While Brussels may be the capital of Euroland and, as such, be regarded as one the major European centres, its annual motor show still has a long way to go to challenge the dominance of Frankfurt or Geneva.
Being at the heart of Europe ensures that the 82nd Brussels International Car Show will attract almost three-quarters of a million people by the time it closes its doors next Sunday.
Although this may not be enough to take it into the premier league, it does give the show certain advantages.
At the major European shows the big players often overshadow smaller companies, but Brussels can provide an attractive springboard for aspirant manufacturers to launch their vehicles and, critically, allow them to get them noticed. This year, it's Korean manufacturer Kia who takes centre stage when it presented its new family car.
The Cerato is a significant model for a very ambitious Kia. But, although the 4.5-metre car sits comfortably in the compact family segment, its Korean maker shies from predicting unrealistic sales figures.
Unlike Fiat with its Stilo, Kia has no expectations that the Cerato will topple the segment leaders from their podium. Instead, the company expects the new saloon (a hatch will follow) to allow it to build on what is its solid European customer base and bring it closer to its goal of 300,000 annual sales in Europe by 2005.
In Ireland where it now holds 0.6 per cent of the market, Kia also has attainable expectations. The Cerato, powered by either Hyundai's (Kia's parent company) 1.5-litre 102 bhp diesel or a 1.6-litre 105 bhp petrol, will go on sale at under €20,000.
The big players have not ignored Brussels altogether. Enjoying its European premier is BMW's 645Ci Cabrio. This 2+2 coupé will come to Irish shores by April, although, with BMW Group Ireland setting the price at €120,000 and with a V8 4.4-litre engine, sales will be minuscule.
Two more realistic, if less attractive, propositions are Citroën's new Jumpy and Fiat's very similar Scudo Combi - both enjoyed world premiers at the show. Admittedly far less important than a C-segment offering, anything that can carry nine people or up to 900 kg of cargo will ensure these are important, if niche, vehicles. Sporting a new front end and some safety and styling tweaks, the Italian manufacturer's slogan for the Scudo is "easily mistaken for a car". Many would say that the slogan writer is also easily mistaken.
With Fiat trying to convince the world of the Scudo's car-like appearance, Nissan was busy trying to disguise its cute little Micra. The reason for the one-off car, designed by Walter Van Beirendonck and created by David DeGraef, was explained by Frank Shepherd, marketing chief at Nissan Europe: "The Micra is a fun, city car with a lot of character," he said. "We wanted to connect to our target customer by showing how the car can be an extension of someone's personality."
Staying on revolutionary automotive styling, SEAT took the honours with its Altea when it was awarded Best Concept Car 2003 by the Designers (Europe) Organisation. On accepting the award, the man behind the Altea, Walter de'Silva, said his idea of car design flies in the face of the industry standard: "It's not about evolution, but revolution." Although it's difficult to see where the revolution occurs, this first of a new generation of design-led SEATs will reach the Irish market by the summer.
While on the conceptual plane, Renault's Deck' Up also enjoyed its world première. Based on the Trafic, this "adventure-seeking" vehicle is akin to a classic pick-up.
It has high ground clearance, permanent four-wheel-drive and is powered by a 2.5-litre dCi 16V engine. With its multi-function design the Deck' Up is a refreshing break from the mundane. Sadly, the Brussels Motor Show is not.