SEMA News—May 2023

BUSINESS

Minority Rules

For Various Specialty Manufacturers, Go-Fast Marine Performance and Automotive Power Go Hand in Hand

By Eric Colby

For many aftermarket companies, a presence in the marine performance and the specialty automotive markets spurs product development, strengthens OEM relationships, and opens new opportunities. Photo: Shutterstock.com

Millions if not billions of dollars are spent each year on aftermarket automotive products like superchargers, intake systems, carburetors, fuel injectors and more. While the numbers aren’t as big, many of these accessories are purchased for marine use, too.

“Our favorite kind of customer has a ProCharger in the truck he uses for towing his boat that has a couple on it, too,” Ken Jones, CEO of Accessible Technologies Inc., which makes ProCharger superchargers. “Customers love turning up the power level on our automotive kits and on their boats.” The company is based in Lenexa, Kansas, and has an office near the Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California, which Jones says is ATI’s biggest market.

For companies like ATI, Whipple Industries, Holley and Edelbrock Performance, maintaining a presence in the marine aftermarket is important for a few reasons. First, for most of them, the go-fast boat market is an untapped opportunity that many want to explore. Second, if a product can last in the harsh marine environment, it should fare well in a car or truck—meaning marine can be a proving ground. Finally, for bigger companies like Edelbrock, the marine market provides opportunities for developing OEM relationships with companies like Mercury Marine, Indmar Marine and Volvo Penta.

“The guy who put an Edelbrock manifold on his musclecar is likely to put one on his boat or put a supercharger on his truck to tow his boat,” said David Page, product manager for the forced induction division at Edelbrock Performance, which is based in Olive Branch, Mississippi, after being in California for decades.

Echoing what most accessories manufacturers estimated, Jones said, “Automotive is about 70% of the business and marine is about 5%.” ATI also makes blowers for aircraft ground support and clean-water systems.

Dual Whipple chargers enhance the power of a twin-engine, 43-ft. Outerlimits powerboat. The Outerlimits brand is known in the boating world for its mixture of performance and luxury.

Proving Ground

ProCharger makes belt-driven turbochargers that are popular because they’re easy to install, take up minimal space and produce some big numbers. The company’s largest supercharger helps create nearly 4,000 hp and the most popular ProCharger kit is for a Ford Mustang. ProCharger also has developed a kit for the new mid-
engine Corvette. A C8 ’Vette makes 495 hp from the factory and ProCharger’s kit boosts that to 720 hp on 93-octane fuel and the consumption basically stays
the same.

Following the company’s strategy of trying to get as broad a fit as possible, on the marine side, ATI focused its program on the Mercury Racing HP525EFI sterndrive, developing a kit for it about two years ago. The 525EFI is popular because it can be used in single-engine applications for boats ranging from 25–30 ft. and for twins in boats ranging from 35–40 ft.

“Part of what’s made our automotive superchargers so good was our marine knowledge,” said Jones. “If it’s going to live in a marine environment, it’s going to live in an automotive market. It helps improve our automotive division.”

After fighting to keep the company moving forward during the pandemic, Jones said he is interested in getting back into the marine market.

“We haven’t focused on marine engine builders lately because we’ve been growing so much and COVID was a challenge to manage through,” he explained. “We need to find growth in markets we haven’t shown enough love to.”

While automotive customers have been prone to doing their own work, Jones says that marine customers have their work done by a rigging shop or engine builder. “The cost of downtime is so high,” said Jones. “You only have so much time to boat, so you want to get it right.”

Holley’s Sniper EFI is an aftermarket product for both automotive and marine applications, the latter with Coast Guard approval.

The Right Partners

Whipple Superchargers in Fresno, California, may be better known to the offshore-performance-boat crowd because Teague Custom Marine (TCM), a popular high-performance marine-engine builder, exclusively uses Whipple products for all its higher-output engines. Additionally, Shonda Whipple, the daughter of company founder Art Whipple, was married to Mike Fiore, the founder of Outerlimits Offshore Powerboats, which is based in Bristol, Rhode Island. (Fiore passed away after a 2014 crash in one of his boats at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, a high-performance-powerboat competition.)

Whipple Superchargers Vice President Dustin Whipple said that the brand still offers re-flashing services for the engine control modules on Mercury Racing fuel-injected engines, but Whipple’s most popular marine products are superchargers for the Mercury Racing HP525EFI and HP500EFI.

