Boost your branding efforts by participating in the 2012 SEMA News Product and Catalog Showcase featured in the June issue of SEMA News.

Generate buzz for your products and services by participating in the 2012 SEMA News Product and Catalog Showcase featured in the June issue of SEMA News.

The offer builds on the success of the 2011 Product & Catalog Showcase, and the association provides more boost to your branding efforts by keeping the participation price the same as last year.

The Product and Catalog Showcase remains one of the most cost-effective ways to advertise in the SEMA News magazine, helping members reach more customers specific to the specialty-equipment market.

Provide a four-color image of your new product or your catalog cover, along with about 75 words of text, and we'll build a 1/6-page ad for you. The cost is $250. Space is limited, so don't delay. View the online version of the 2011 SEMA News Product & Catalog Showcase, featured in the November 2011 issue of SEMA News.

To get started, contact Motor Media at 818-248-4449 or e-mail sales@motormediainc.com.

	Boost your branding efforts by participating in the 2012 SEMA News Product and Catalog Showcase featured in the June issue of SEMA News.

Generate buzz for your products and services by participating in the 2012 SEMA News Product and Catalog Showcase featured in the June issue of SEMA News.

The offer builds on the success of the 2011 Product & Catalog Showcase, and the association provides more boost to your branding efforts by keeping the participation price the same as last year.

The Product and Catalog Showcase remains one of the most cost-effective ways to advertise in the SEMA News magazine, helping members reach more customers specific to the specialty-equipment market.

Provide a four-color image of your new product or your catalog cover, along with about 75 words of text, and we'll build a 1/6-page ad for you. The cost is $250. Space is limited, so don't delay. View the online version of the 2011 SEMA News Product & Catalog Showcase, featured in the November 2011 issue of SEMA News.

To get started, contact Motor Media at 818-248-4449 or e-mail sales@motormediainc.com.

SEMA Member News—March/April 2012

The Heart Wrenchers began with just a few young women working toward dismantling the current gender stereotypes in the automotive industry, but it soon turned into a group of almost 20 active and enthusiastic club members.

Julia Johnson is a woman after my own heart and one of many trailblazers and difference makers in our industry. She always loved cars but was kind of intimidated by them, so she put her interest aside until she received a class schedule from Skyline College of San Bruno, California. Intrigued, she enrolled in the automotive aftermarket program there, received enthusiastic support from her teachers because of her passion for the industry and is now an instructor for the program herself. Her mission is to let women know that they’re equally as capable as men in the automotive industry and that a car’s inner workings aren’t as complicated as they seem.

“While a highly trained technician can make up to $100,000 a year, you don’t have to turn a wrench for a living,” Johnson said. “There are high-paying jobs in product design, engineering, marketing, management and more that move way beyond the shop floor.”

Johnson was instrumental in creating an all-women’s club called the Heart Wrenchers at her college. Beginning with just a few young women working toward dismantling the current gender stereotypes in the automotive industry, it soon turned into a group of almost 20 active and enthusiastic club members. Not only do they work on projects to benefit their own club, but they also implement initiatives giving back to their community. One program provides automotive services that help low-income families make sure that they have a dependable car. Another organizes area workshops helping Girl Scouts to earn their automotive badges. A third provides support of a scholarship fund for the women in the Skyline Automotive program.

“The women who started the club are intelligent, young, motivated, strong-willed and overcoming individual hardships to succeed,” said Heart Wrenchers member Maureen Moscoso. “Our goal is to give back to the community and be role models to other young women who may be afraid of attempting careers in the automotive industry.”

Johnson attended her first SEMA Show as a recipient of the Car Care Council Women’s Board Scholarship a few years ago and was able to bring seven of the Heart Wrenchers with her to the 2011 Show in November. They attended the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network’s (SBN’s) first-ever Gear Up Girls networking event.

“The SEMA Show was an amazing experience because we got the chance to see the inside of the automotive industry,” said Heart Wrenchers President Audrey Ingalls. “There were a lot of fun things to see and do, but the SBN’s Gear Up Girl networking event and the student internship program made it educational and beneficial for us. We got to meet powerful women in the industry who shared their experiences and advice, and we got to share with them and the other students there what we are all about. We look forward to building a strong relationship with the SBN and going to future SEMA Shows.”

