German, Chinese brands to have strong presence at 2023 Munich show

This year's IAA auto show in Munich will feature a strong mix of German and Chinese brands.

Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen will have displays at their home show.

Meanwhile, BYD, FAW’s Hongqi brand, Leapmotor, Seres and Dongfeng will look to expand their reach in Europe’s largest market, with the likelihood that they could have some company.

"We are still in talks with some big Chinese brands," said Jan Heckmann, who is heading up the organization of the show for the German auto industry association (VDA). "The brands that present themselves here will receive a high profile in Europe, especially if they are shown alongside established European passenger car makers."

Ford, Renault, VinFast and VW Group subsidiary Cupra will also be at the show, which will put an even greater emphasis on helping the brands interact with the public as the show expands its presence in the city's center.

Also new to the show in 2023 will also be displays focused on hydrogen and smart cities.

Heckmann said this year's motto, Experience Connected Mobility, underscores the show's aim to be the world's leading platform for connected, digitized forms of mobility, sustainability and technology.

"We have evaluated the show from 2021, which was the first in Munich [after being held for decades in Frankfurt] under this new concept,” he said. “We have reshaped it in detail in the areas we found it necessary to do so.”

One of the biggest shifts is the complete separation of the two target audiences consisting of business to business (B2B) visitors and the public.

"The convention center offerings will be for trade visitors, professionals and the press, which will be more content driven and where we will have announcements and press conferences," Heckmann said.

At the convention center, which is about 10 km (six miles) east of downtown, the automakers will share the halls with suppliers and new mobility startups. Anyone who wants to visit the displays inside the convention center will need to buy a ticket.

"In the city center, access is free for everyone,” he said, adding that the displays will be integrated into “some of the most beautiful spots in the city."

Displays in downtown Munich will focus on offering mobility experiences to consumers that will include car test drives and a bike track to try out two-wheel modes of transportation in the city's English Garden.

While the trade show will run from Monday, Sept. 4 until Friday, Sept. 8, the city-based displays will remain open through the weekend.

Heckmann said that many large suppliers such as ZF Friedrichshafen, Schaeffler, Continental, Denso, Robert Bosch, Hyundai Mobis and Siemens will also have stands at the show.

As will several large tech companies, including Amazon Web Services, Google, Luminar and Qualcomm, plus battery cell manufacturers such as CATL.

As in 2021, automakers can book locations in the convention center and in the city center to better reach both audience groups.

"You have several opportunities on which you can focus depending on your individual strategy," Heckmann said.

He added that the major takeaway from 2021 was that visitors -- particularly younger visitors --responded well to the outdoor exhibitions in the city center, which were centered on Odeonsplatz and Königsplatz.

"What they liked was the atmosphere in the city center and the clear content offer, so that's what we are doing this year," he said. "You will see more festival offers, more things to experience, including concerts and offers for families, all of the things we were not able to do in the pandemic situation."

One of the lessons from the pandemic was the importance of offering digital experiences, which Heckmann said will be offered again this year in the form of streaming conference sessions and press highlights.

"We will also have video teams in the open spaces in the city finding the coolest experiences and perhaps convincing some people to stop by," he added.

Organizers are looking into whether they can include augmented reality and virtual reality offerings for the show -- as well as the chance to take a ride in an autonomous vehicle.

"We are still working with some partners and we are in discussions with some companies to do so," Heckmann says. "But it's looking good."