The company estimates that marine makes up about 5% of its business and that there is carryover with automotive as well. “Our main business is emissions-legal supercharger systems for today’s musclecars,” said Whipple. “I can’t say we know which way they go, but we have customers with multiple vehicles, including boats. One customer, Buddy Thomas, had an Outerlimits offshore powerboat with Whipple-charged engines, and he had them on his car and tow vehicle.”

Most Whipple marine kits are for big-block GM products and the intake manifold, intercooler and other components are built to withstand the marine environment with parts made from aluminum, copper-nickel and other materials that can better resist corrosion from saltwater. Rotors are manufactured in-house, and Whipple is currently on its fifth generation with the sixth just around the corner. “We’re continuing to push the boundaries and find better ways to supercharge,” he said.

One of the few companies that builds the majority of its components for marine is Superchiller, which Bob Teague, the founder of TCM, purchased 23 years ago. “We do sell some to the car guys, but it’s mostly boats,” he said. “We make the Superchillers for every type of Roots blower system from B&M to Weiand, Blower Shop and all the 8-71-, 10-71- and 14-71-style blowers.”

The company has also partnered with various subsidiaries of Edelbrock and Holley for components for its custom engines. The majority of TCM engines have MSD ignitions, which are a Holley product, and cylinder heads that are a proprietary design provided by Air Flow Research. Springs are mostly Isky, although some applications have Comp Cam products, too.

“There are many automotive products that cross over,” said Teague. “We only use the best of what’s available.

Knowing that many truck customers own boats requiring hefty towing power, Edelbrock offers truck supercharger kits to significantly boost the horsepower and torque needed for the task.

One-Stop Shop

Holley Performance has been making marine carburetors for decades. As noted above, the company also owns MSD ignitions, which is arguably the most popular system used by custom engine builders in the discipline, and Holley offers Sniper fuel-injection kits as well.

“We’ve been offering marine carburetors for decades, but we also offer EFI, ignitions and marine hose ends—we want to be the one-stop shop,” said Bryan
McTaggart, technical writer at Holley.

Holley’s marine-specific carburetors range from 450-cfm to a 1,050-cfm Dominator four-barrel. Quick Fuel has a dedicated marine series with an M designation ranging from 600 to 850 cfm. The company also offers flame arrestors and rebuild kits for the carburetors, plus a technical support staff. “Holley wants to support the end customer regardless of what they’re buying from us,” he explained.

Beyond performance, people want their tow vehicles and boat trailer to look good, too. Holley has custom wheels form
Carroll Shelby, Detroit Speed, Diamond, HK Wheels, Halibrand and more. The company also offers custom lighting.

“I built this beautiful truck to haul this boat; give me something that doesn’t look like your standard aluminum trailer wheel or stamped-steel wheel,” explained McTaggart.

The Mercury 525EFI Racing Sterndrive engine is renowned for its racing performance, so naturally, Whipple makes an upgrade kit for racers and enthusiasts alike.

Hands-On Experience

In the ’80s, Vic Edelbrock Jr., founder of Edelbrock Performance, raced a 38-ft. Wellcraft Scarab in offshore powerboat competition, and the company has offered go-fast boat engine components for decades. Today, Edelbrock makes superchargers, intakes, carburetors and more for performance-marine applications.

“We’re very familiar with manufacturing marine-specific parts for automotive-based engines,” said Edelbrock’s Page. “We are intertwined with the marine power
industry.”

Edelbrock Performance’s marine intake manifolds have integrated bronze castings and other upgrades for improved corrosion resistance and its carburetors remain some of the most popular aftermarket products for performance boats. Like most of the other companies in this story, Edelbrock realizes that the marine segment may be small, but the potential for growth is there. Edelbrock also provides OEM parts for Mercury, Volvo Penta and Indmar Marine.

“All the guys who walk into the SEMA Show, I’m going to say 90% of them, have a boat,” said Page. “The customer who’s going to level his vehicle and put on bigger tires or better exhaust is the same guy who’s going to upgrade his boat’s carburetor or intake.”

Part of the Edelbrock Group, Comp Cams also lists dedicated marine products in its catalog. Page explained that they’re manufactured just like the automotive versions, but that they’re designed to make the power where it’s needed. While a car or truck engine benefits from a transmission with many gears to keep the rpm lower, a boat engine is said to be always running uphill at higher rpm because of the resistance created by water.

For an owner looking to get more towing power, Edelbrock offers supercharger kits for GM trucks that can boost horsepower by as much as 200 and add up to 45% more torque. “We offer a full powertrain warranty and for three years with the kits,” said Grant. “We have that much confidence that the supercharger is not going to affect reliability that we take on that responsibility.”

