The Melbourne International Motor Show last took place in 2011 and ever since then there hasn’t been a proper attempt to revive it. The whole concept of a motor show has gone out of fashion with very few occurring due to the advent of the internet and social media. Obtaining information about cars is only a few clicks away but with soo many options available these days, how do you know where to start? You have hybrids, pure EVs and internal combustion engined cars on sale from all sorts of brands. For the average car buyer, it’s a lot to consider. After COVID, I get the feeling that people want to go out and see the cars in person because there are some things that the brochure will not tell you. In an increasingly complicated world, people need to be more informed than ever. The internet can be a cesspool of misinformation so being able to trust what you see and read can be very difficult, which could very much allow the concept of a motor show to become relevant again. Anyway this new motor show, simply called The Melbourne Motor Show, was put together by the folks at Compello. I had my doubts because the last show hosted by them was far too ghetto to be a motor show, but I’m happy to report that it was nothing of the sort. It definitely felt like the motor show of old, even if the scale was smaller. The lads actually did it.
Most of the brands that showed up were Chinese, as there’s been an absolute explosion of them in recent times. They want to make a splash in Australia so a motor show is the perfect opportunity to showcase their products and spread brand awareness. Zeekr, Geely, Deepal, Xpeng, BYD, JAC, GWM and Farizon all had stands at the show and from what I saw, there were very much taking things seriously. They want to make a name for themselves and push for greater market share in this country. Even the more established name of MG wants to expand and the reveal of their new ute very much signals a message of intent. As someone who very much champions competition, I think it’s great because when brands push each other, the technology becomes more advanced which translates to better products for the consumer. You are the one who wins – hence why I think all of Donald Trump’s tariffs are stupid.
One car I really want to highlight is this: the Zeekr 009 MPV. Like most of the Chinese cars that are produced, this is an EV and I think it’s really quirky with some interesting styling choices and plenty of luxury features. I wasn’t able to get any photos of the interior but the quality is right up there with the very best brands from Europe. Leather, big chairs, super responsive tech, metal switches, air suspension and even a TV all add up to a supreme comfort experience not too dissimilar to a first-class aircraft seat. What’s more is that this van produces a ridiculous 603 HP, but it needs the power because the 009 is a chunky boy that weighs close to 3 tonnes. Not that it really matters whilst you’re chilling in the back seat.
This is the JAC Define Concept and it’s by far the most striking car of the whole show. It has 4 seats despite looking like a mid-engined sports car, which is definitely unusual. JAC has only just made it’s way to Australia with the T9 ute so bringing this extremely futuristic concept down from China just for the Melbourne Motor Show is the starkest contrast one can ever see. This car sets out to define the future design language of the brand, which is a bold move because if the production cars look half as insane as this one, they are sure to make an impact. It will be interesting to see what JAC has in store for us because choosing Melbourne for the international debut of their concept is a big deal.
South Korea has been coming out with some cracking cars lately, using radical designs and sharp pricing to shake the market right to it’s core. Kia has been moving the goalposts consistently to disrupt the competition and their ute, called the Tasman, attempts to upend the segment down here in Australia. With a face that only a mother could love, it’s definitely not your typical ute but with a name like Tasman, it’s shooting for us directly because the Tasman Sea is what separates Australia from New Zealand. I’m not big on these types of vehicles but I’m really intrigued by the Tasman because the South Koreans don’t buy utes. It’s clear to me that a lot of work was done in Australia with Australian engineers. Will that translate to strong sales? Who knows.
Now here’s a brand you know and love. Subaru has been selling cars in Australia for more than 50 years and it’s developed a solid reputation despite being smaller than the big dogs of Honda and Toyota. They’re a very sensible choice and alongside a spicier version of the new Impreza WRX, 2 brand new Foresters were on display for the first time. I’m not sure how I feel about the design because it’s not shouty but I wouldn’t call it boring either. I think it’s just a case of natural evolution. Customers are still going to buy this thing because Subaru is one of the most trusted brands in the auto industry, offering products that do exactly what they say on the tin. The motto “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is one I assume Subaru follows because the cars aren’t anything earth-shattering but they’re created with tried and tested methods that work.
Here is an original Lamborghini Murcielago… with a gated manual gearbox. For a lot of people, this is the dream. Plenty of faster cars have been built since this car debuted in 2002 but they all have a semi-auto or fully automatic gearboxes without a clutch pedal and a h-pattern shifter. Not many Murcielagos were made compared to the Aventador, which makes this car extremely desirable to those who can afford it and those who can’t like me. This is a special car with a special place in my heart because it was featured in Midnight Club 3. It was the king of all the exotics in the game and in the follow up Midnight Club LA, which featured the Roadster version, I painted it gold and called it “The Bull”. I also drove it in Test Drive Unlimited. Seeing one of these in person is always exciting because there’s soo few of them kicking around.
Now these are two big guns I did not expect to see: the Ferrari LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spider. They were on display in the NXTZEN stand, a company that looks to produce a wide range of car care products. My brother didn’t say anything about them after he went on Saturday so I was very surprised. Both of these extraordinary cars are more than 10 years old but they still draw a crowd because of their crazy performance and technology. The LaFerrari has a KERS system to generate electricity for it’s electric motor whilst the 918 has a hybrid system where both the combustion engine and electric motors are constantly working in tandem. This technology has filtered down into cheaper models, moving the game on in terms of horsepower, efficiency and most importantly, usability.
Those weren’t the only interesting cars though. Take a look at these:
Now let’s talk about the event as a whole. When I went to the Melbourne International Motor Show in 2006, 2007 and 2008 as a kid, it was the best thing in the world. I loved it and lapped it up as you would expect, getting into the driver’s seat and pretending to drive whilst barely seeing over the wheel. I happily posed with cars as dad took photos, and my brother Steven joined in on the fun too. Mum wasn’t so interested but she got great joy seeing both her children soo happy around cars. I saw that at this show and it was very pleasing to see. No, not all the cars were particularly exciting but that’s kinda the point and I don’t think kids really care to be honest. Even the mundane can be fun. Whether we enthusiasts like it or not, most cars are sold to people who are not interested in them. I must pay attention to that and look at what’s going on in the broader market because I can’t afford not to. It would be stupid to ignore all the “boring” stuff, especially with soo much going on. I wish to be a voice of reason in this space because I want to combat the scourge of misinformation and tell people the hard facts. It’s soo important. The future of the motor show is up in the air but I hope it returns with more manufacturers because I was very pleased with the arrangement. I will push for it because I think the consumer needs to know what will work for them and actually talk to someone instead of an AI chatbot.
So, was the motor show any good? Yes. I think it lived up to the billing and perhaps exceeded it in some ways. The people at Compello had put a big task in front of them when they announced the event several months ago, but I think it’s fair to say that they delivered. Judging by the amount of people that came through, I think the event was a success. I hope it’s the start of something because it’s what we need now more than ever.
DevMacCars 