The surprising news came today that the 2020 Geneva Motor Show, which was scheduled to take place from March 5th to the 15th, is now cancelled. The decision comes following a temporary ban by Switzerland’s Federal Council of events that attract gatherings of over 1,000 people until March 15. The reason for this is that Switzerland has been hit with 14 coronavirus cases, which while it only poses a moderate risk to the country’s population, the government is taking the appropriate measures to minimize, if not prevent, spread of the virus.

“We regret this situation, but the health of all participants is our and our exhibitors’ top priority. This is a case of force majeure and a tremendous loss for the manufacturers who have invested massively in their presence in Geneva. However, we are convinced that they will understand this decision,”

Maurice Turrettini, Chairman of the Foundation Board

The cancellation of this year’s show, which has a huge impact on the automotive world due to the many world premieres that take place at it, has undoubtedly made manufacturers, including Porsche, question themselves as to how they will go about premiering their new vehicles. With online reveals having become a trend in recent times, it is likely that most manufacturers will proceed to have online reveals of the models. The highly anticipated premiere by Porsche was that of the 992 Turbo and Turbo S, and as means as to not delay the official debut of the car, Porsche has responded to the cancellation by opting to premiere it online instead. It will take place on March 3rd, which is this upcoming Tuesday, and will be hosted by Porsche Brand Ambassador Mark Webber.

While it is unfortunate that one of the biggest events in the automotive world was cancelled, I can understand the Swiss government’s concern for everyone’s health, and without doubt it was the right decision to make. I hope that the virus situation improves not only in Switzerland, but around the globe, so that everyone may go back to enjoying their everyday lives without concerns of having such a disease being passed to them.

Best Regards,
Juan Reyes-Abreu