While many people involved in the automotive aftermarket performance world are likely enthusiasts, a handful like to play on the water, too. Jones owns a 40-ft. Formula performance boat that has twin ProCharged Mercury engines. Page has a Baja 212 performance boat powered by a Mercury engine with a Whipplecharger. “All the people I’ve ever met on the water, none of them view their boat as a way to get from point A to point B,” he said.

One-Off Wonders

In mid-January, Pat Weismann, the president of Weismann Marine and vice president of Traction Products, was shivering on a pontoon boat in Florida as he ran trials on one of four lower units on a 180hp e-Motion electric outboard from the Canadian company Vision Marine Technologies. VMT commissioned Weismann to develop a gearcase for its electric outboard, and he came up with four different prototypes that he needed to test.

In addition to ICE innovations, the performance marine industry is advancing electric-propulsion technologies, which often pose unique challenges for performance developers.

Weismann Marine has been around for decades and has worked with such motorsports celebrities as Parnelli Jones and Jack Brabham. “We probably did 10 to 12 boat projects for him,” said Weismann. Among Weismann Marine’s industry firsts were the dry-sump stern drive and multi-speed transmission for offshore raceboats.

Electric outboards provided a unique challenge for Weismann. For example, there’s no need for exhaust passages to run from the engine down through the propeller shaft, and you don’t need a left- or right-hand drive. “Nothing has ever been geared toward an electric propeller,” he explained. “It doesn’t care which way it turns. He worked with noted naval architecture firm Donald L. Blount and Associates in Virginia on the propeller calculations. “Everything is designed to be super hydrodynamic and efficient,” said Weismann.

While Traction Products’ day-to-day projects include two-speed transmission for ATVs and UTVs, the company that is run by Weismann’s mother Michelle and brother Chris, is also building a car for Bonneville Salt Flats competition. “We’re shooting for the world’s fastest piston-engine vehicle,” said Pat. “Right now, it’s held by a P-51 Mustang.”

The car has a 12-speed four-wheel drive transaxle with the engine in the nose and the four-wheel drive setup in front of the pilot. “It’s the contrary of what everyone else is doing,” said Weismann. “It doesn’t make any sense to have a driveshaft next to your leg spinning at thousands of rpm.”

The design has been proven with turbine power and now he hopes it will work with piston power as well.

The company also makes transaxles for off-road racing trucks, but with such unique projects, the financial side also becomes challenging. “For, Bonneville, for instance, you’re only making one-offs and it seems like it’s the same thing with boats,” said Weismann.

SEMA News—May 2023

RESEARCH

Charting Growth and Headwinds

The “SEMA Future Trends 2023” Report Can Help Make Sense of a Shifting Market

By Mike Imlay

The “SEMA Future Trends 2023” report bundles key economic and industry metrics to assist companies with their planning and decision-making.

Shifts in the automotive industry and the overall U.S. economy greatly impact the specialty-equipment industry. To stay competitive, aftermarket businesses need to know what’s trending now and where markets are headed. The latest “SEMA Future Trends 2023” report provides industry planners a detailed analysis of key metrics for 2023 and beyond.

Released in the first quarter of 2023, and available at www.sema.org/research, the report is the most recent installment in an ongoing series of SEMA Market Research forecasts designed to help specialty-equipment businesses plan not just for the year ahead but for the longer haul.

“Our ‘SEMA Future Trends’ reports are designed to help aftermarket companies of all types make informed decisions,” said SEMA Market Research Director Gavin Knapp. “Like others in the series, this report presents an industry outlook while taking a look at the economic factors, vehicle trends and emerging technologies that are driving short- and longer-term market shifts.”

U.S. specialty-equipment market size forecast

Over the course of the pandemic, the aftermarket not only recovered but thrived, with specialty-equipment sales reaching a record high of $50.9 billion—a growth of 6% over 2020. Projected growth into 2025 is less sharp, but positive nonetheless.

Industry Outlook

According to the report, the specialty automotive industry found itself well positioned going into 2023. Despite the early shock of the pandemic, most aftermarket businesses managed to thrive. Bolstered by stimulus money and left idle from lockdowns, consumers embraced all the freedoms their automobiles could offer. Many turned—or returned—to wrenching, while others went recreating, off-roading, or off the grid altogether through overlanding. The result was a tremendous spike in industry sales, which reached a record $50.9 billion.

