SEMA is proud to announce Hot Wheels® as a title sponsor for the SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser supported by DUB Magazine and presented by Advanstar.

The SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser is where outgoing Board members are recognized for their service, newly elected Board members are introduced and the newest selections for the SEMA Hall of Fame are announced.
              
Beginning this year, the event was combined with charitable fundraising activities, and proceeds from the gala will be contributed to two very worthy causes—Childhelp and the Petty Victory Junction Gang Camp. Hot Wheels is donating $25,000 worth of toys for children at both organizations as part of this fundraising effort.

“Hot Wheels has been involved with SEMA for a number of years, and as we approach our 40th Anniversary in 2008, we’re thrilled to help them in their effort to support two great causes,” said Geoff Walker, Vice President of Wheels Marketing, Mattel Brands.  “For 40 years, our cars have always showcased the most extreme examples of vehicle design and customization, and this partnership with SEMA proved to be a perfect fit for us.”

One of the fundraising activities held in conjunction with the annual banquet is the silent auction. The silent auction features a multitude of one-of-a-kind collectibles and memorabilia. Items that have already been graciously donated include a two-night stay for two couples at the Cibolo Creek Ranch in Texas, as well as passes to the Barrett-Jackson Auction.
              
To donate an item for the silent auction, use the PDF donation form located here.

Click here for more information on the Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser.

American drivers continue to embrace the notion of customization and personalization, having purchased a record $36.72 billion worth of specialty automotive products in 2006. The number represents a 7% increase over 2005, when sales reached $34.28 billion.

"Today's consumer wants something unique and different," said Jim Spoonhower, vice president of market research for SEMA. "They're buying vehicles that are dependable and reliable, but then they're personalizing those vehicles so that they look distinctive, perform differently, are more comfortable, convenient, safe or just more fun."

SEMA has been actively monitoring the specialty automotive market since 1986. The association reports that the automotive specialty-equipment industry has seen sales grow an average of 7.4% per year during the last 10 years. Meanwhile, the growth of the total automotive aftermarket (which includes repair parts) and the U.S. economy has been much slower (4.4% and 3.2%, respectively).

"What's really exciting is that we're seeing more and more mainstream consumers discovering the benefits of vehicle personalization," said Spoonhower. A 2007 survey found that 25% of American drivers plan to purchase automotive specialty-equipment industry products in the next 90 days.

SEMA also notes that automakers are recognizing the importance of customization. In fact, many automakers collaborate with SEMA on programs that allow members to develop products better, faster and more efficiently than ever before. This trend is resulting in more products and giving consumers greater options.

"The automotive specialty-equipment industry is made up of innovators," Spoonhower continued. "Because many enter the industry as enthusiasts who know and love the hobby, they have a deep understanding of what the end-users will want and need. "As a result, products are resonating with consumers more than ever before."

Industry manufacturers continue to develop an impressive number of new products year after year. The SEMA Show, referred to as the premier automotive accessories trade show in the world, consistently debuts more than 1,000 new products each year. Open exclusively to industry professionals, the annual event will be held October 30–November 2, 2007, in Las Vegas. Details about the Show are available at www.semashow.com.

Comprehensive details on the size of the automotive specialty-equipment market and other industry trends can be found in the June 2007 issue of SEMA News.

Automotive Specialty-Equipment Growth Trend

Year    Retail Sales    Year-Over-Year Change    GDP Change
1996    $17.65 billion                6.0%                      3.7%
1997    $19.33 billion                8.4%                      4.5%
1998    $21.20 billion                9.1%                      4.2%
1999    $23.24 billion                9.4%                      4.5%
2000    $24.86 billion                7.0%                      3.7%
2001    $25.90 billion                3.8%                      0.8%
2002    $26.84 billion                3.1%                      1.6%
2003    $28.91 billion                7.7%                      2.5%
2004    $31.45 billion                8.8%                      3.9%
2005    $34.28 billion                9.2%                      3.2%
2006    $36.72 billion                7.1%                      3.4%

Source: Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)

SEMA Show exhibitors that would like to build a Nissan-based project vehicle are reminded that the deadline to submit project-vehicle proposals to Nissan is Thursday, June 15. Proposals based on all current Nissan models will be accepted. Nissan's 2007 SEMA Show strategy will focus primarily on the 2007 Sentra and the 2008 Altima Coupe.

Complete program information and proposal requirements are available by clicking here. For more information on project-vehicle programs, contact Bill Wolf at billw@sema.org or visit www.sema.org/oem.

SEMA's eight councils and two committees are set to tee off on the greens of the Strawberry Farms Golf Club as part of Council Cup - Cash for Kids, a friendly game of golf to benefit children's charities. All groups will compete in teams of four. The teams are:

Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO)

Ernie Silvers, Egge Machine Co. Inc.
Jim Barber, Classic Automotive Restoration
Dave Mihalko Jr., Restoration Specialties
Alex Tainsh, SoffSeal Inc.

