By SEMA Editors

Ford has announced its project-vehicle program for 2019.

Ford Motor Co. has announced its project-vehicle program for 2019. Complete information on the program is below. The first deadline is for project summaries on February 15. The one-page summary should include vehicle/theme, vehicle modifications, new products developed for the vehicle, promotional plan, and vehicle display location at the SEMA Show. 

2019 Ford Project Vehicle Program

Project Summary Submission Deadline: February 15, 2019
Proposal Submission Deadline: March 1, 2019
Award Recipient Notification Date: by May 1, 2019

All project vehicle requests must be submitted in two parts and meet the following Ford Aftermarket Project Vehicle Program criteria:

Part 1

Email a one-page project summary—must be received by February 15, 2019. Include bullet points for:

• Vehicle/theme
• Vehicle modifications
• New-product development
• Promotional plan
• Vehicle display location at the 2019 SEMA Show

Part 2

Mail a detailed project proposal—must be received by March 1, 2019. Include details supporting the one-page project summary on company letterhead, a color rendering and past project vehicle examples.

Information on Ford vehicles is available at www.ford.com.

Ford Aftermarket Project Vehicle Program Criteria

Aftermarket companies requesting project vehicles should be:

• A manufacturer or designer/restyler dedicated to supporting new-product development.
• Financially capable and willing to spend promotional dollars.
• Actively promoting the vehicle with their product(s) through an established marketing plan.
• A current SEMA member.

Aftermarket companies receiving project vehicles must:

• Feature the vehicle in a booth at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
• Use Ford accessory products as specified and provided by Ford Motor Company.
• Register and keep the vehicle in your company name during the entire contract period.
• Purchase and maintain $3 million in general liability, $3 million in automotive liability, $1 million in employer liability and demonstrate worker’s compensation coverage. An umbrella policy may be used to achieve coverage limits.
• Commit to feature the vehicle with the Ford logo intact and visible.
• Order a California-certified vehicle if you intend to register or use the vehicle primarily in California or any other state that has adopted California emissions standards. Failure to do so may subject you to a state fine.
• Make vehicles available to Ford or its dealers for display, at the owner’s discretion.
• Submit written quarterly status reports for a period of 18 months, as specified in the contract, stating:

1. Product development
2. Modifications to the vehicle
3. Events (including dates, location and type of event)
4. Media exposure (originals or color copies)
5. Company advertising featuring the vehicle
6. Social-media exposure
7. A copy of your current vehicle registration

Information on the specific vehicles Ford plans to emphasize at the 2019 SEMA Show will follow in January. Details will be provided to allow you to research those products and find high-resolution images for renderings.

Submit Ford Project Vehicle proposals to:

Ford Motor Co.
21175 Oakwood Blvd., PDCDC MD579
Dearborn, MI 48124
Attn: Dan German and Kyle Ebner
semainfo@ford.com

By SEMA Editors

Ford has announced its project-vehicle program for 2019.

Ford Motor Co. has announced its project-vehicle program for 2019. Complete information on the program is below. The first deadline is for project summaries on February 15. The one-page summary should include vehicle/theme, vehicle modifications, new products developed for the vehicle, promotional plan, and vehicle display location at the SEMA Show. 

2019 Ford Project Vehicle Program

Project Summary Submission Deadline: February 15, 2019
Proposal Submission Deadline: March 1, 2019
Award Recipient Notification Date: by May 1, 2019

All project vehicle requests must be submitted in two parts and meet the following Ford Aftermarket Project Vehicle Program criteria:

Part 1

Email a one-page project summary—must be received by February 15, 2019. Include bullet points for:

• Vehicle/theme
• Vehicle modifications
• New-product development
• Promotional plan
• Vehicle display location at the 2019 SEMA Show

Part 2

Mail a detailed project proposal—must be received by March 1, 2019. Include details supporting the one-page project summary on company letterhead, a color rendering and past project vehicle examples.

Information on Ford vehicles is available at www.ford.com.

