It was on, then it was off, then it was on, now it’s off again – such is the saga of the 2021 New York Auto Show (NYIAS), cancelled last year, moved to an August date from its traditional April date then, today, cancelled once again as the COVID Delta variant continues to cause issues.
“(The New York Auto Show) has been cancelled due to the growing incidences of the Covid-19 Delta variant and the increased measures announced recently by State and local officials to stop its spread,” said show president Mark Schienberg in a statement.
It seems NYIAS has fallen victim to new restrictions in New York City that are asking for individuals to show proof of double vaccinations to get into restaurants and gyms.
Of course, as has become the custom with so many auto shows over the last two years, many of the launches are being taken online, including that of the all-new Subaru WRX and Nissan Z, two eagerly-awaited sports cars from the land of the rising sun.
It’s too bad as in addition to the launches, there was going to be some interesting exhibits such as an entire floor dedicated to EVs, with a test track for attendees and all. Obviously, that kind of stuff is going to get scuttled as it involves sharing and amidst COVID spikes, sharing is a big no-no.
At any rate; the organizers are confident that they will return in 2022, to their usual early spring time slot. That’s a good sign, as throughout the pandemic, certain shows have been cancelled with little nod to ever coming back. Many – such as one of the world’s biggest in Geneva, Switzerland – have since announced returns, but not all.
Other shows that we await word on include Moto Bella just outside of Detroit, MI – originally scheduled to replace the North American International Auto Show, which has taken place in January for years – and the Los Angeles International Auto Show in November. So far, the only major show to have run in North America since the beginning of the pandemic was this year’s Chicago International Auto Show.
Fingers crossed that we get through this latest spike, and get to see all these great cars an exhibits in person once again, from Toronto to Tokyo.