SCORE International will bring the excitement of its legendary Baja 1000 to the 2014 SEMA Show, November 4–7, through its signature off-road activities and attractions. The outdoor, 70,000-sq.-ft. SCORE Baja 1000 Experience will feature a desert-racing exhibit with dozens of Baja 1000 Trophy Truck and Class 1 race vehicles.

An interactive pit competition area, exhibits from leading off-road companies, video streams of SCORE Dirt Live through SCOREvision and autograph sessions are just some of the attractions visitors can expect come Show time.

While there are any number of online services eager to manage your e-marketing for you, the downside to those services is cost. Unlike the one-time fees associated with PC-based software, online service billings generally recur monthly and never disappear. Not surprisingly, many small businesses are deciding to opt for PC-based e-mail marketing software instead, which starts at about $100. Such packages can be every bit as sophisticated as an online service while offering users much more control over how their data and analytics are managed.

The Toyota HiLux is among the best-selling vehicles in the world—hitting more than 14 million units sold in 135 countries worldwide since its introduction. The 1-ton, double-cab, 4x4 pickup benefits from a reputation for reliability and sturdiness, and offers performance and appearance customization opportunities for a wide range of specialty-equipment manufacturers.

It’s been a long time coming, but the SEMA Data Cooperative (SDC) beta phase is up and running at full speed, with more than 80 specialty parts companies participating.

Starting life as a concept of the earliest SEMA business technology volunteers, the SDC represents the culmination of more than 10 years of effort and evolution into what is arguably the most complete and advanced product data repository ever to serve our industry. The fully operating beta phase represents a real-life “test drive” of the complete SDC production model, which will seamlessly transfer to the live production system late in 2012.

Restylers and Dealers Create a One-Stop Shop for Consumers to Purchase Specialty-Equipment Parts and Accessories 

With new-car sales growing and the economy slowly ticking upward, SEMA News checked in with restylers and restyling experts to find out what to expect in that segment for 2012. Our sources reported that both enthusiasts and more general-market consumers are starting to loosen their purse strings and indulge in specialty-equipment parts to go along with the new rides they just bought.

Only industry professionals qualify to attend the SEMA Show. So each year, auto enthusiasts and the general public wait patiently for Show coverage in their favorite magazines. They want to find out what amazing new items the manufacturers debuted and what the must-have product is going to be. Luckily, these magazines do a standout job of covering the new products and bringing the trade-only SEMA Show to their readers.

Web marketers looking to get the most from social media can no longer ignore Pinterest (www.pinterest.com). This social network devoted to the posting of photo and image collections has quietly become the number-three social network in the world. Indeed, according to figures released by Experian Hitwise in early April, Pinterest brought in 104 million visits in March, lagging behind only Twitter, which drew 182 million visits, and goliath Facebook, which attracted 7 billion visits.

Chrysler’s Jeep brand has seen a resurgence in recent years, winning awards that range from the Grand Cherokee’s 2011 Urban Truck of the Year to the Wrangler’s 2012 Four Wheeler of the Year. Its popularity has also blossomed in emerging markets. According to Chrysler Group LLC, sales of Jeep-brand vehicles in China in 2011 rose 64% compared to the previous year, climbing to 38,373 units. Sales also exploded in Russia, rising 85% to 2,327 units. Here’s a look at some of the particulars in those markets.

Gene Winfield was having a big year in 1963 when Petersen Publishing Company photographer Eric Rickman took this photo at Winfield’s car customizing shop in Modesto, California. Rickman was chronicling the progress of several cars being prepped for land speed record attempts at the Bonneville Salt Flats, and he captured Winfield as he was laying out “a super streamlined street roadster over an early Ford frame and running gear.”