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While the show at the Brisbane Convention Centre will be halved to five days, organisers say it will have more "wow" factor packed into the shorter format.
Motor Trades Association of Queensland acting CEO Ian Field said they realised the show had to be reinvented.
"Traditional motor shows are getting too expensive for manufacturers to erect an million dollar stand for a few days," he said.
"In this climate and in a small market like Australia we can't afford to run a traditional show. We need to turn it into an entertainment event."
The organisers have signed an event organiser on a 10-year agreement to develop a family oriented show.
Expertise Events managing director Gary Fitz-Roy said it was "very early stages" but they planned to have several stages in the exhibition hall to provide entertainment.
"It won't be just a motor show as you've seen in the past like a big caryard," he said.
"The cars will still be the heroes, but we will create an entertainment spectacular around them that will appeal to all demographics who like cars."
Other facets of the show will include model cars, car restoration and alternative fuels.
Fitz-Roy said the average time spent at the motor show was two hours but entertainment would double that.
Field said the shorter format would make it easier for dealers to supply staff to work at the show.
However, he said the show's selling focus may not continue.
"It will depend on whether the manufacturers co-ordinate it or the dealers co-ordinate it," he said.
"Personally I'd prefer it wasn't a selling show and that the manufacturers co-ordinate it.
"We haven't spoken to them (manufacturers) yet, but we know we can get the cars there through the dealer network anyway.
"We'd prefer they (manufacturers) co-ordinated it so it gets around the politics of which dealer will be there and which ones won't.
"We also need their logistical expertise.
"But if push comes to shove we'll put the cars there instead of the manufacturers."
The reinvention of the Brisbane Motor Show follows a decision earlier this year to have alternate major motor shows in Sydney and Melbourne each year.
Field said Queensland should always be on the motor show calendar.
"Queensland's market isn't far off being the size of Victoria's," he said.
"Take off manufacturers' registrations and we are about the same size.
"Many of the experts say we will be bigger than Victoria within the next 15 years."
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