a tiring day out. More than 900 different brands of car are on show, representing 35 car-producing countries.

But Kindhauser points out that quality is just as important as quantity if the organisers are to keep the crowds coming back year after year. With this in mind, no less than 27 new models have been brought to Geneva for their first public showing anywhere in the world.

For those more interested in nostalgia, there is also a look back at the shows of the last 70 years. The retrospective is being staged in the International Automobile Museum, housed beneath the main halls.

By Mark Ledsom