As a 26-year industry veteran, I was awed by the Gear Up Girls event. In addition to the Heart Wrenchers, there were 21 additional young women from 12 different high schools and colleges in attendance. It was awesome to meet these ladies who are part of the future of our industry. Once we heard from them, all of us seasoned veterans cheered them on, gave them advice and exchanged cards with a promise that we would be available at any time for any form of mentorship they needed.

Statistics prove that women have nearly a 50% influence on automobile purchase decisions and greatly impact the purchase decisions of aftermarket products. It is critical that we always have a voice and a leadership role in guiding the direction of SEMA. So gear up, girls! Get ready for a great ride and a wonderful place to call home!

SEMA Member News—March/April 2012

The Heart Wrenchers began with just a few young women working toward dismantling the current gender stereotypes in the automotive industry, but it soon turned into a group of almost 20 active and enthusiastic club members.

Julia Johnson is a woman after my own heart and one of many trailblazers and difference makers in our industry. She always loved cars but was kind of intimidated by them, so she put her interest aside until she received a class schedule from Skyline College of San Bruno, California. Intrigued, she enrolled in the automotive aftermarket program there, received enthusiastic support from her teachers because of her passion for the industry and is now an instructor for the program herself. Her mission is to let women know that they’re equally as capable as men in the automotive industry and that a car’s inner workings aren’t as complicated as they seem.

“While a highly trained technician can make up to $100,000 a year, you don’t have to turn a wrench for a living,” Johnson said. “There are high-paying jobs in product design, engineering, marketing, management and more that move way beyond the shop floor.”

Johnson was instrumental in creating an all-women’s club called the Heart Wrenchers at her college. Beginning with just a few young women working toward dismantling the current gender stereotypes in the automotive industry, it soon turned into a group of almost 20 active and enthusiastic club members. Not only do they work on projects to benefit their own club, but they also implement initiatives giving back to their community. One program provides automotive services that help low-income families make sure that they have a dependable car. Another organizes area workshops helping Girl Scouts to earn their automotive badges. A third provides support of a scholarship fund for the women in the Skyline Automotive program.

“The women who started the club are intelligent, young, motivated, strong-willed and overcoming individual hardships to succeed,” said Heart Wrenchers member Maureen Moscoso. “Our goal is to give back to the community and be role models to other young women who may be afraid of attempting careers in the automotive industry.”

Johnson attended her first SEMA Show as a recipient of the Car Care Council Women’s Board Scholarship a few years ago and was able to bring seven of the Heart Wrenchers with her to the 2011 Show in November. They attended the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network’s (SBN’s) first-ever Gear Up Girls networking event.

“The SEMA Show was an amazing experience because we got the chance to see the inside of the automotive industry,” said Heart Wrenchers President Audrey Ingalls. “There were a lot of fun things to see and do, but the SBN’s Gear Up Girl networking event and the student internship program made it educational and beneficial for us. We got to meet powerful women in the industry who shared their experiences and advice, and we got to share with them and the other students there what we are all about. We look forward to building a strong relationship with the SBN and going to future SEMA Shows.”

As a 26-year industry veteran, I was awed by the Gear Up Girls event. In addition to the Heart Wrenchers, there were 21 additional young women from 12 different high schools and colleges in attendance. It was awesome to meet these ladies who are part of the future of our industry. Once we heard from them, all of us seasoned veterans cheered them on, gave them advice and exchanged cards with a promise that we would be available at any time for any form of mentorship they needed.

Statistics prove that women have nearly a 50% influence on automobile purchase decisions and greatly impact the purchase decisions of aftermarket products. It is critical that we always have a voice and a leadership role in guiding the direction of SEMA. So gear up, girls! Get ready for a great ride and a wonderful place to call home!

No concept here—These photos delivered by the team at Brenda Priddy & Co. show a pre-production Volkswagen XL1 ripping through ice conducting cold weather testing.

In January, Volkswagen confirmed that it would build a limited number of the long-awaited 1L car—likely to be named the XL1—and here are some first spy shots that prove VW is serious about the timeline. The XL1 was the third iteration of the Volkswagen 1L car, first shown in concept guise at the 2011 Qatar Motor Show. The two older concept cars had been shown to the public in 2002 and 2009 (then called L1).