“In 2021, we saw a gigantic jump of 6%, thanks to a lot of the continued spending,” observed SEMA Market Research Manager Kyle Cheng. “But a lot of the extra stimulus and spending money that was out there has now dried up, so we estimate that spending on our industry will only grow about 2% this year. Typically, we see about 3% to 4% growth each year, and after 2023 we anticipate things will move back toward our normal range of about 4% in 2024.”

The report’s survey of industry businesses found general optimism for 2023. Among manufacturers, 47% predicted growth, with 35% expecting their growth to remain about the same. Those figures are roughly similar for industry distributors, while most retailer/installers remaining equally split in their predictions of growing (44%) or holding steady (44%). While acknowledging the increased costs of doing business, all industry sectors reported that demand for their products remained solid overall.

business metric expectations for 2023

Industry companies expect revenue, number of customers and customer demand to remain solid this year. However, business and production costs are expected to be expensive. Concerns around inventory and supply chains also linger.

Economic Forces

Of course, the industry doesn’t operate in a vacuum, so the “SEMA Future Trends 2023” report also takes a look at key indicators in the wider U.S. economy. “There are a number of forecasts in our report,” said Knapp. “We should mention that the forecasts we share are not our own, but forecasts sourced from some of the nation’s leading banks and institutions.”

“Basically, the data we sourced reveals a lot of strength right now,” added Cheng. “We have good signs that the labor force is tight. The unemployment report that came out in early 2023 showed an unemployment rate at its lowest point since 1969. So we have a lot of things going for us, but there are some obvious headwinds.”

With the Federal Reserve continuing to raise interest rates, a potential recession remains top of mind. While the report delves into economic data that might signal a recession, it stops short of making any definitive pronouncements. As of press time, the recessionary tea leaves were still too difficult to read with any precision.

“Forecasting is always more art than science, and it’s really difficult to predict what’s going to happen in the future,” said Knapp. “Again, we aren’t trying to be economic prognosticators with this report. Instead, we’re gathering the relevant information that is out there and bundling it together into the metrics that we think are germane to our industry. We’re presenting the data to help our industry understand what’s trending for their businesses.”

U.S. economic growth forecast

Despite uncertainty, the U.S. economy entered 2023 with momentum. At press time, however, economic indicators were still mixed, with a dip in growth projected into 2024.

Take for example U.S. consumer spending, which held solid into 2023 despite any concerns consumers might be harboring over a recession. In fact, going into last year’s fourth quarter, consumer spending had hit $45.2 trillion—its highest level in U.S. history. In large part, this was due to stimulus-built savings and disposable income.

Consequently, U.S. retail sales saw strong growth in 2021 and 2022, which also reached a record high of $2.05 trillion by the third quarter 2022. However, by November 2022, with stimulus money waning, consumer spending fell back toward normal levels. So far, spending on goods and services has remained resilient, but moving forward, retail sales will likely fall further in the later half of 2023. After this leveling off, they are expected to resume their upward trajectory in 2024. (It’s worth noting that despite any temporary dip, sales still end up exceeding their pre-pandemic levels.)

“Again, the overall takeaway is that some of these indicators are really good,” observed Knapp. “For example, low unemployment would traditionally be considered a really good indicator for the economy. But the economy is giving off mixed signals right now. We had a big jump in inflation, although it’s coming down.”

Cheng added, “We think that inflation has peaked and is still going down. But a drop from 9% to 7% still means that prices are up about 7% versus last year. So that’s also something to keep an eye on.” Plus, he added, data shows consumers increasingly turning to their credit cards for purchases.

“At this point, the most favorable factor is that consumers are still spending money,” said Knapp. “When you think about the Great Recession from about 2007 to 2009, there was a real scare put into consumers, and people stopped spending. That’s not happening right now. They’re not feeling the need to pull back.”

The pandemic also left other lingering headwinds for specialty-automotive businesses. According to the report, more than 90% of specialty-automotive companies say that supply-chain issues had a moderate to significant impact on their operations in 2022. The good news is the vexing bottlenecks have largely dissipated. American ports—especially those of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California—are now less congested. The nationwide trucking situation has also noticeably eased, albeit with an ongoing driver shortage. Costs associated with shipping have dropped as well. In general, economists expect world supply chains to continue their recovery this year. Still, it will likely take time for all the creases to iron out.

Among those creases is the semiconductor or “chip” shortage. While average lead times for chips have fallen, they remained high at 25.5 weeks as late as the fourth quarter of 2022. This in turn has slowed new-vehicle production and sales—a situation that’s likely to continue for some time.

