The 41st annual Mickey Thompson/ Alhambra High School Automotive Banquet is set for May 29. The top automotive shop students from the Alhambra School District are recognized during the event and are eligible for scholarships and awards. Anyone interested in serving as a mentor to these students or who would like to attend the event, is encouraged to contact Mike Spagnola at mike@streetsceneeq.com or Mary Helen Flores at the Alhambra School District at Flores_MaryHelen@alhambra.k12.ca.us.

 Zoom Performance Products named Michael Perry as its key accounts manager. In his new role, Perry is responsible for sales, analytic customer and market research and customer relationships. “Michael brings valuable experience from the distribution and representation side of the business. We are pleased that Michael chose to join Zoom. His talents will help our rapidly growing company continue to do so,” said Jim Cozzie, president of Zoom.

Michael Perry

Barry Grant appointed Larry Van Gelder to the position of marketing manager. Van Gelder’s industry experience is vast and includes many years as COO of Southern Performance Warehouse, two terms on the SEMA Board of Directors, three terms as president of the Performance Warehouse Association and, most recently, the position of eastern advertising director for Primedia Enthusiast Publications.

Kelley Blue Book revealed the winners of its 2008 Brand Image Awards recognizing automakers’ outstanding achievements in creating and maintaining brand attributes that capture the attention and enthusiasm of the new-vehicle buying public.

The recipients are:

• Toyota—Best Interior Design—Non-Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback
• Chrysler—Best Exterior Design—Non-Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback
• Lexus—Best Interior Design—Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback
• BMW—Best Exterior Design—Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback
• Mercedes-Benz—Best Interior Design—Sports Car/Convertible
• Porsche—Best Exterior Design—Sports Car/Convertible
• Chevrolet—Best Interior Design—Truck
• Chevrolet—Best Exterior Design—Truck
• Toyota—Best Interior Design—Non-Luxury SUV
• Ford—Best Exterior Design—Non-Luxury SUV
• Lexus—Best Interior Design—Luxury SUV
• Mercedes-Benz—Best Exterior Design—Luxury SUV
• Honda—Best Interior Design—Minivan
• Toyota—Best Exterior Design—Minivan
• Toyota—Best Overall Interior Design
• BMW—Best Overall Exterior Design
• Mercedes-Benz—Best Overall Prestige Brand

For more information, visit www.kbb.com/BIA08.

SCCA Pro Racing has added the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix and Road America to the 2008 SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge schedule. In addition, despite its absence from the calendar last season, the SCCA SPEED World Challenge will return to Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, August 8–10. For more information, visit www.world-challenge.com.

Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC was named the “Industrial Conservationist of the Year” by the Tennessee Wildlife Federation. The award recognizes the company’s longtime commitment to conservation and, in particular, the efforts of team mates at the new Monterrey, Mexico, plant who worked last year with a local university and bird watching groups to publish and distribute the first Spanish-language bird watching guide for the state of Nuevo Leon.

Bridgestone Firestone honored by the Tennessee Wildlife Federation

Kicker announced that it partnered with the fishing vessel Cornelia Marie, one of the four ships featured on the Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch.” The Cornelia Marie, a top-performing boat from the show’s 2007 season, was outfitted with a complete sound system that included a 15-inch Solo-Baric L7 sub and two 12-inch CompVT subs. Cornelius Marie Captain Phil Harris said, “Everybody in the fleet knows about the system and are completely envious of our gear.” The new season of "Deadliest Catch" airs on April 15.

Kicker supplies a complete system for the Cornelia Marie from Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch."

ARMO Continues to Seek New Products
In order to help promote the automotive restoration industry and members new products ARMO hosts a New Products Showcase yearly. Does your company have a creative or innovative new original restoration product or Resto-Mod product you would like the industry and consumers to know about?

ARMO member companies are invited to participate in the 11th annual New Products Showcase being held in conjunction with Spring Carlisle, April 23–27. More than 100,000 people visited the Carlisle Fairgrounds in 2007, and the majority who passed through ARMO’s New Product Showcase were thrilled to be one of the first to view the new items our member companies had to offer.

ARMO-member companies are encouraged to take advantage of this fantastic free opportunity to introduce products to the industry and enthusiasts.  ARMO also has judges in place to review each new product for the best in each category. The winning products and companies will be honored at the ARMO Industry Awards Reception during the 2008 SEMA Show. For an entry form, click here. All entry forms must be received by SEMA no later than Wednesday, April 16, 2008.

ARMO Column in SEMA Member News
Read ARMO's column featured in the March/April issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For more information about ARMO, visit www.sema.org/armo or contact Jan Desma at jand@sema.org.

