During the first half of 2008, pickup sales have dropped 23% compared to the same time period last year. The specialty-equipment industry has long revered the pickup segment for its growth and profit opportunities, but hikes in gasoline prices this year have taken a toll on recent sales.

For the first six months of the year, Chevrolet Cobalt sales are up 18.5% compared to last year, selling more than 114,000 units. Based on data from J.D. Power and Associates, new vehicle sales are down 9.5% compared to last year through the end of June. So far this year there have been 7,396,992...

In the United States, aftermarket wheels and tires are the most common form of car and light-truck customization. Research indicates that this is due to the ease of purchase and fitment, as well as the immediate effect on the vehicle's appearance. The market for wheels is big in other areas of the...

Reserve space at the upcoming Automechanika Frankfurt show taking place September 16–21 in Frankfurt, Germany. A few booths are still available in the accessories hall 4.1. For more information, contact Shannon Hebert at Shannon.Hebert@USA.MesseFrankfurt.com. SEMA members interested in displaying a...

The Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi L200, Toyota Hilux, Fiat Strada and Ford Ranger are among the top-selling pickups in key European markets. More information, including the numbers of pickups sold per country and the top-selling models in eight European countries are available at www.sema.org...

The SEMA Store is running a series of promotions through the end of August on merchandise from the 2007 SEMA Show.

Dates and locations for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows and activities have been announced. Details are:>> PAACE Automechanika Mexico, July, 9–11, 2008, Mexico City >> SEMA Webinar, "Selling Has Nothing to do With Selling," July 10, 2008 11:00 a.m. (PDT)

SEMA eNews highlights the websites of SEMA-member companies through the Hot Links to Cool Sites section each week. SEMA members: To be included in Hot Links to Cool Sites, e-mail your company name and website to eNews@sema.org. Note: make sure to include “Hot Links” in the subject line of the e-mail...

In June, the SEMA Performance Parts and Accessories Demand Index (PADI) fell by 4 points, or 7%, declining from 46 in May to 42 last month. Although economic concerns, high gas prices and the current credit crunch are causing consumers to scale back their purchase plans, 11% of adult American...