“Even if we had as many chips as we did in 2019, we would still not have enough to meet the demand because the cars today actually require more chips than they did back then. It’s something of a challenge that the automotive industry is working to overcome,” observed Cheng.

how industry companies view U.S. Economy and business climate

Going into this year, the industry expressed concerns about the U.S. economy even as they continued to report solid sales numbers. Most (60%) viewed the economy as either good or just average.

Vehicle Trends

Meanwhile, the rapid rollouts of new vehicle technologies and platforms continue to reshape every level of the aftermarket. To help industry businesses better understand their implications, the “SEMA Future Trends 2023” report pays considerable attention to new and used vehicle sales trends, developing OEM platforms, and advances in vehicle electrification and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

“We talk at great length about numerous trends, starting with how sales have been affected since the pandemic,” said Cheng.

The research suggests that U.S. automotive sales are still in a post-pandemic recovery, and probably won’t normalize until 2025. By late 2022, record-high vehicle costs, rising interest rates and supply-chain issues had all contributed to a sales slowdown. In fact, for the first time since early 2021, new light-vehicle inventory has significantly outpaced sales. As a result, OEMs are now tapping the brakes on production.

With an average new-vehicle price tag hitting $49,507 without applied consumer incentives, it’s no surprise that 77% of consumers now think it’s a bad time to buy new. But those turning to the used-vehicle market aren’t finding much solace. Now that owners are keeping their cars longer, used inventory has also tightened, driving up prices. What’s more, interest rates for used-vehicle loans are almost double those of new vehicles (at 9.34% versus 5.16%). Like the new-vehicle market, SEMA market research projects that it will take until 2025 for used sales to return to pre-pandemic levels of 40 million units
per year.

Those sales trends present both challenges and opportunities for the aftermarket. On one hand, owners are most likely to modify their new or used vehicle within the first several months of purchase. On the other, owners who are now holding onto their vehicles longer may be more inclined to freshen up their car’s or truck’s looks and performance.

Even as sales recover, OEMs are making dramatic changes to their platform offerings. Notably, they are abandoning traditional sedan models in favor of light trucks, mainly in the form of crossover utility vehicles (CUVs).

“Twenty years ago, an SUV or a crossover almost didn’t exist,” said Knapp. “Today they are the biggest vehicle segment on the road. For, example, if I were to say that Volkswagen is primarily a truck company, I think that would surprise most people. But 80% of their current sales are in the light-truck space.”

In fact, throughout today’s car market, light trucks outsell cars four to one, but Knapp hastened to add that the statistic doesn’t mean that pickups outsell cars four to one. “Light trucks include pickups, vans, SUVs and CUVs,” he explained.

U.S. New Light-Vehicle Sales, Inventory and production

For the first time since early 2021, new light-vehicle inventory outpaced sales by a significant margin. Thanks to their high cost, rising interest rates and limited availability, vehicle sales slowed in the latter half of 2022.

Meanwhile, automakers are aggressively electrifying their vehicle fleets in a drive to meet government goals and reduce manufacturing costs. (Electric vehicles [EVs] require fewer supply chains and parts to produce, increasing their profit potential.)

However, the road to gold isn’t necessarily paved with lithium—EVs bring their own set of conundrums. Consumers still have reservations about the technology, especially when it comes to vehicle cost, range and charging convenience. Plus, there are hidden costs to the environment, including the mining of toxic heavy metals and the disposal of spent battery waste. Charging infrastructure and EV production capacity are also a far cry from what will be required to meet ambitious government and OEM electrification goals.

“Despite all the recent EV mandates, including the vehicle sales mandate in California, we still anticipate that, by 2035, total EV sales will be about 39% of the market, with the entire alternative-power segment being just over half of all new-vehicle sales,” said Cheng. “That’s a lot more conservative than some other sources are saying, but given the challenges and the production levels they’re at right now, we think that there are still a lot of barriers to entry that prevent more aggressive adoption.”

Meanwhile, the aftermarket is still assessing what it can do for EVs, and vice versa. Only 15% of manufacturers and 12% of retailer/installers surveyed see electrification as a high-level opportunity. In contrast, 37% of both manufacturers and retailer/installers characterize the opportunity as low, with sizable numbers saying they simply don’t know enough to make an evaluation (24% and 31%, respectively).

The bottom line? Yes, the march toward EVs is real. But with 300 million gas-powered vehicles currently in use, internal combustion engines will dominate American roadways for decades to come.

