Los Angeles Auto Show Announces Strategic Date Change; Show Will Move to Mid-November

LOS ANGELES, June 22 -- For decades the Los Angeles Auto Show has helped automakers ring in the New Year. That tradition, however, will end in the near future as the Los Angeles Auto Show permanently moves its dates from early January to mid-November, beginning in 2006.

This change addresses the longstanding desire of the industry for the Los Angeles Auto Show to have its own time slot away from the Detroit auto show and to avoid the Christmas and New Year's holiday period. The move to November enables the show to occupy its own niche on the auto show calendar, thereby providing manufacturers with improved opportunities for the introduction of new vehicles and concepts.

The new timeframe will also provide an ideal date separation among the four major U.S. auto shows, making utilization of each one more effective for manufacturers and journalists alike. Los Angeles will be in the fall, followed by Detroit and Chicago in winter, and New York in the spring. On the international calendar, Los Angeles' dates will be sufficiently spaced from the other major shows held in Frankfurt, Paris, Tokyo and Geneva.

"Executives are thrilled about the move to November and the idea of the show occupying its own position on the auto show calendar," says Andy Fuzesi, general manager of the Los Angeles Auto Show. "I immediately began receiving congratulatory messages after informing them of the change, along with their intentions to take full advantage of the timing."

In general, the show will be held approximately six weeks before the New Year, with press days occurring on the Wednesday and Thursday, one week prior to Thanksgiving. The 10 public days will begin on Friday and carry through the Thanksgiving weekend to end on Sunday.

The new dates take effect for the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show, which will have press days on November 29 and 30, and public days December 1 - 10, 2006. This first year will be held the week after Thanksgiving because of a scheduling conflict with a previously licensed event in the Los Angeles Convention Center. The pattern of having press days the week before Thanksgiving will start with the 2008 show, when press days will be held on November 14 and 15, and public days November 16 - 25, 2007. The auto show will maintain its current January dates for the 2005 and 2006 shows.

John Hawkins, president of the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association, sees the move to November dates as an important step toward elevating the show's overall stature.

"Numerous manufacturers have wanted to raise their presence during press days at the show, but some were deterred by the January dates," Hawkins says. "The November dates now give automakers a much better opportunity to bring more debuts and journalists to Los Angeles. The industry, media and consumers will all benefit from the LA Auto Show's new dates."

The agreement to change the dates was reached with the Los Angeles Convention Center and LA Inc., the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Los Angeles Councilwoman Jan Perry, whose support was essential to bringing about the date change, said the auto show has been an important part of the Los Angeles community. "Moving the show to November makes it more attractive to media and reinforces the global influence of Los Angeles."

A second significant announcement will be made within 30 days to introduce the theme for the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show. The theme will capitalize on one of Southern California's attributes and have long-term implications about the direction of the show.

                    Los Angeles Auto Show Future Dates

                  Press Days                 Public Days

   2005           January 5 - 6              January 7 - 16
   2006           January 4 - 5              January 6 - 15
   2007           November 29 - 30, 2006     December 1 - 10, 2006
   2008           November 14 - 15, 2007     November 16 - 25, 2007

                            National Schedule

                  Current                    Beginning in 2007

   Los Angeles    Early January              Los Angeles   Mid-November
   Detroit        Early January              Detroit       Early January
   Chicago        Mid-February               Chicago       Mid-February
   New York       Late March/Early April     New York      Late March/
                                                            Early April

                          International Schedule

   Odd Years                                 Even Years

   Frankfurt      Mid-September              Paris         Mid-September
   Tokyo          Late October               Los Angeles   Mid-November
   Los Angeles    Mid-November               Detroit       Early January
   Detroit        Early January              Geneva        Early March
   Geneva         Early March