Nissan pulls out of crucial motor show

Nissan has become the latest car manufacturer to pull out of the Detroit motor show. The company says the move aims to help rein in marketing spending amid the global downturn in sales.

The company is the latest car-maker to pull out of the motorshow, which is widely regarded as the event marking the car industry’s new year.

Porsche, Mitsubishi Motors, Suzuki Motor, Land Rover and Rolls Royce have also said they will skip the Detroit auto show next year, due to a need to cut marketing spend as car sales continue to fall globally.

Alan Buddendeck, Nissan marketing communications manager, says: “The company had decided to skip the Detroit show and Chicago shows, which take place in February, after reviewing its planned marketing spending. Is this the best use of our marketing dollar? The answer is probably not. As with every other automaker, we are looking at all of our marketing expenses.”

The eyes of the motor industry are carefully watching movements in Detroit, as General Motors, Ford and Chrysler – referred to as the “Detroit Three” plead with the US government for a bailout to help them survive financially.

GM has already warned that it will run short of cash and announced yeterday that it is ending an endorsement deal with golfer Tiger Woods a year early, and cutting spending on motor sports endorsements. It has also dropped plans to advertise during the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards next year.