Ford Aftermarket Project Vehicle Program Criteria

Aftermarket companies requesting project vehicles should be:

• A manufacturer or designer/restyler dedicated to supporting new-product development.
• Financially capable and willing to spend promotional dollars.
• Actively promoting the vehicle with their product(s) through an established marketing plan.
• A current SEMA member.

Aftermarket companies receiving project vehicles must:

• Feature the vehicle in a booth at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
• Use Ford accessory products as specified and provided by Ford Motor Company.
• Register and keep the vehicle in your company name during the entire contract period.
• Purchase and maintain $3 million in general liability, $3 million in automotive liability, $1 million in employer liability and demonstrate worker’s compensation coverage. An umbrella policy may be used to achieve coverage limits.
• Commit to feature the vehicle with the Ford logo intact and visible.
• Order a California-certified vehicle if you intend to register or use the vehicle primarily in California or any other state that has adopted California emissions standards. Failure to do so may subject you to a state fine.
• Make vehicles available to Ford or its dealers for display, at the owner’s discretion.
• Submit written quarterly status reports for a period of 18 months, as specified in the contract, stating:

1. Product development
2. Modifications to the vehicle
3. Events (including dates, location and type of event)
4. Media exposure (originals or color copies)
5. Company advertising featuring the vehicle
6. Social-media exposure
7. A copy of your current vehicle registration

Information on the specific vehicles Ford plans to emphasize at the 2019 SEMA Show will follow in January. Details will be provided to allow you to research those products and find high-resolution images for renderings.

Submit Ford Project Vehicle proposals to:

Ford Motor Co.
21175 Oakwood Blvd., PDCDC MD579
Dearborn, MI 48124
Attn: Dan German and Kyle Ebner
semainfo@ford.com

By Kyle Cheng

In December, the economy added 312,000 new jobs—well above both average and expectations.

Want more information on the trends affecting the specialty automotive aftermarket? Check out the January “SEMA Industry Indicators” report to learn how movements in the broader economy may impact business strategies for 2019. 

The report, published monthly, features a snapshot of the overall economy and specialty-equipment industry, including:

• Overall economic outlook
• New-vehicle sales and gas prices
• Consumer sentiment and spending
• Economic growth and unemployment
• Other important industry insights

Download the latest “SEMA Industry Indicators” report and much more today at www.sema.org/research.

Also available from SEMA Market Research:

The world is changing. Amid trade uncertainty and shifts in the automotive market, do you have the information you need to move your business into the future? Want to know what economic, consumer and industry trends are in store for the next few years? Explore this in the new “SEMA Future Trends Report,” also available at www.sema.org/research.

By Kyle Cheng

In December, the economy added 312,000 new jobs—well above both average and expectations.

Want more information on the trends affecting the specialty automotive aftermarket? Check out the January “SEMA Industry Indicators” report to learn how movements in the broader economy may impact business strategies for 2019. 

The report, published monthly, features a snapshot of the overall economy and specialty-equipment industry, including:

• Overall economic outlook
• New-vehicle sales and gas prices
• Consumer sentiment and spending
• Economic growth and unemployment
• Other important industry insights

Download the latest “SEMA Industry Indicators” report and much more today at www.sema.org/research.

Also available from SEMA Market Research:

The world is changing. Amid trade uncertainty and shifts in the automotive market, do you have the information you need to move your business into the future? Want to know what economic, consumer and industry trends are in store for the next few years? Explore this in the new “SEMA Future Trends Report,” also available at www.sema.org/research.

By Katie Hurst

Last year’s customized ’15 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited build, auctioned through Bring A Trailer, raised $56,175.

In 2018, SEMA partnered with Santa Fe Early College Opportunities (Santa Fe ECO) High School for a pilot vehicle build program, which was aimed at high school auto shops, and offered students real-world auto tech skills while promoting the interest and knowledge of young people in accessorization and customization.

SEMA funded the project, including the ’15 4WD Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, while ECO modified the Jeep and developed a written curriculum and a how-to guide intended to be used for similar projects in other secondary schools across the nation.

The automotive specialty-equipment industry backed the build by donating parts for students to install on the Jeep. The fully customized Jeep was auctioned through Bring A Trailer in June 2018 for a total of $56,175. Proceeds will go toward the funding of a second vehicle build for the school.

