Due to a combination of rising costs, a lack of interest from automakers and falling ticket sales, the annual Australian Motor Show was canceled after 2012 and has not been revived since. That’s set to change with automotive groups in Australia teaming up to launch the new Australian Motoring Festival, which will host its first event in 2015 alongside the Formula One Australian Grand Prix. The inaugural event will take place at Melbourne Showgrounds, not far from the Albert Park street circuit, and will run from March 26-29, 2015.
As previously reported, the Australian Motoring Festival will differ from the traditional display-style auto shows by providing visitors with multiple opportunities to interact with vehicles and vehicle technology through test drives and simulation. The event is expected to be similar in concept to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which over the years has morphed into the pseudo auto show of Britain.
To be held over four action-packed days, the Australian Motoring Festival will combine displays and exhibits with interactive on and off-road driving experiences. In addition to all the new cars, classic cars as well as motorcycles will be on show, and there will also be aftermarket exhibits, a major industry conference and a new Australia’s Best Car award event.
Sadly, the days of Holden and Ford revealing exciting new products unique to the Australian market are long gone, with both automakers as well as Australia’s other volume manufacturer Toyota all confirming plans to shut their factories by the end of 2017.
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