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HRIA Column in SEMA Member News
Read HRIA's column featured in the March/April issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For more information about HRIA, visit www.sema.org/hria or contact Jan Desma at jand@sema.org.

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Dates and locations for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows and activities have been announced. Details are:

A four-cylinder turbocharged Camaro?

If fuel prices continue to rise, it could happen, said GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz at last week’s New York Auto Show. According to Automotive News, Lutz said the drivetrain under consideration is the same engine found in the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, a 2.0L turbocharged, direct-injected Ecotec four rated at 260 hp.

So far GM has confirmed V8 and V6 versions of the Camaro, the latter using the same direct-injected 3.6L four-cam mill found in the Cadillac CTS. The V8, according to Automotive News, is likely to be a 6.0L offering about 400 hp. Lutz said that GM has dropped plans to offer an entry-level Camaro powered by a lesser V6, perhaps opening the door for a different entry-level pony powered by the four-banger turbo.

To its enthusiast base, a Camaro with anything less than a six-cylinder underhood is an aberration. A quick scan of the enthusiast forums at Camaro5.com, for example, reveals the divide among enthusiasts.

"Four-banger Camaros are a bad idea," writes one member named Jimbo. "Fans of the cars won't stand for it. It is just a dumb idea because doing so will create a stigma upon all Camaros." Another member likens the idea to a pizza made with Heinz ketchup rather than tomato sauce.

The board moderator, however, urges perspective, arguing that "the inclusion of an I4 does not diminish the car's muscle/pony/sports car status. What other sports car could appeal to those who want a four?"

(To read the whole lengthy, amusing exchange, check out www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3269).

Scott Oldham, musclecar enthusiast and Editor-in-Chief of InsideLine.com, doesn’t think the turbo four is bad idea, but questions whether it can haul the Camaro’s heft.

“With 260 hp, that turbo Ecotec is no slouch,” he says. “But that Camaro is going to weigh about 4,000 lbs., and that little four-banger just doesn’t have the bottom-end torque to get such a heavy car off the line. I’ll take mine with the LS3 V-8.”

And as the Camaro is one of the aftermarket’s most anticipated arrivals, a turbo four opens the door even wider, particularly for specialty-equipment companies specializing in the Solstice/Sky or forced induction.

“I would be absolutely elated to see this come to pass,” says Bill Hahn, Jr., founder and president of Hahn Racecraft in Yorkville, Illinois. Hahn’s company, in business for 20 years, offers a spectrum of parts including turbo, intercooler and tuning/fuel system upgrades for GM engines, particularly the 2.0L and 2.4L Ecotec.

“A four-cylinder turbo Camaro? I say “why not?” Hahn says, adding that from over 20 years of watching and working with GM, he wouldn’t be surprised to see a turbo version of the 2.4L Ecotec. 

“The difference between a 2.0L and 2.4L is analogous to that between a 350 and a 427. It’s significant. You’re talking 20 percent more displacement, the bulk of it coming from more stroke, i.e. more torque. That wouldn’t surprise me.”

“I could see a turbo V-6 also,” he adds. “Nothing wrong with that. Take a page from GM’s past there, the [Buick] Grand National. Definitely as powerful as most V-8s.”

Hahn doesn’t see any reason why a turbo-4 Camaro wouldn’t sell.

“Is a turbo 4-cylinder today’s six-cylinder? You betcha. That is definitely an apt comparison. Today’s turbo four-cylinder will typically out-torque and out-horsepower any six-cylinder from the days of yore.”

“And turbocharging does more than just give you the ability to have a small motor when you need it and a lot of power when you want it,” he adds. “It can also increase efficiencies at cruising speeds.”

Dave Johnson is president of Dejon Powerhouse, an Ohio company that makes turbo kits for the Solstice GXP/Sky platforms.

“We’d definitely be on the bandwagon,” if GM introduces the turbo four Camaro, he says.

Johnson says the Ecotec’s factory turbo closely resembles those found on the first-generation Eagle Talon and Mitsubishi Eclipse, among the first of the legendary high-performance sport compacts. By swapping in a Mitsubishi 16G turbo capable of moving more air, he’s unlocked about 375 engine horsepower.

“This engine we’ve found capable of handling significantly high boost pressures because of the direct injection,” he says. “Normally we’d see knock starting at around 20, 21 psi on 93 octane. I’ve been running up at 23, 24, 25 and not seen knock. It’s a very well-designed engine for boost applications.”

