“Not only has the mood been extremely positive throughout this intensive five-day trade fair, but there has also been a visible increase in the number of exhibitors and visitors. The leading international B2B flagship trade fair demonstrated its importance for the entire automotive aftermarket value chain. In total, 70 percent of the trade visitors came from abroad, 30 percent coming from Germany. Automechanika supplied a wealth of captivating in-person experiences with some 500 events and countless attractions in the outdoor exhibitor area, including a 200-metre-long pit lane and an off-road experience area. The products and services presented by the Innovation Award winners demonstrate the impressive level of technical progress being made in the automotive aftermarket,” said Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt GmbH.
90 percent of all exhibitors intend to return in two years, with a full 93 percent (+ 5 percent) of German exhibitors planning to do so. On the visitor side, 96 percent were satisfied with their trade fair visit (four percent higher than in 2024), with 89 percent of trade fair visitors saying that they would recommend a visit to Automechanika Frankfurt.
New formats broadened industry horizons
With HighTech4Mobility, Automechanika Frankfurt 2026 introduced, for the first time, a dedicated focus on software-defined vehicles, connected systems and digital services. Software companies, start-ups and representatives from workshops, retailers and industry came together in the Festhalle to discuss vehicle data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and business models in the aftermarket. Specialist presentations, application examples and a new networking lounge combined technological dialogue with new partnerships.
With the new Experience Park, the outdoor exhibition area was transformed into a stage for extraordinary vehicles and interactive experiences. The area in front of Halls 9 and 11 vividly illustrated the sheer variety of off-road mobility, including a unimog, interactive challenges and a rollover simulator. The new 200-metre-long Automechanika Pit Lane beneath the arcades of Hall 4 showcased race cars, mechanics and well-known figures from the world of motorsport. With roaring engines, test drives and the chance to climb into race cars, there were many opportunities for trade visitors to gain an authentic taste of the world of motorsport. Adjacent to the popular Future Mobility Park, a test circuit for the mobility of tomorrow, four of the nine universities exhibiting at Automechanika Frankfurt presented alternative drive vehicles that they themselves had made.
With the Classic Alliance, Automechanika Frankfurt has joined forces with FIVA (Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens), Bosch, DAT, Eucon and ROWE to provide classic and collectible car expertise. Live restorations, specialist presentations and the presentation of “Der Goldene Klassiker” by AUTO BILD KLASSIK transformed the Classic Car area in Hall 11.1 into a meeting place for companies, workshops and specialists.
AMBITION followed up its successful debut in 2024 with a larger and higher-profile event in the Festhalle, where this format – winner of two awards – served up career advice and orientation, offering direct contacts to the industry and lots of entertainment for its Gen Z and Gen Alpha audience. Over 4,600 pupils, students and trainees were given insights into the training occupations on offer in the automotive trade and a chance to discover the wide-ranging professional opportunities in the automotive industry. A varied stage programme featuring presentations, trainings and masterclasses supplied practical knowledge on new technologies and tomorrow's mobility.
The next Automechanika will take place from 5 to 9 September 2028.
[1]2024: 104.750 visitors
You can find a video featuring impressions from Automechanika Frankfurt 2026 at: Automechanika Frankfurt – Where ideas explode
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Background information on Messe Frankfurt: www.messefrankfurt.com/background-information
Sustainability at Messe Frankfurt: www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability-information