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As the foundation of the automotive specialty-equipment industry, hot rods and customs remain an integral part of the SEMA Show. In addition to hundreds of booths showcasing custom and specialty parts, tires and accessories for hot rods, visitors to Hot Rod Alley will be treated to some of the most creative and artistic vehicles on display, and they will be able to talk directly with representatives from the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA), a SEMA council dedicated to preserving and promoting the hot-rod industry.

To view all of the companies exhibiting in Hot Rod Alley of the 2007 SEMA Show click here. To view all of the sections and exhibitors of the 2007 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

Exhibitors, don't forget to let us know of any celebrity autograph sessions or booth appearances by contacting Lisa Schafer at lisas@sema.org. The following personalities are scheduled to appear at the 2007 SEMA Show:

-Kenny Youngblood, motorsports artist
Superchips (Booth #24213),
Tuesday—Thursday (9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m.); Friday (9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m.)

-Daytona Dayton, automotive radio personality
Line-X (Booth TBD)
Tuesday—Friday (time TBD)

-Kevin Levrone, bodybuilder
Line-X (Booth TBD)
Tuesday—Friday (time TBD)

-Mike Ciochetti, Jr., NASCAR driver
Line-X (Booth TBD)
Tuesday—Friday (time TBD)

-Boyd and Jo Coddington, star of American Hot Rod, SEMA Hall of Famer
AMSOIL (South Hall, Upper Level)
Thursday, 1:00 p.m.—3:00 p.m.

-John and Ashley Force; Robert Hight, Force Racing Team, NHRA
NHRA (Booth #22331)
Tuesday, 9:30 a.m.—11:30 a.m.

-Funkmaster Flex, radio and television personality, car show impresario
BP Lubricants/Castrol (Booth #21021)
Wednesday, 2:00 p.m.—3:00 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m.—12 p.m.

You are invited to find out where the youth market is headed by attending Sport Compact Council's (SCC) Youth Focus Panel during the NOPI Nationals, Saturday, September 15, 4:30 p.m.—6:00 p.m., Atlanta Motor Speedway, Infield Media Center. The event features dozens of young consumers speaking candidly about their hobby. This is where you'll discover what they really think and want from the automotive specialty-equipment market.

To RSVP or if you have any questions about the Focus Group, Contact Paul Moritz at 909/396-0289, ext. 112, or paulm@sema.org. For more information on the SCC, visit www.sema.org/scc.

Whether you're an industry big dog or just want to roll like one, contact Beverly Hills Rent A Car of Las Vegas to seat yourself in an exotic rental for an evening or the whole Show week. Director of Sales & Marketing Mark Barrett says they have everything from Bentley Continental GTs to Lamborghini Gallardos.

Call 702/248-RENT or visit www.bhrentacar.com for more info.

SEMA-member companies have posted several new listings for job opportunities at www.sema.org/classifieds. Working for a SEMA-member company has many advantages. In addition to working for a company that supports and contributes to the success of the overall industry, being employed by a SEMA-member company enable the employee to participate in webinars, access free market research, join SEMA committees and more. The newest classified listings posted under Positions Available include:

Preliminary results from SEMA’s 2007 Automotive Lifestyles survey show that two out of five (41%) people surveyed show an interest in sport-compact vehicles. What kind of specialty-equipment products are these enthusiasts purchasing? The following is an excerpt from the 2006 SEMA Compact Performance Market Report, which lists the top products purchased by this group.

The Fast & the Furious movies controversially thrust the compact performance segment into mainstream view and many enthusiasts were put off by negative stereotypes attributed to the overzealous nature of the scene portrayed in the first two movies. Average citizens were harsher and the excessive “look at me” style of 2001—2004 suddenly became passé, if not taboo.

The days of mismatched and unpainted body kits, Franken-car part mixing, spray-painted interiors and questionable decal schemes have mostly passed. Nevertheless, enthusiasts remain interested in accessories and appearance products for their low-cost and visual impact. Alarms, shifters, pedals, window tinting, license plate frames, instrument gauges and lights remain enthusiast favorites, and the list of “hot” items people plan to buy include vertical doors, seats (front and rear), custom paint and a range of carbon-fiber pieces. Some of these parts are purely aesthetic, but the recent twist on performance favors items, such as racing seats and carbon-fiber parts, for their ability to improve the racing potential of a car and its driver.

 

In regard to body kits and exterior elements, the current disposition is moving towards subtle modifications that blend into the factory lines. Previously, there was an epidemic of aggressive kits that had little, if not a negative, effect on aerodynamics. Wild “fighter plane” styles and enormous rear wings have been replaced with a more conservative look.

Much of the influence has come from response to the criticism caused by mainstream coverage, but also by clean styles from Japan and Europe. European luxury sedans often incorporate modest body upgrades that are appealing for being simple and classy. Likewise, the “JDM” and VIP waves from Japan are inspiring a direction of visual minimalism. Consumers now demand parts with substantial functionality and prefer bolt-on features that have proven aerodynamic advantages. Bold packages are still popular and wide-body kits are on the rise, but their architectural range is less adventurous and more integrated.
   
Neon lights have been able to break the The Fast & The Furious curse and have become widely accepted on show cars. They were associated with this negative image but have survived the transition. Consumers note that they captivate attendees for a “second look” and prove especially useful since many of the mainstream shows tend to adopt a nightclub ambience with little facility lighting. Since their usage is primarily witnessed as props for shows, their street popularity is still unknown.

SEMA members can receive a complimentary copy of the 2006 SEMA Compact Performance Market Report as another benefit to being a SEMA member. Additional data, including performance-parts purchases, demographics and top vehicles purchased by this segment, can be found in this report, which may be downloaded by visiting www.sema.org/research.

Roughly 19% of automotive enthusiasts queried in SEMA's 2007 Automotive Lifestyles survey own a light truck, and the following is a short excerpt from the 2006 SEMA Light Truck Personalization Report, which details the top products purchased by light-truck owners per geographic region.

For the purpose of this study, the United States was broken up into nine regions. The following data indicates the percentage of truck owners who have already installed or plan to install various accessories. In each of the regions, the heavy-duty trailer hitch was the most popular accessory to have already been installed. For the purpose of this article, only the top five accessory purchases/planned purchases for each region in 2006 are presented below.



While the tables above show only the top five purchases in each region, the entire breakdown of purchases is available in the full-length report.  SEMA members can now receive their complimentary copy of the 2006 SEMA Light Truck Personalization Report as another benefit to being a SEMA member. This data-intensive report is filled with valuable light-truck specialty-equipment industry information, and SEMA members can download the report by visiting www.sema.org/research.

Although August sales of the current Jeep Liberty declined by 51.2% compared to the same period last year, Chrysler hopes its redesigned-for-2008 model will broaden consumer appeal. SEMA research reveals that among enthusiasts surveyed in the 2007 Automotive Lifestyle survey, 4% owned a Jeep and that nearly all of them—97%—had personalized their rides. Most popular among these modifications are bigger tires, trailer hitches, custom wheels, air intakes, fog lights and modified suspensions.