By SEMA News Editors
MotorTrend Names Hyundai President and CEO as 2025 Person of the Year
MotorTrend has named Hyundai Motor Company President and CEO José Muñoz as its 2025 Person of the Year and the highest rank of its 50-person 2025 MotorTrend Power List.
According to MotorTrend, "José Muñoz steps into the history books as the first non-Korean to lead the conglomerate that includes Hyundai and Genesis… (and) has been a driving force, leading Hyundai through years of record growth in North American sales, market share, revenue, and profitability. Muñoz has more than earned his top spot on our Power List, and he shows no signs of slowing down or making major missteps."
The 2025 MotorTrend Power List also includes Euisun Chung, Hyundai Motor Group executive chair (who was named Person of the Year in 2023); SangYup Lee, Hyundai executive vice president and head of Hyundai and Genesis global design; Luc Donckerwolke, Hyundai Motor Group chief creative officer; Claudia Márquez, Hyundai Motor America chief operating officer and Karim Habib, head of KIA global design and the KIA Design Center.
"I am extremely honored to be recognized among such a talented group of industry leaders," said Muñoz. "This recognition is due to the vision and support of our executive chair, the hard-working women and men of Hyundai, our outstanding dealer partners, our customers, and so many others who work tirelessly for Hyundai and Genesis in this competitive and dynamic industry. It's a great time to be with Hyundai!"
For more information, read the MotorTrend article here.
Petersen Automotive Museum Announces New Ken Block Tribute Exhibit
Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles has announced that the "People's Champ: The Impact of Ken Block" exhibit is now open. Located on the second floor in the Bruce Meyer Family Gallery, the new exhibit honors the late motorsports icon Block, who passed away in early 2023 after a snowmobile accident.
A motorsports icon and pioneer of automotive content in the age of online media, rally driver and DC Shoes co-founder Ken Block utilized his marketing acumen, driving expertise and automotive enthusiasm to create the enormously popular "Gymkhana" video series and Hoonigan, an automotive lifestyle brand and production company that has captivated audiences for more than a decade.
By the time of Block's tragic death in 2023, the series' multiple films had amassed hundreds of millions of views. The vehicles had improved from modified street machines to one-of-a-kind, purpose-built Gymkhana monsters. The locations had progressed from empty airfields and dockyards to closed roads in metropolitan areas and perilous mountain passes. Additional shows on the Hoonigan YouTube channel, such as "Daily Transmission," "Build Breakdown," and "The Unprofessionals," showcased unique vehicle builds, high-performance driving, and the automotive antics of the Hoonigan staff. Block and the Hoonigan Media Machine team revolutionized motorsports filmmaking and became a pillar of automotive culture by producing authentic, enthusiast-centered media that was tailor-made for online viewing.
This exhibit will honor Block's legacy through a display of his most iconic vehicles and memorabilia, such as racing suits, helmets, wheels, DC Shoes and Hoonigan merchandise, from key moments in his career.
For more information and to buy tickets, visit the Petersen Automotive Museum website here.
Image courtesy of Petersen Automotive Museum, petersen.org.
Holley Performance Brands Expands Into Mexico
Holley Performance Brands is growing its global footprint by expanding into Mexico.
The company is entering Mexico in a phased approach, beginning with its modern truck and off-road consumer vertical that encompasses Jeeps, Ford Broncos, mid-size pickups and other highly customized vehicle fitments in the region. Products and platform package solutions from Holley-owned brands like ADS, Baer, Edge, DiabloSport, Flowmaster, Superchips, Holley, ACCEL and MSD are already available in Mexico through authorized distributors, including Auto Zone locations, as well as through job shops.
Holley's entrance into Mexico officially kicked off on February 1 with an event in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, attended by distributors, job shops, enthusiasts and Holley Performance Brands leadership. To support its growing presence in the Mexico region, Holley has launched a dedicated website and social media channels, the company said.
Holley plans to launch its Domestic Muscle product portfolio in Mexico later this spring--including high-performance brands such as AEM, Mr. Gasket and Holley EFI--with its Safety & Racing brands to follow later this year, including Stilo, Simpson, RaceQuip and Hans.
For more information on Holley Mexico, visit holley.com/mexico.