Cars inside an event venue? The Mazda CX-6e case study at SILO

It is one of the first questions automotive agencies ask on the phone: "Can we bring cars inside the venue?"

The short answer is yes. The full answer deserves an article, because behind this question hide ten others: where do vehicles enter, can the floor take the weight, how do you protect a confidential prototype, how do you manage rotations during the event.

In June 2026, the Mazda CX-6e launch at SILO answered all of these in practice: 4 days, 1,000 guests, and vehicles at the heart of an immersive scenography in Meudon Hall. Here is what the project reveals about the venue's capabilities.

The project: 4 days, 4 audiences, 1 vehicle at the centre

To reveal the CX-6e, its new electric vehicle, Mazda needed a venue that could host cars indoors AND transform into a brand universe. Agency WE MAKE YOU HAPPY designed a Japanese-inspired scenography, with an immersive installation by Brussels-based artist Davide Capasso, and Fluxology orchestrated the guest flows.

The programme ran over 4 days with successive audiences: dealers, press, influencers, fleet managers and customers. Each group experienced its own version of the event, built around one central moment: meeting the vehicle.

Question 1: where do the vehicles enter?

SILO is a former 1930s industrial brewery. The building was designed to receive delivery trucks, machinery and heavy loads: ground-level, vehicle-sized access is part of its DNA.

Concretely, vehicles drive straight into Meudon Hall through the industrial doors, with no dismantling, no crane, no temporary ramp. For a car launch, this means rotations are possible during the event: one vehicle can leave in the evening and another enter the next morning.

Question 2: can the floor take the weight?

SILO's floors are industrial concrete, originally designed for brewery equipment far heavier than any production vehicle. Several cars on display simultaneously pose no structural problem.

For the finish, floor protection is planned according to the scenography: event carpet, technical flooring or custom branding. At the CX-6e launch, the floor was an integral part of the set.

Question 3: how do you protect an unrevealed model?

A product launch often means the vehicle arrives on site before its public reveal. SILO manages this scenario with a proven protocol: NDAs signed with all suppliers, personalised access control per zone, vehicle covers during build-up phases, and media embargo coordinated with the brand's communications team.

The topic is addressed at the first briefing, not the night before the event.

Question 4: what does electric change?

The CX-6e is an electric vehicle, which simplifies part of the equation: no indoor emissions, no exhaust extraction needed for a static display. What remains are charging questions (charge points accessible near the display zones) and battery safety, integrated into the prevention plan with our technical team.

For combustion engines, specific protocols exist: minimal fuel levels, battery disconnection and adapted ventilation depending on the configuration.

It was not a first

The Mazda launch is part of a lineage. SILO had already hosted Mobility Solutions by D'Ieteren, a 10-day B2B exhibition dedicated to mobility solutions, with vehicles displayed across the site's large spaces. The automotive format is one of the venue's natural uses, alongside trade shows and galas.

The checklist for your automotive event

If you are preparing a launch, a show or an activation with vehicles, here are the points to validate with any venue:

• Access: ground-level, vehicle-sized doors, route from street to hall
• Floor: load capacity and options for protection or customisation
• Rotations: possibility of vehicle movements during the event
• Confidentiality: NDAs, closed zones, covers, embargo
• Energy: charge points for electric models, protocols for combustion engines
• Scenography: ceiling height and rigging for vehicle lighting

At SILO, these six points are covered as standard and validated during a technical visit with our team.

Frequently asked questions

How many vehicles can be displayed simultaneously?
Depending on the configuration, Meudon Hall (1,341 m²) comfortably hosts several vehicles with their circulation and activation zones. The exact number depends on the desired scenography.

Can dynamic test drives be organised?
Road test drives depart directly from the site, as during the CX-6e launch. The canal district offers varied urban routes, and the parking lends itself to organised departures.

Can the venue host a multi-day launch?
Yes. The CX-6e's 4-day format, with successive audiences and a maintained scenography, matches this type of use exactly.

Which spaces should be combined for a car launch?
Typically Meudon Hall for the reveal and display, the SAS or Atelier & Mezzanine for press briefings, and the Rooftop for summer receptions.

Your vehicle at centre stage

If you are preparing a car launch or a vehicle activation in Brussels, the simplest step is a technical visit: access, floor, energy and confidentiality are validated in one hour on site.

Send your brief: silobrussels.be/en/contact. Reply within 48 hours. For the full picture of a successful launch, also read our brand launch playbook.