The automotive world in times of coronavirus
03/20/2020
Just a few weeks ago, what is currently happening would have been unimaginable. The major manufacturers (VW, Porsche, Toyota, etc.) are stopping their car production and the assembly lines will (soon) be at a standstill. In some factories, it probably looks similar to the photo shown.
And, of course, it is not just the car manufacturers who are now pulling the emergency brake. It is also affecting their suppliers, often small companies that have hardly any reserves. It is affecting steel suppliers and plastics producers.
And it's not just car production that has been halted; advertising spending is also being stopped immediately, which in turn is affecting agencies and the media industry.
Garages and maintenance companies, including those in the classic car sector, are initially trying to remain optimistic and at least offer their services. But customers are currently reluctant to bring their cars into the garage.
Auction houses are also suffering. Auctions with an audience are having to be canceled, and courageous auction houses are trying to switch to online and telephone bidding. It remains to be seen whether this will work. If the serious buyers lose interest, only the bargain hunters will remain.
Organizers currently only have two questions in mind anyway: when is the right time to cancel the upcoming event and is a postponement date in the second half of the year the right decision? You can hardly do anything right, but you can do a lot wrong. These are difficult times, nobody is to be envied and we are all in this together. Let's stick together as much as possible (without getting too close) ...