Priddy says that these pictures clearly show the production version and the concept that had been previously shown. According to VW, when the XL1 hits the road in 2013 it will be capable of achieving a combined fuel consumption of approximately 1 liter (.26 gallons) per 62 miles—or 235 mpg!

Like the L1, the XL1 uses a two-cylinder turbo-diesel. Displacing 800 cc, it is rated at 47 hp and 121 Nm of torque, and transmits power to the rear wheels through a seven-speed DSG transmission. The electric motor pitches in with 27 hp and 100 Nm of torque, and can work in parallel with the diesel or drive the car independent of it.

The concept-car XL1 had a curb weight of 795 kg and a drag coefficient of 0.186. Just 23.2% of the car (184 kg) is made out of either steel or iron; the drivetrain weighs 227 kg.

The XL1's length and width are similar to the Volkswagen Polo, with a length of 3,970 mm and width of 1,682 mm. However, the car is much lower with a height of only 1,184 mm, and has a coupe-like roofline, reducing interior volume. The design incorporates gullwing doors, with the interior seating layout using a staggered side-by-side arrangement similar to a Smart Fortwo, rather than the previous versions' tandem seating. Performance credentials include a governed top speed of 74.6 mph, with 0 to 50 mph in 32 seconds.

Photo: Brenda Priddy & Co.

No concept here—These photos delivered by the team at Brenda Priddy & Co. show a pre-production Volkswagen XL1 ripping through ice conducting cold weather testing.

In January, Volkswagen confirmed that it would build a limited number of the long-awaited 1L car—likely to be named the XL1—and here are some first spy shots that prove VW is serious about the timeline. The XL1 was the third iteration of the Volkswagen 1L car, first shown in concept guise at the 2011 Qatar Motor Show. The two older concept cars had been shown to the public in 2002 and 2009 (then called L1).

Priddy says that these pictures clearly show the production version and the concept that had been previously shown. According to VW, when the XL1 hits the road in 2013 it will be capable of achieving a combined fuel consumption of approximately 1 liter (.26 gallons) per 62 miles—or 235 mpg!

Like the L1, the XL1 uses a two-cylinder turbo-diesel. Displacing 800 cc, it is rated at 47 hp and 121 Nm of torque, and transmits power to the rear wheels through a seven-speed DSG transmission. The electric motor pitches in with 27 hp and 100 Nm of torque, and can work in parallel with the diesel or drive the car independent of it.

The concept-car XL1 had a curb weight of 795 kg and a drag coefficient of 0.186. Just 23.2% of the car (184 kg) is made out of either steel or iron; the drivetrain weighs 227 kg.

The XL1's length and width are similar to the Volkswagen Polo, with a length of 3,970 mm and width of 1,682 mm. However, the car is much lower with a height of only 1,184 mm, and has a coupe-like roofline, reducing interior volume. The design incorporates gullwing doors, with the interior seating layout using a staggered side-by-side arrangement similar to a Smart Fortwo, rather than the previous versions' tandem seating. Performance credentials include a governed top speed of 74.6 mph, with 0 to 50 mph in 32 seconds.

Photo: Brenda Priddy & Co.

While these photos submitted by Brenda Priddy & Co. feature the Euro-spec three-door Fiesta, the team reports that the entire lineup will soon undergo a freshening.

Priddy anticipates the ’13 models to be updated in front, including new LED headlamps. The new Fiesta will also carry styling cues pulled from the Fiesta-based EcoSport Crossover.

The shooters do not expect any changes in the back; however, engine options may increase when the vehicle debuts.  

Photos: Brenda Priddy & Co.

While these photos submitted by Brenda Priddy & Co. feature the Euro-spec three-door Fiesta, the team reports that the entire lineup will soon undergo a freshening.

Priddy anticipates the ’13 models to be updated in front, including new LED headlamps. The new Fiesta will also carry styling cues pulled from the Fiesta-based EcoSport Crossover.

The shooters do not expect any changes in the back; however, engine options may increase when the vehicle debuts.  

Photos: Brenda Priddy & Co.