MOSCOW, August 27 (RIA Novosti) - One of the world’s biggest car shows, Moscow International Automobile Salon (MIAS) opens on Wednesday in Moscow’s Crocus Expo exhibition center.
MIAS is among the world’s top ten auto shows. The first auto show in post-Soviet Russia, the Moscow International Motor Show, MIMS, was held in 1992 at the National Exhibition of Economic Achievements, and organized by ITE Group.
The first Auto Salon was held in July 1993. Organized by ASM Holding, heir to the Soviet Ministry of Automobile and Agricultural Machinery, together with the Expocentre, the event brought together 200 companies from 26 countries. It was held on odd years at the Expocentre (1995, 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003) while MIMS was held on even years.
In 2005, MIAS switched to even years to decouple from the Frankfurt Motor Show, which was held immediately after the Moscow event, making things difficult for foreign participants.
In its current form, the Moscow International Automobile Salon has been held regularly since 2006, when it moved to the Crocus Expo exhibition center and was certified by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA).
In 2008, OICA designated MIAS a category A show, reserved for the world’s oldest and most representative motor shows held in Geneva, Frankfurt, Paris, Detroit and Tokyo. MIAS is featured on the official OICA calendar of auto shows.
Since 2005, the Association of Russian Automakers, which represents Russia in OICA, has been the official sponsor of the Moscow International Automobile Salon. From 1992 to 2004, the event was sponsored by ASM Holding.
MIAS is traditionally organized by the Association of Russian Automakers and Crocus Expo with the support of the Association of European Businesses in Russia (AEB).
In 2014, MIAS will be held at Crocus Expo from August 29 to September 7. The opening ceremony is scheduled for August 28.
The show occupies over 120,000 square meters. Over 50 carmakers will attend, including nearly all current brands in the world.
This year’s show will features a record number of new vehicles, including nine world premieres, nine European and 43 Russian premieres, along with 16 new concept cars.
More than one million visitors are expected to attend the show.
