By Chad Simon
 SEMA measuring sessions provide manufacturing members access to new vehicles before their release or immediately following their debut. |
In partnership with the SEMA Garage, 23 specialty-equipment manufacturers showed up at Mazda’s Technical Research Facility in Irvine, California, to obtain the specs needed to prepare parts for the ’17 CX-5 during a June 15 measuring session.
Decked out in the newly developed Soul Red Crystal paint, the fully redesigned CX-5 prioritizes passenger comfort, with a quiet cabin and G-Vectoring Control—the first of the SKYACTIV-Vehicle Dynamics vehicle motion control technologies. The powertrain lineup comprises the SKYACTIV-G 2.0L and 2.5L gasoline and SKYACTIV-D 2.2L diesel engines. According to Mazda, all three options offer powerful, linear driving and outstanding environmental performance.
SEMA measuring sessions provide an integration platform for different sectors of the aftermarket community. Members acquaint themselves with new vehicles before their release or immediately following their debut. Participants can question manufacturer representatives and offer their feedback regarding the new vehicles. SEMA acquires first-production or pre-production test vehicles for the sessions, allowing wheel companies, performance groups and cosmetic restyling businesses to shorten the lead-time for new products. SEMA often gathers two or more vehicles for each session, increasing the value of each event.
“SEMA Garage measuring sessions continue to play an important role in the product-development process for SEMA-member companies,” said Warren Kosikov, SEMA’s senior director of OE relations. “The Mazda CX-5 measuring session held at Mazda’s facility in Irvine was no exception, as two-dozen SEMA-member companies representing a wide array of manufacturers took advantage of exclusive access to this vehicle.”
Measuring sessions have also been a valuable part of SEMA’s Tech Transfer program, which grants SEMA manufacturing members access to vehicle CAD files provided directly from participating OEMs. The intent of the program is to help streamline production by minimizing or completely eliminating the necessity for reverse engineering.
In addition to access to upcoming vehicles, SEMA measuring session participants can also ask questions of the participating OEM staff to learn more about the vehicles, the automaker's marketing plans, the intended audience and more.
The next SEMA Measuring Session will feature the ’18 Ford F-150, Mustang and Expedition, to be held July 13, at Ford’s Product Development Benchmarking Center in Allen Park, Michigan, and again July 24–25, at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California.