The SEMA Show is the industry’s premier trade event, where exhibitors and buyers come together to prepare for the coming year’s commerce. But it is also one of the greatest custom and collector car shows in the world, where the latest creations by master craftsmen are put on display. In some cases, these rolling sculptures are being revealed for the first time anywhere.

The custom-designed pinewood cars featured in the Builder’s Challenge, which is part of the annual Pinewood Drag Races sponsored by the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA), will be autographed by the builders and displayed at the 2011 SEMA Show’s HRIA booth. The drags were held in conjunction with SEMA’s Leadership Days, July 29, at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, California.

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and its Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) and Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Councils announced July 8, 2011 as “Collector Car Appreciation Day.”

The U.S. light-truck market is incredibly broad. Used for general transportation, commercial applications and recreation, light trucks comprise the single largest category for businesses in the automotive specialty-equipment industry. Indeed, trucks and the accessories built for them are so popular that they have laid claim to their own exhibit hall at the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas. While the light-truck market encompasses vans, crossovers, SUVs and some specially constructed vehicles, pickups make up the lion’s share of the market for SEMA members. The nation’s first and second top-selling vehicles are—and have been for years—the Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado pickup lines.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is less than 40 years old and known as one of the most vibrant and passionate car-enthusiast markets in the world. Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the five other Emirates that make up the UAE offer exciting vehicle customizing markets by many measures. Per capita, the country boasts the largest number of motorsports facilities in the world, and a quick drive in Dubai or Abu Dhabi will delight any gearhead with the wide variety of customized vehicles plying its modern roads.

Aftermarket products influence well over a million new-vehicle sales each year, according to a new SEMA/AutoPacific survey and report entitled “Influence of Accessories on New-Vehicle Sales” (now available free to SEMA members and for $199 to non-members.

A new study commissioned by SEMA indicates that aftermarket products influence about a million new-vehicle sales each year. The automotive marketing research and consultancy firm AutoPacific collected and analyzed consumer data to quantify the effect that accessorization has on the sale of new vehicles. The resulting report, “Influence of Accessories on New-Vehicle Sales,” details the findings.