Above all, “the survey carried out among visitors shows that a third of them intend to make a purchase in the short or medium term. It’s not nothing”.
In any case, the individuals were back. For many, it was the shock of the future. “Individuals change cars on average every 7-8 years. They were able to realize the enormous evolution of the technology embedded in cars. states Jean-Marc Ponteville, director of communication at D’Ieteren (VW, Skoda, Audi, Porsche…). “THEThere are also a very large number of visitors who are purchasing.” They quickly go to a showroom to convert their offer into a purchase order.
Why 2025 will be a good year to buy an electric car
The car is always a dream
The D’Ieteren Palace offered some 85 vehicles, “including around fifteen new releases for the public”. Above all, a lot of patience was required to be able to get up close to the Bugattis, Rimacs, Bentleys and other Lamborghinis. “The car is always a dream.”
The electric vehicle, on the other hand, is not yet a dream for individuals. “The interest is in its very early stages, but it’s starting.”notes Jean-Marc Ponteville. He then chose the VW ID.3 instead. “The interested individual is often a person who has photovoltaic panels.” The electric models that have attracted the most attention are the ID4, the Audi Q4 and the Porsche Macan. “Sales have soared.”
At Renault, the customer has largely remained loyal to what he knows. The R5 E-Tech, car of the year, “draws public interest in electric”, underlines Martin Domise, general director of Renault Belux. “There are a lot of people at the show and the trend is confirmed in the showrooms.”
While gasoline engines remain favored, Renault is seeing an increase in sales of hybrid models. “The level of awareness among the general public has progressed a lot.”
Electric Twingo: the future best-seller for city cars at reduced prices?
At Dacia, the Sandero and other Dusters were at the party, and are already well on their way to once again being the models most purchased by individuals throughout the year. The Bigster, a new arrival in the range and in the C segment, “allows us to capture another clientele.
Astara, for its part, certainly does not regret having doubled the size of its stand compared to the last edition. “Our objectives were largely exceeded for all of our 6 brands”remarks Bart Heindrick, spokesperson, while browsing sales graphs for Isuzu and KGM on his smartphone. The MG ZS and HS, in gasoline and hybrid, performed very well.
Tucson, the star at Astara
The star of the Astara distributor, however, was Hyundai’s Tucson, with the hybrid and gasoline versions meeting the greatest success. “The customer starts looking at electrics. He turns to the hybrid because the price is lower than the electric model. He still has fears about the possibilities of recharging when he goes on vacation and wonders how much it will cost him because, unlike fuel, the prices are not displayed.
-“In the top 5 most sought-after models at Hyundai, we find I10 and the Santa Fe”or the two extremes, notes Anne Potemans, spokesperson for the South Korean brand. “The feedback from the network is very favorable. The leads from visitors are of quality. This is not always the case.”
“Cars have become so expensive that people are buying a Dacia”
At Citroën, this is happening “rather very good”with requests up 20% compared to the previous show, explains Delphine Vanbockstael, Managing Director Belux. The C3 range – which was the best-selling car in Belgium in 2019, 2020 and 2021 – is popular with the public. This is for example the case of the new C3 Aircross. For the C3, thermal and electric come together. “Customers ask questions about electrical. The interest is there. We’ll have to see if that comes to fruition.”
“Individuals are returning to purchasing”indicates Asterio Perez, Managing Director of Peugeot Belux, summarizing the general feeling. “There are a lot of flows in the network.” The Lion brand’s portfolio is generally made up of 65% fleet customers and 35% individuals. “During the show, the proportion increased to 50/50.” The interest of these individuals has turned to the models 208, 2008 and 30008.
Still at Stellantis, the Frontera and Grandland have received a lot of interest. “At Leapmotor, there are already very good sales for the C10 model, rather than the T03″, the small electric model for less than 18,000 euros during the Show, confides Wim Verloy, spokesperson.
What will D’Ieteren do?
Enough to ensure the sustainability of the Show? “The question is not whether there will still be a show but whether it will take place in 2026 or 2027.” explains Christophe Dubon, recalling that Febiac is organizing such an event at the request of the sector.
“The Show shows a lot of people all the new products. It’s important for the sector and we at Renault are very happy with the organization of the Show and to be present,” confides Martin Domise. “Being in the salon is expensive. But we would have to spend a fortune to attract so many people to the showrooms.”constate Bart Heindrick.
“Electric cars at 20,000 or 25,000 euros, it’s not a marketing stunt”
The unknown, as we know, is D’Ieteren, who is rather in favor of a show every two years. However, this would risk breaking the beautiful mechanics that the 2025 Show has just relaunched. So, 2026 or 2027? “We will first take stock of the Show and then we will decide in the coming weeks.”replies Jean-Marc Ponteville.
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