Light-Truck Accessory Alliance (TORA)

Anne Johnson, California Truck Works
Gary Long
Dave Madison
Corky Volp

Professional Restylers Organization (PRO)

Larry Riggle, Webasto Product North America
Kerry Howton, Arizona Sun Tops
Bob West, Westin Automotive Products
John LaBare, Westin Automotive Products

Young Executives Network (YEN)

Luanne Brown, eTool Developers LLC
S. Kellie Colf, Eaton Detroit Springs
Tammy Holland, Competition Cams Inc.
Don Colf, Eaton Detroit Springs

American Technologies and Cap World Team

Ron DiVincenzo
Kelly Kneifl
Charlie Holden
Todd Yeoman

If you want to tee up to help Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp's charitable activities, you can form your own team. If you've already formed a team, please send us the details. For information on the SEMA Charity Golf Tournament, contact Arlene Wood at arlenew@sema.org or 909/396-0289 ext. 110. Even if you don't play, it's easy to support your favorite council by making a charitable pledge online. Click here to pledge anywhere from $10–$100 or the amount of your choice.

The Council Cup is just one event representing SEMA's charitable efforts to benefit two worthwhile organizations that have become favorites of SEMA-member companies—Childhelp and the Victory Junction Gang Camp.

This year, the association included charitable fundraising activities in conjunction with its traditional SEMA Installation Banquet to form the SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser. Proceeds from the gala event will be contributed to two organizations. For information on the event and activities, visit www.sema.org/gala.

Filler for eNews

What constituted a light truck 15 or 20 years ago might qualify as an ultra-light truck today. Little haulers like the '80–'86 Nissan 720 (and the Hardbody successor) seem positively featherweight compared to the Rams and Silverados of today. As the definition of light truck continues to shift, we wanted to look at the specialty parts market for some of the quintessentially American “light” trucks, the ones that gave rise to the name and category.

Maybe the embodiment of light truck, the Chevy S10 still commands an active parts market. Between April 26–May 25, S10 enthusiasts spent $330,000 on largely secondhand specialty parts, chief among them exterior goods, lighting and lamps and interior goods, according to data from Terapeak, a developer of market-focused research software that monitors online sales and auctions.

Exterior parts comprised $78,000 of total sales, the most popular products including mirrors, grilles and bumpers. Taillights, headlights, consoles and switches/controls rounded out some of the other most sought-after items.

Despite Chevy setting the pace in the light-truck category, the Ford Ranger outran it, pulling in $387,600 worth of accessory sales during the same period. Ranger enthusiasts covet the same category of goods, starting with exterior goods ($81,000 worth of grilles, mirrors, tailgates/liftgates, among others), lighting and lamps ($57,000), and $25,000 worth of interior products.

Not to be left out, the Dodge Dakota slots into second place, with its enthusiast base buying up $359,400 worth of product. Not surprisingly, exterior goods topped the list and accounted for $106,400 of total sales (again—grilles, bumpers and mirrors among the most purchased). Lighting and lamp accessories and air intake/fuel-delivery goods rounded out the top three most popular purchase categories.

Terapeak's Motors P&A Research provides sellers with access to in-depth research on the past year of online auction data and allows users to get in-depth research reports on the competition and themselves. More at www.terapeak.com/motors. 

Filler for eNews

Filler for eNews

Brenda Priddy & Company reports:

We've seen two different concepts: one in 2003, and another in Paris in 2006, but here's the production version of Alfa's all-new 8C. This latest Alfa Romeo jewel, which will be produced in a limited edition of just 500, has been photographed while testing at the German Nürburgring.

As Alfa 8C Competizione takes on its role as a leading player, the combination of the exhilaration generated by its design and the pleasure of its drive clearly make Alfa Romeo stand out within its category. Comparing both, the concepts and the prototype shown here, we're able to reveal the many modifications that will turn the show-stunner into a road-legal production car: new air intakes, softer edges, wider A-pillars and many more.

The car will be powered by an unprecedented 4,591-cm, 90-degree eight-cylinder engine. Maximum engine performance is 450 bhp at 7000 rpm, with a peak torque of 470 Nm at 4,750 rpm and top speed capacity at 7,500 rpm.

With six gears and a computerized gearbox system situated behind the steering wheel, the new 8C offers pinpoint gear response and has been developed to be driven at manual-regular, manual-sporty, automatic-regular, automatic-sporty and ice modes.

The 8C's suspension and brake systems have been designed using racetrack engineering and developed technologies. The front and rear dual wishbone suspension and aluminum calipers ensure exceptional traction and braking performance. The 8C makes use of Alfa Romeo's latest VDC technology (advanced stability and traction-control systems) to offer the best driving performance in any situation, as well as guaranteed driving safety. And we're expecting the 8C Competizione to mark Alfa's re-entry into the U.S. market.

President Bush signed into law a SEMA-supported measure that balances a minimum wage hike with $4.8 billion in small-business tax breaks. The wage will increase to $7.25 per hour over two years in three $.70 increments. The wage will rise to from $5.15 to $5.85 on July 24, 2007, followed by yearly increases to $6.55 and $7.25.

The tax-relief package increases the tax code’s annual expensing limits to $125,000 through 2008. The current limit is $112,000. Other provisions include incentives to hire disabled veterans and welfare workers. 

While the federal wage has not been raised in a decade, at least 29 states and many local jurisdictions already have minimum-wage rates that are higher than the federal standard. For example, the current wage in California is $7.50 and will increase to $8.00 in 2008. SEMA supports polices that allow wages to be set by the marketplace and contends that a minimum-wage hike filters up the pay chain and hurts small businesses. In this instance, however, SEMA believes the federal legislation strikes a balance between a wage hike and targeted tax relief for small businesses. For further information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.