Of absentees and freeloaders
It happened on Sunday evening before the 89th Mondial in Paris. President Macron called a dinner at short notice, Stellantis boss Carlos Tavarez and Renault boss Luca de Meo hurried over. It was a good conversation, Tavarez said the day after, open, honest, direct. And if you know Tavarez a bit, you can well imagine exactly that, the man would have no career opportunities as a diplomat.
At the same time on this Sunday evening, Mercedes-Benz celebrated the world premiere of the new EQE SUV (picture above) in the Rodin Museum in Paris. A number of guests with a penchant for the star were invited to the event, and on Monday they were on their way to the motor show, which was taking place once again after four years. In contrast to these court reporters, however, the Stuttgart brand stayed away from the Mondial. They used the salon solely as a cheap hanger-on for their own interests. And that, to put it politely, is beneath any Swabian pig.
No, the new edition of the Mondial was not the best thing in the world. Only Renault made an effort to make an honourable appearance, the Stellantis Group sent only the domestic brands plus Jeep with a world premiere into the race on narrow stands. German manufacturers? Not a thing. Japanese manufacturers? Not a thing. Korean manufacturers? Not at all. Chinese manufacturers? You bet, various ones.
The fact that Tavarez, as he himself proudly recounted, had pleaded with Macron the night before that the European and Chinese car industries should be able to fight on equal terms, i.e. that the Chinese should not be allowed to continue to have unhindered access to the EU market if Stellantis & Co. were not also allowed to do so in the Middle Kingdom, seems like a mockery. Perhaps the Stellantis boss, with his direct manner, would do better to take Daimler leader Källenius to his narrow chest. Because at least the Chinese were there, they didn’t save on stand rental at a fair that is struggling to survive. They showed their presence – for the automobile, not just for their own wallets.
It can be assumed that Mercedes will then book a seven-storey stand again at the #gims in Qatar, which is to take place sometime next year (yes, we know exactly when, but we boycott this bullshit). Stellantis probably will too, a little smaller, but at least for its premium brands, all of which were missing in Paris. The high lords and their entourage will stay in hotels that make the horrendous prices of Geneva look like bargains. Only the bills at the bar will be lower, because the famous “one for the road” cannot take place for human rights reasons. Or have we mixed up something again?
Yes, we also have good design in our archive.
Be First to Comment