Istanbul Autoshow moved to next year on sector concerns

ISTANBUL

The Turkish automotive sector’s biggest event, the Istanbul Autoshow, used to be held in autumn. However, the organizer, the Automotive Distributors’ Association (ODD), announced it will move the event to spring.

Turkish automotive sector representatives have decided to postpone the Autoshow fair, which had been scheduled for October, until next year. The move comes amid the mounting upheaval in the auto market, which is expected to contract significantly in 2014.

The Automotive Distributors’ Association (ODD), the organizer of the fair where top companies unveil and exhibit their latest cars, announced yesterday that its member brands had unanimously decided to postpone the fair from Oct. 31 to the spring of 2015, leaving the exact date unspecified.

According to the announcement released by the ODD, the reason behind the decision is a recent change made to the model year regulation in Turkey.

“It has been decided to postpone the 15th International Istanbul Autoshow, which was set to be held in the first half of the year, to the spring of 2015, because the model year has now been marked for January,” the statement read, arguing that the new timing “would be more beneficial for both the automotive sector and automotive devotees.”


Setbacks ahead

However, the decision is seen as being indicative of the pressure on the sector, which is bracing itself for a turbulent year.

The upsurge in the value of the euro – the main determinant of vehicle prices, the rise in loan interests, the vehicle loan limitations introduced, and an unexpected hike in special consumption taxes imposed on vehicles – is expected to cripple Turkey’s domestic auto market in 2014.

Moreover, the postponement decision prompted questions over whether the sector can handle two automotive fairs in a year, as the commercial vehicle fair organized by the sector manufacturers, Automotive Industry Association (OSD) was also planned to take place in 2015.

Previously, the two fairs were held in alternate years to avoid the extra burden on vehicle makers. Therefore, the two organizations may need to negotiate on a reasonable agenda. 

The Autoshow was cancelled for the first time in 2001 due to the economic crisis at the time, and after that organizers decided to hold the fair every other year.

The cancelled show was postponed to 2002, but the early elections and the operation in Iraqi caused the organization’s further postponement to 2003.