The event was prolonged, the sanitary measures were strict, and the car dealers themselves were highly motivated: Nevertheless, the 2021 edition of the AutoFestival has not been a complete success.
On Tuesday, the Federation of Automobile Distributors (Fedamo) took stock of the 57th edition of the annual festival. The points of sale officially closed on Sunday, with car dealers hoping that the prolonged timeframe would allow them to spread out their offer and reassure customers that there was no risk of large crowds. According to Fedamo, visitors "appreciated the extension of the Autofestival".
All in all, Fedamo's assessment of the 2021 edition was a mixed bag: nine out of ten dealerships welcomed fewer customers. Even so, the reception restrictions and the appointment systems were well received by customers.
"While 45% of the dealerships say they did fairly well, a quarter reported a drop in sales of at least 20%", states the report on the 2021 edition. "85% of members confirm having concluded fewer deals and far fewer road tests" deplores the Federation. On the upside, customers who came to the dealerships received better follow-up from the salesperson.
In line with past years, professionals in the sector confirm that diesel has lost its popularity. "68% of the dealerships confirm that customers have opted for petrol engines instead, while the purchase of diesels has decreased at 70% of the dealerships" writes Fedamo.
Electric engines, on the other hand, continue to gain in popularity: 80% of dealers have achieved more sales in this segment. Sometimes well over 10% more compared to the previous year for a 100% electric vehicle, and even 20% more for rechargeable hybrids. The large amount of state aid is certainly not unrelated to this.
After the AutoFestival, Fedamo is now focussed on the rest of 2021. A year that promises to be "long and difficult with a health situation that remains tense" but which the Federation hopes can still "evolve in a positive way".