What’s also real is the rapid deployment of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in new vehicles—and their broad implications for the aftermarket. More than 80% of ’21 vehicles featured collision-warning or speed-reduction/mitigation systems. Lane-departure warning, blindspot alert and pedestrian detection systems are also increasingly becoming standard features, along with adaptive cruise control and other safety-performance technologies. Such systems are already impacting aftermarket and collision repairs, services and modifications, from wheel and tire combos, to suspension, lift and bumper upgrades, as well as other appearance items.

Going forward, the report also identifies several areas of expanding opportunity for the aftermarket. “Many companies are seeing some pretty strong opportunity in our traditional base categories like off-roading, muscle cars, sporty cars, classics and hot rods,” said Knapp, adding that the overlanding and powersports markets continue to grow as well. “Some companies are also coming around to EVs, but overall they’re expecting opportunity in many categories, which is always a good thing.”

Download Your Report

Download your free copy of the latest “SEMA Future Trends Report 2023” at www.sema.org/market-research. While there, be sure to check out the many other SEMA Market Research reports relevant to your business.

View the “SEMA Future Trends” Webinar

An in-depth discussion of the “SEMA Future Trends Report 2023” and its findings can also be viewed as on-demand video, titled “SEMA Future Trends: Outlook 2023 and Beyond,” at https://learning.sema.org/products/sema-future-trends-outlook-for-2023-and-beyond.

  SEMA News—May 2023

By Gigi Ho

NEW PRODUCTS

SEMA Data Product News

The products featured below are from SEMA Data member companies that have attained Gold- or Platinum-level data, which means that their product data is robust and complete—likely to drive customer purchase decisions. SEMA Data members meeting data scorecard requirements are invited to submit product releases for consideration to enews@semadata.org.

Injen EVOLUTION Cold Air Intake System, ’21–’22 Ford Bronco L4-2.3L Turbo

Injen Technology’s new EVO9300 Cold Air Intake for the ’21–’22 Ford Bronco equipped with the 2.3L EcoBoost engine is here. One look at the stats of this intake system, and you’ll know that it’s the right choice for your new Bronco. The EVO9300 is a true 3-D-designed intake system that simply drops in without any modifications, plus it delivers on those performance gains without the need for additional and expensive engine tuners. Simply install our intake system and you’re set with no “check-engine” lights and no drama!

PN: EVO9300
www.injen.com

KW Coilover Kit V1

The KW V1 INOX-LINE Coilover Kit is our entry point into our street performance lineup. The high-quality INOX-LINE stainless-steel coilover struts, corrosion-resistant springs, bumpstops and dampers are optimally tuned by our engineers. The result is a balanced and sporty feel specific to each vehicle application designed for long-lasting driving pleasure. With KW V1 coilovers, you can achieve maximum lowering within an approved lowering range that ensures a proper-functioning suspension and adequate travel after your car is lowered.

PN: 10210005
www.kwsuspensions.com

Auto Ventshade Side Window Deflector

AVS Ventshade is the original AVS product. Offered for many classic vehicles, it is the standard that created the side window deflector industry. Its ledge profile that is mounted in the window channel, combined with stainless-steel construction, keeps rain out and lets fresh air in. Manufactured from high-quality steel. Available in polished stainless and black finishes. Quick and easy installation. Backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

PN: 14202
www.autoventshade.com

TI Automotive High-Performance Gas Brushless Pump and Controller

TI Automotive fuel pumps are available for in-tank or in-line needs across a variety of fuels featuring the award-winning 39/50 in-tank pump and the GSS line featuring the popular 255-lph pump. They deliver high-pressure, high-flow performance for engines with more than 500 hp. Pump kits, filters and accessories are available to help you with your installation needs and are designed as direct-fit replacements. Our fuel pumps and modules are never manufactured or assembled by a third party or sourced from an outside company.

PN: BKS1001
https://aftermarket.tiautomotive.com/

SEMA Data is “data central” for the specialty-equipment segment, containing millions of products and vehicle fitments from performance and accessories brands. Created by SEMA, SEMA Data is the definitive, industry-owned and -operated centralized data warehouse, complete with comprehensive online tools, and a team of dedicated data and technology experts to assist manufacturers and resellers with product data needs. Learn more at www.semadata.org.

SEMA News—May 2023

MARKET RESEARCH SNAPSHOT

Vehicles in Operation and New Light-Vehicle Sales Update

By Market Research

Share of Light Vehicle Sales in 2022

13.7 Million Vehicles Sold in 2022

Around 46% of new vehicle sales in 2022 were CUV models (6.3 million units). However, pickup sales were also strong at 19% (2.6 million units).

