U.S. Representatives Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Gene Green (D-TX) introduced bipartisan legislation that would enable low-volume car manufacturers to produce turn-key replica vehicles for customers nationwide. Called the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act of 2015 (H.R. 2675), the SEMA-supported bill would allow companies to construct up to 500 “replicas” per year. Those are cars that resemble another production vehicle manufactured at least 25 years ago.

One Year Later, Legislative Accord Preserves OHV Recreation

The ninth annual King of the Hammers was held once again this February in California’s Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Recreational Area. More than 430 teams in four vehicle classes competed during a week-long event witnessed by at least 55,000 spectators and more than 750,000 online viewers. The event culminated in the one-day “Ultra4” race in which vehicles constructed for their speed and rock-climbing abilities raced across a 215-mile course of open desert and steep ravines.

The Future Is Now

What do a car dealer, a former Navy SEAL commander and a financial advisor have in common? They were all recently elected to serve in the U.S. Congress. As a result of the November midterm elections, a lot of new faces have arrived in the nation’s capital. Fifty-eight first-timers were elected to the House of Representatives and 13 to the U.S. Senate. Among them are the future champions of the automotive specialty-equipment industry. While sorting through all of the new names may seem daunting, here are a few to keep an eye on.