Automobile Barcelona promotes the car industry as the European show featuring more brands

Under the theme The enthusiasm is back, Automobile Barcelona will host 21 car brands making it the Europear motor show with the largest number of brands. The event, which will be held at Fira de Barcelona’s Montjuïc venue from 30 September to 10 October, will showcase the future of sustainable mobility and once again constitute a major platform for the automotive sector, thus helping to drive sales.

Barcelona president Enrique Lacalle underlined the importance of holding this physical event, one that’s evidently adapted its format and size to the current situation. “The show is the result of a great collective effort and our commitment to the automotive industry, which has been crystallised in an event that will seek to bring back the enthusiasm to the sector, motor enthusiasts and the whole city, in which the show has been deeply-rooted for over 100 years”. In this regard, he added that “we’ll be the show held in Europe that’s attracted the most brands, making us once again one of the flagship motor-related events and an unbeatable platform for connecting with the general public”.

José López-Tafall, ANFAC’s managing director, appreciates the importance of the event: “We couldn’t miss out on this centenary appointment with the automotive industry in Spain, particularly given the transformation we’re undertaking within the sector. In this respect, the electrification of vehicles is one of the keys to fulfilling our European decarbonisation commitments. This show, the models on display and the talks we’ll be holding on “The challenges of the electrification of mobility” should serve to bring citizens even closer to this transformation, one that’s already a reality in the market, with more than 150 models available”, he stated.

The International Motor Show, organised by Fira de Barcelona with the support of the ANFAC (Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers), will occupy Halls 1 and 8 of the Montjuïc venue, as well as Reina Maria Cristina Avenue and the area around Rius i Taulet Street.

The participating makes of car will include Baltasar, BMW, Cupra, Dacia, DFSK, Ford, Hispano Suiza, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Lotus, Mercedes Benz, Mini, Nissan, Renault, Seat, Smart, Subaru, Suzuki and Volvo. Other companies from the mobility and automotive sectors will also be present, thus complementing a wide range of products in the exhibition area and the show’s activities.

30 September and 1 October will be reserved for the press and professionals, while the doors of Automobile Barcelona will be open to the public from 2 to 10 October.

Test drives and sustainability

Visitors to Automobile Barcelona will have the chance to experience the technologies applied to the automotive sector and get behind the wheels of the latest models exhibited by the visiting brands. The traditional “boxes” located on Reina María Cristina Avenue and in Rius i Taulet Street will offer fans the current ranges of vehicles, including electric cars, hybrids and plug-in hybrids, so that attendees can test out their performance.

The emblematic Montjuic track will be the test site for motor enthusiasts to familiarise themselves with cars and try them out on a test drive. The site of four Formula 1 Grand Prix races between 1969 and 1975, the variable terrain makes for the ideal venue for buyers to compare different models and engines and find out which one best suits their needs.

The mobility of the future

The event will also focus on innovation in the field of urban transport and feature firms from the wider mobility ecosystem, including Smou and Mapfre. Automobile Barcelona has also prepared the Urban Mobility Zone, a space located in the Plaça del Univers that will show how we’ll get around cities in the near future and where visitors will be able to try out personal mobility vehicles designed for the urban environment, including motorbikes, bicycles and electric scooters, on a specially built track that will also address road safety training.

With the Urban Mobility Zone, Automobile Barcelona wants to contribute to the changing culture in urban transport towards a more sustainable and agile system for everyone. Companies participating in this space will include the Servei Català de Trànsit, Arena, Brixton Motorcycles, E.twow, Horwin, Kymco, m-Motorbikes España, Niu, Ray, Silence Urban Ecomobility, Spin Mobility and Sunra.

Innovation forums for professionals

Following the European Commission’s announcement of the end of the sale of cars with combustion engines by 2035, alternative propulsion systems will also share the spotlight at the professional conferences. On 1 October, Anfac will organise the Electrification Forum, where car makers will address issues such as decarbonisation and electrification of transport as the cornerstones of the post-Covid recovery, and the key role of charging structures in an electrified Europe. Among those expected to attend will be the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Consumer Affairs, Reyes Maroto, and the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Franz Timmermans.

For its part, the Society of Automotive Technicians (STA) will also organise five conferences for professionals in the sector specific to topics such as the network of charging points, hydrogen vehicles, connected and autonomous cars, industrial vehicles and mobility as a service or MaaS. In addition, the Spanish Association of Fleet Managers will hold the annual members’ meeting at the show.

The event, the only show held in Spain to be internationally recognised by the OICA (Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles), will implement the strict protocol of prevention and safety measures to combat Covid-19 drawn up by the Fira Barcelona for its events.

Barcelona, 27 September 2021

Folc Lecha

+34 932 333 555

flecha@firabarcelona.com