MOTORTREND’s iconic HOT ROD brand has announced it will celebrate its 75th anniversary by providing free access to its massive magazine archives, featuring digital versions of every HOT ROD magazine published prior to 2022. The diamond jubilee kicks off next week in Vegas with an expert panel on the evolution of HOT ROD, the reveal of the 75th anniversary issue and the launch of both HOT ROD’s and SEMA’s first collectible NFTs.
“Not long after HOT ROD magazine publisher Robert Petersen produced the first official SEMA Show in 1967, SEMA became the worldwide destination bringing together hot rodders and performance companies annually in Las Vegas,” said HOT ROD editor-in-chief John McGann. “Today, we at HOT ROD can't think of a better partner and destination for our 75th anniversary celebration than the 2022 SEMA Show.”
MOTORTREND and SEMA will jointly celebrate the 75th Anniversary of HOT ROD by unveiling two limited-edition NFTs showcasing the unique shared history of both the HOT ROD and SEMA brands. The special anniversary NFTs created by KurumaNFT will be unveiled at HOT ROD’s SEMA Show booth on November 2, and will be the first NFTs available to the public from both organizations. The exclusive NFTs, featuring two levels of rarity, will be made available to the first 750 people who register for a free MotorTrend+ account once the NFTs are unveiled.
Also on November 2, beginning at 11:00 a.m. (PDT), a HOT ROD panel at MotorTrend’s booth will discuss “75 Years of HOT ROD Evolution.” The panel will include HOT ROD editor-in-chief John McGann, ROADKILL show host and former HOT ROD editor-in-chief David Freiburger, former HOT ROD editor-in-chief Evan Perkins and HOT ROD Garage show host Alex Taylor, as well as other legendary contributors to HOT ROD.
Throughout the week, SEMA Show attendees and classic car fans can access the HOT ROD digital archive by registering for a free MotorTrend+ account while visiting MotorTrend’s SEMA Show booth or visiting kiosks throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center. With more than 900 issues of HOT ROD magazine published since 1948—totaling more than 128,000 pages of content—the HOT ROD digital archives take readers from the early days of organized racing on the dry lake beds through the horsepower wars of the ’60s into present day.
There will be daily HOT ROD 75th Anniversary signings and giveaways at MOTORTREND’s SEMA Show booth, located outside the Las Vegas Convention Center in the Silver Lot. Visitors will also see a legendary ’32 Ford Roadster, previously owned by former HOT ROD feature editor Gray Baskerville, displayed in the booth.
HOT ROD’s 75th celebrations will continue throughout 2023. Two of MOTORTREND’s premier annual events return in late summer of 2023 to celebrate HOT ROD’s 75th anniversary: the HOT ROD Power Tour and HOT ROD Drag Week. The events are expected to bring together more than 6,000 vehicles and 100,000-plus spectators next year.
To commemorate HOT ROD’s 75th anniversary, a “HOT ROD 75” collection will also be unveiled today that features a branded, limited-edition zip-up sweatshirt, T-shirt, hat, sticker, poster and mug, for sale exclusively in the MotorTrend Store.