Due to supply issues, high interest rates and component shortages, new-vehicle sales in 2022 dipped below 2021 levels at 13.7 million. This is just over a million short of 2021 levels and around 3 million below the levels seen in 2019. Consequently, it’s projected that new light-vehicle sales won’t return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025. Despite slower than expected sales, there are still a lot of light vehicles on the road today—more than 284 million cars and light trucks. CUVs continue to dominate sales and have a large presence on U.S. roads, however pickups also are strong. Despite all the disruption seen over the last year, consumers continue to spend money modifying and accessorizing their vehicles.

New vehicle sales in 2022 finished at just over a million units short of 2021. Delays and shortages mean sales should return to pre-pandemic levels by 2025.

Vehicles Currently in Operation

There are more than 284 million light vehicles in operation today. CUVs are now the most common vehicle on the road, followed by pickups and midsize/large vehicles.

To learn more about the specialty-equipment and broader automotive industries, download the “Fall 2022 SEMA State of the Industry” report today at www.sema.org/research.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SEMA, the CAR Coalition, MEMA Aftermarket and the Auto Care Association applaud a new group of bipartisan cosponsors of the "Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act" (H.R. 906), a bill that will ensure choice, fairness and safety in the vehicle-repair market. In addition to original sponsor Representative Neal Dunn (R-FL), and co-sponsors Reps. Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Warren Davidson (R-OH) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), eight additional members have signed on in support of the REPAIR Act: Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Tim Walberg (R-MI), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Ann Kuster (D-NH) and Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL).

New co-sponsor Rep. Gimenez said the REPAIR Act's public safety provisions are critical to his support. "As a career first responder, protecting the American people and our public safety has been one of my top priorities in Congress," said Gimenez (FL-28). "I'm proud to join my colleagues in co-sponsoring the bipartisan REPAIR Act, which ensures that car owners have access to their vehicle’s data and can make informed, cost-saving decisions on where to take their car for repairs."

Specifically, the REPAIR Act will:

• Preserve consumer access to high-quality and affordable vehicle repair by ensuring that vehicle owners and their repairers of choice have access to necessary repair and maintenance tools and data as vehicles continue to become more advanced.
• Ensure cybersecurity by allowing vehicle manufacturers to secure vehicle-generated data and requiring the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop standards for how vehicle-generated data necessary for repair can be accessed securely.
• Provide transparency for consumers by requiring that vehicle owners be informed that they can choose where and how to get their vehicle repaired.
• Create a stakeholder advisory committee and providing them with the statutory authority to provide recommendations to the FTC on how to address emerging barriers to vehicle repair and maintenance.
• Provide ongoing enforcement by establishing a process for consumers and independent repair facilities to file complaints with the FTC regarding alleged violations of the requirements in the bill and a requirement that the FTC act within five months of a claim.

Click here to send a letter to your U.S. Representative that asks them to support the REPAIR Act by cosponsoring the bill.

While the REPAIR Act is important to repair-and-replace businesses, there is still more work to do. The current legislation does not extend to a right to modify. SEMA is committed to protecting the right to modify vehicles by prohibiting automakers from locking down ECUs and ensuring aftermarket companies have access to the information needed to recalibrate vehicles with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) after they have been modified.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SEMA, the CAR Coalition, MEMA Aftermarket and the Auto Care Association applaud a new group of bipartisan cosponsors of the "Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act" (H.R. 906), a bill that will ensure choice, fairness and safety in the vehicle-repair market. In addition to original sponsor Representative Neal Dunn (R-FL), and co-sponsors Reps. Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Warren Davidson (R-OH) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), eight additional members have signed on in support of the REPAIR Act: Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Tim Walberg (R-MI), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Ann Kuster (D-NH) and Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL).

New co-sponsor Rep. Gimenez said the REPAIR Act's public safety provisions are critical to his support. "As a career first responder, protecting the American people and our public safety has been one of my top priorities in Congress," said Gimenez (FL-28). "I'm proud to join my colleagues in co-sponsoring the bipartisan REPAIR Act, which ensures that car owners have access to their vehicle’s data and can make informed, cost-saving decisions on where to take their car for repairs."

Specifically, the REPAIR Act will:

• Preserve consumer access to high-quality and affordable vehicle repair by ensuring that vehicle owners and their repairers of choice have access to necessary repair and maintenance tools and data as vehicles continue to become more advanced.
• Ensure cybersecurity by allowing vehicle manufacturers to secure vehicle-generated data and requiring the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop standards for how vehicle-generated data necessary for repair can be accessed securely.
• Provide transparency for consumers by requiring that vehicle owners be informed that they can choose where and how to get their vehicle repaired.
• Create a stakeholder advisory committee and providing them with the statutory authority to provide recommendations to the FTC on how to address emerging barriers to vehicle repair and maintenance.
• Provide ongoing enforcement by establishing a process for consumers and independent repair facilities to file complaints with the FTC regarding alleged violations of the requirements in the bill and a requirement that the FTC act within five months of a claim.

