The auto shows to watch in 2011

(IAA)

Next year's major auto shows are set to be dominated by two industry trends - electric cars and the growth of China as an automotive producer. Look out for the growing presence of both at the following major shows throughout 2011 (dates are public).

23rd North American International Auto Show
January 15-23
Detroit, MI, United States

One of the largest shows of the year returns bigger than ever in 2011, with organisers predicting that 90 percent of the unveilings planned at the show will be worldwide debuts.
Follow the event on Twitter @naiasdetroit
http://www.naias.com/


81st Geneva International Motor Show
March 3-13
Geneva, Switzerland

The first major show of the year in Europe, Geneva traditionally hosts unveilings from a raft of high-profile European automakers, and other countries. 2011's show emphasizes the environment, with a 3,000 sq. meter Green Pavilion and Green Test Drives using 12 environmentally-friendly cars. Over 690,000 visitors attended in 2010.
http://www.salon-auto.ch

8th Seoul International Motor Show
April 1-10
Seoul, Korea

"Evolution, Green Revolution on Wheels" is the theme of this year's Seoul Motor Show, which is biennial and expects a million attendees in 2011. Look out for green technologies being showcased by Korea's major automakers such as Hyundai, Kia, GM Daewoo, Renault Samsung and Ssangyong.
Follow the event on Twitter: @SeoulMotorShow
http://www.motorshow.or.kr

51st Amsterdam AutoRAI
April 13-23
Amsterdam, the Netherlands

The biennial AutoRAI showcases new models and concept cars from around the world every two years and is one of the largest automotive events in Northern Europe. After trialing a unique layout in 2009, in which cars were grouped by theme rather than by manufacturer, 2011's event will return to the traditional layout where cars are grouped by brand.
Follow the event on Twitter: @autorai
http://www.autorai.nl


14th Auto Shanghai
April 21-28
Shanghai, China

Although Auto Shanghai is rarely as large as its sister exhibition held biennially in Beijing, it can't be ignored in a world where the Chinese automotive industry looks set to rapidly gain market share in the West. The show attracted over 600,000 visitors in 2009, beating all previous records - will it edge closer to (or even past) the 780,000 visitors welcomed by the Beijing show in 2010?
http://www.autoshanghai.org


New York International Auto Show 2011
April 22 - May 1
New York, NY, United States

New York rounds off the North American Auto Show season and normally boasts a couple of high-profile debuts for the benefit of its visitors, which number over one million. The show traditionally hosts the prestigious World Car of the Year competition, selecting the winner from new models introduced around the world.
Follow the event on Twitter @NYAutoShow
http://www.autoshowny.com

36th Barcelona International Motor Show
May 7-14
Barcelona, Spain

Over one million visitors attended the 2009 Barcelona Auto Show, making it one of the Europe's largest shows. The event normally hosts a couple of global premiers and conferences discussing the future of the industry.
http://www.salonautomovil.com

64th Frankfurt International Motor Show
September 17-25
Frankfurt, Germany

Frankfurt is Europe's second major show of the year (after Geneva), biennially showcasing the best of automakers from Germany and around the world. Organized by the massive German auto industry, it showcases new models, concepts and even motorcycles, making it the world's largest show.
http://www.iaa.de

2nd Johannesburg International Motor Show
October 8-16
Johannesburg, South Africa

The Johannesburg Motor Show is the single largest automotive event in Southern Africa and is run in conjunction with a parts exhibition and a truck exhibition. Motorcycles and performance vehicles also have their own segments at this show.
http://www.jims.co.za

Los Angeles Auto Show 2011
November 18-27
Los Angeles, CA, US

The LA Auto Show traditionally focuses on green vehicles which are rapidly becoming more commonplace on the streets of Los Angeles. Expect a host of forward-thinking debuts from the world's manufacturers, along with some wacky concepts and the results of the Green Car of the Year award, which is normally announced at the show's Press Days.
Follow the event on Twitter: @laautoshow
http://www.laautoshow.com


42nd Tokyo Motor Show
December 3-11
Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo's biennial exhibition welcomes visitors from around the world and is set to showcase "Smart Mobility Cities" in 2011, examining how next-generation automobiles will interact with their environment. However, the show was seriously hit by low numbers in 2009 - organisers hope that the move to Tokyo from Chiba for the first time in 24 years can help the event to be reborn.
http://www.tokyo-motorshow.com