Does Johnson think buyers will go for a Camaro four-banger?

“For a lot of guys, the V8 is the only way they’d ever go. But the younger people are used to turbos and they see the Camaro as a desirable car. You might see younger people picking it up and going with the turbo version."

Source: "Lutz: GM Mulls 4-Cylinder Engine for New Camaro," Richard Truett, Automotive News, 3/19/08

Perhaps indicative of recent TV shows that highlight and glamorize custom car and motorcycle building, more custom builders/fabricators attended the SEMA Show in 2007 than in the two years prior. A majority of the 49 other business classifications also demonstrated significant growth.

Registration data from the 2007 Show revealed a 16% increase in attendees who classified themselves as custom builders and fabricators compared to the 2005 Show. They accounted for the fourth-largest segment of the industry in attendance at the Show, and the second fastest-growing in actual headcount (704 additional custom builders and fabricators), trailed only by the rapid rise in attendees from the collision repair business (1,849 additional attendees compared to 2005, a 90% increase).

The accessories and installation category remained the largest group in attendance for the third consecutive year, followed by auto parts retailers and car dealers. The largest percentage of attendee growth among business segments, however, includes car washes and detailers (238%), and program group buyers and electrical/mechanical remanufacturers (108% each).

“With such a diverse group of exhibitors and attendees, the SEMA Show is really a reflection of what's going on in the accessories industry,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “Trends gleaned from the show can represent business opportunities for our members looking to expand their businesses.”

For information on the upcoming 2008 SEMA Show, go to www.SEMAShow.com.

Hot rodding has always been about passion. 

It all goes back to the earliest days of the industry when passionate young men met on the dry lake beds to see who could make their car go the fastest. Just talk to any of the icons of hot rodding and you will hear the same story. They were driven to find ways to make their cars go faster, they were hugely competitive and they enjoyed being in the company of other hot rodders. The relationships were so strong that they thought nothing of helping each other out. Push a fellow competitor’s car, loan another hot rodder tools, give another guy parts—it was all part of what the hobby was about.

Here we are, 70 years later, and hot rodding may be more sophisticated, but at its foundation, it’s still basically the same. Granted, speed isn’t quite the strong factor it was, but as you look at hot rods today, they invariably have the right equipment to go fast, even if they never do.

People gather here and there across the country to show off their cars, see what others have done with theirs and build relationships. These are people who will invest thousands of hours and tons of money to make their favorite car look just so.

The people involved are still passionate about their cars, so much so that in 2007 they spent $1.06 billion on products for them. It's a passion that has caused retail sales to increase more than 66% in the last 10 years.

And what are these hot rodders buying? A survey conducted by SEMA involving thousands of enthusiasts asked that very question. The table below shows what hot rodders said.

So as you stop and look around at the world of hot rods, remember it’s all about cars, passion and relationships. For more industry insight and research, please visit www.sema.org/research.

Source: SEMA Research & Information Center

New-vehicle sales in 2008 are expected to reach their lowest levels since 1994, dropping to 14.95 million cars and light trucks, according to J.D. Power and Associates. New-vehicle sales for 2008 were originally forecast at 15.7 million units.

"While the automotive industry's slow performance in January and February certainly contributes to the anticipated drop in new-vehicle sales, declining consumer confidence and spending, as well as turbulent financial and economic market conditions, are primarily driving the decline," said Jeff Schuster, executive director of automotive forecasting for J.D. Power and Associates.

Additionally, weaker retail and fleet markets contributed to the overall reassessment of total new-vehicle sales for 2008. Retail sales were initially forecast at 12.6 million units, but are now expected to decline to 12.3 million, down from 12.8 million in 2007. General economic conditions, coupled with less widespread incentives, are driving the retail decline. Fleet sales have already experienced a weaker-than-expected start in 2008, but a further decline is anticipated as daily rental sales are not projected to return to pre-2007 levels.

"The downturn in retail sales, coupled with declines across the fleet market, also contributes to the overall reassessment of new-vehicle sales for 2008," said Bob Schnorbus, chief economist at J.D. Power and Associates. "Unfortunately, the current economic environment is fraught with uncertainty and risk, with the financial crisis, worsening oil prices, and weak housing and stock markets steadily impacting other sectors of the economy. As such, our revised forecast is better positioned to reflect the challenges automakers will face in the months ahead."

In the first quarter of 2008, sales are expected to average 15.2 million units, with sales in the second quarter falling to approximately 14.8 million units before beginning a slow rebound during the second half of the year and into 2009.

Source: J.D. Power and Associates March 18 /PRNewswire

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