SEMA is again partnering with Santa Fe ECO, along with four additional high schools in 2019 for a total of five vehicle builds. Partnering high schools include:

• C.D. Hylton High School – Woodbridge, Virginia
• Comstock High School – Kalamazoo, Michigan
• R.L. Turner High School – Carrollton, Texas
• Santa Fe Early College Opportunities High School – Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Santa Ynez Valley Union High School – Santa Ynez, California

The students will customize Jeep Wranglers between the ’96–’06 model years with aftermarket products. All five customized vehicles will be auctioned at the end of the school year to fund the continued expansion of the program.

SEMA is looking for sponsors to support the 2019 builds. If you are interested in sponsoring one or more of SEMA’s high school vehicle builds, fill out a sponsor interest form or contact Katie Hurst, SEMA youth engagement programs manager, at katieh@sema.org.

By Katie Hurst

Last year’s customized ’15 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited build, auctioned through Bring A Trailer, raised $56,175.

In 2018, SEMA partnered with Santa Fe Early College Opportunities (Santa Fe ECO) High School for a pilot vehicle build program, which was aimed at high school auto shops, and offered students real-world auto tech skills while promoting the interest and knowledge of young people in accessorization and customization.

SEMA funded the project, including the ’15 4WD Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, while ECO modified the Jeep and developed a written curriculum and a how-to guide intended to be used for similar projects in other secondary schools across the nation.

The automotive specialty-equipment industry backed the build by donating parts for students to install on the Jeep. The fully customized Jeep was auctioned through Bring A Trailer in June 2018 for a total of $56,175. Proceeds will go toward the funding of a second vehicle build for the school.

SEMA is again partnering with Santa Fe ECO, along with four additional high schools in 2019 for a total of five vehicle builds. Partnering high schools include:

• C.D. Hylton High School – Woodbridge, Virginia
• Comstock High School – Kalamazoo, Michigan
• R.L. Turner High School – Carrollton, Texas
• Santa Fe Early College Opportunities High School – Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Santa Ynez Valley Union High School – Santa Ynez, California

The students will customize Jeep Wranglers between the ’96–’06 model years with aftermarket products. All five customized vehicles will be auctioned at the end of the school year to fund the continued expansion of the program.

SEMA is looking for sponsors to support the 2019 builds. If you are interested in sponsoring one or more of SEMA’s high school vehicle builds, fill out a sponsor interest form or contact Katie Hurst, SEMA youth engagement programs manager, at katieh@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation (S.B. 336) has been introduced in the West Virginia Senate to aid and incentivize the construction of motorsports complexes.

Legislation (S.B. 336) has been introduced in the West Virginia Senate to aid and incentivize the construction of motorsports complexes.

The bill exempts certain building materials from sales tax and provides the process by which a qualified company may claim the exemption.

S.B. 336 currently awaits consideration in the Finance Committee.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation (S.B. 336) has been introduced in the West Virginia Senate to aid and incentivize the construction of motorsports complexes.

Legislation (S.B. 336) has been introduced in the West Virginia Senate to aid and incentivize the construction of motorsports complexes.

The bill exempts certain building materials from sales tax and provides the process by which a qualified company may claim the exemption.

S.B. 336 currently awaits consideration in the Finance Committee.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation (S.B. 336) has been introduced in the West Virginia Senate to aid and incentivize the construction of motorsports complexes.

Legislation (S.B. 336) has been introduced in the West Virginia Senate to aid and incentivize the construction of motorsports complexes.

The bill exempts certain building materials from sales tax and provides the process by which a qualified company may claim the exemption.

S.B. 336 currently awaits consideration in the Finance Committee.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation (S.B. 336) has been introduced in the West Virginia Senate to aid and incentivize the construction of motorsports complexes.

Legislation (S.B. 336) has been introduced in the West Virginia Senate to aid and incentivize the construction of motorsports complexes.

The bill exempts certain building materials from sales tax and provides the process by which a qualified company may claim the exemption.

S.B. 336 currently awaits consideration in the Finance Committee.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.