US-based automobile conglomerate General Motors has officially confirmed its absence from SEMA 2022, following in Ford and Honda's footsteps. Although officials did not rationalize the absence, it is being anticipated as a cost-cutting measure. GMC exhibited a strong presence in the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) last year with the Corvette C8.
And their absence will leave a lot of room to be filled up. The SEMA 2022 will be hosted at the Las Vegas Convention Center this year in November. The folks over at Muscle Cars & Trucks report that the bowtie brand was missing from the floor plan of exhibitors' locations for the upcoming event. On the brighter side, Volkswagen which last appeared at SEMA in 2019, is coming back after a hiatus, and they might try and fill the void left by GM.
Two other well-known automakers have also confirmed their absence from SEMA this year.
GM Cars Will be There Unofficially
A consultant at GMC was quoted saying, "GM has decided not to participate in the SEMA 2022. The SEMA show has always inspired us, and accessories and performance parts remain an important part of our business." However, GMC did not give away any credible reason behind the decision to pull out from an event known to provide a platform for exhibiting aftermarket automotive product innovations by top automakers.
The Detroit-based automaker did not issue a statement until representatives at the MCT reached out for comments after checking the exhibitor's locations map. Earlier, Ford confirmed their absence from the SEMA 2022, while Honda refrained from issuing any comment to confirm its absence from the upcoming auto show.
The officials at the Blue Oval were quoted saying that Ford is "refining its approach to the annual event to better reach and highlight how customers can personalize their Ford vehicles today and tomorrow." It is, however, being reported that Chevys will be on display at the SEMA 2022, although not at a GMC booth.
A GMC booth was missing from the floor plan of exhibitor's locations in the show, a Texas-based dealership reportedly will display models from the bowtie brand at their booth in the upcoming SEMA. It is said that Honda's luxury brand, Acura, might appear in the show with the latest models like the 2023 Integra.
The Reason For General Motors' Absence From SEMA 2022
Incidentally, GMC has been a regular at the annual automobile exhibition save this year. Last year, the American automaker stole the show with modified rear-mid engine C8 Corvettes, Camaros, and other beauties. In 2020, authorities canceled the SEMA show due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic. Several reasons are anticipated to drive the exit, and cutting costs could be one of key reasons, as every automaker has been hit hard by the pandemic since 2020.
Besides, a global shift toward electrification might also be a driving force for the decision of significant automakers to shift their focus from aftermarket mods. While GMC will be missed at this year's SEMA, the exit is anticipated to be temporary. The Chevys, Caddys, and brawny GMCs are likely to make a comeback in future iterations of the annual car show, most likely, with an electrified fleet.
Sources: Media.gm.com, Musclecarsandtrucks.com