Click here to send a letter to your U.S. Representative that asks them to support the REPAIR Act by cosponsoring the bill.

While the REPAIR Act is important to repair-and-replace businesses, there is still more work to do. The current legislation does not extend to a right to modify. SEMA is committed to protecting the right to modify vehicles by prohibiting automakers from locking down ECUs and ensuring aftermarket companies have access to the information needed to recalibrate vehicles with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) after they have been modified.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The SEMA California Rally is just around the corner, and SEMA members based in the state are invited to register at sema.org/carally. This event is an excellent opportunity for SEMA-member companies to advocate on behalf of the automotive aftermarket industry with key lawmakers.

The Rally will take place on June 8 in Sacramento, and SEMA members will come together to discuss issues, such as supporting new vehicle technologies, manufacturing tax incentives and the CARB Executive Order process. By attending the Rally, SEMA members will have the chance to meet with lawmakers and their staff to advocate for policies that will benefit the industry.

The SEMA California Rally is open to all SEMA-member companies based in California, and registration is now open. Members can register at sema.org/carally, where they will also find lodging information. We encourage all SEMA members based in California to register for this event and take part in the advocacy efforts.

The automotive aftermarket industry is facing significant challenges, and it is crucial that our voices are heard. By attending the SEMA California Rally, we can make our concerns known and advocate for policies that will support our industry's growth and innovation.

Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to advocate for our industry. Register for the SEMA California Rally today at sema.org/carally. We look forward to seeing you in Sacramento on June 8.

Design Engineering Inc. (DEI) will be the official heat-and-sound control sponsor of the Triple Crown of Rodding, a new premier event for hot rods and trucks, at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon Tennessee, September 8-9. The Triple Crown of Rodding showcases hot rods, customs, classics and musclecars through '72 and American-made trucks through '98.

The Triple Crown of Rodding event was inspired by Shades of the Past, an event that was held for more than 40 years the weekend after Labor Day in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. When that show ended in 2022, Bobby Alloway of Alloway’s Rod Shop teamed up with Gary Case of Stylin’ Concepts and the Sport Truck Nationals to create the Triple Crown of Rodding.

The Triple Crown of Rodding will feature an elite-level awards program with more than 40 state-of-the-art trophies including the Triple Crown Winners: Best Street Rod, Best Street Machine, Best Street Cruiser, Best Truck (up to '72) Best Truck ('73-'87) and Best Truck ('88-'98). A brand new '23 Chevrolet Pickup Hot Rodded by Alloway's Rod Shop will be given away to one registered participant. For more information about the Triple Crown of Rodding, visit triplecrownofrodding.com.

Lubrication Specialties Hires Bud Prenatt as Director of Marketing

Lubrication Specialties (LSI) has announced the addition of Bud Prenatt to the company's marketing team. Prenatt, an experienced product marketing leader in the heavy-duty transportation industry, joined LSI in February 2023. Formerly the product marketing manager for an Ohio-based company focused on the class 3-6 truck and off-highway market segments, Prenatt will oversee and develop a strategy to promote the Hot Shot’s Secret brand of performance additives and lubricants across multiple channels: direct, online and retail and diverse markets.

Prenatt has nearly 20 years of experience in sales and marketing with a proven track record of growing brands and developing new market segments to significantly improve the bottom line by increasing gross margins and working with strategic partners to reduce costs. He is experienced in working cross-functionally with OEM and OES team operations. Prenatt’s expertise runs the gamut of market research, customer engagement, digital strategy and content, product research and development, Six Sigma Green Belt techniques and promotions. His prior positions also include working in technical sales in the automotive industry as well as working as a product development manager in the construction and agricultural market segments.

Bandimere Speedway Sells Property, Intends to Relocate

The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and the Bandimere family have jointly announced that the 2023 Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals (July 14-16) will be the last NHRA national event at Bandimere Speedway just outside of Denver. The Bandimere family has agreed to sell the current property and land in Morrison, Colorado, but plans to relocate the historic NHRA-sanctioned drag strip to another location in the Denver area, officials said.

In addition, the NHRA leadership team has announced discussions with NHRA member tracks not currently on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series circuit to host future national events, including replacing the Denver date on the 2024 schedule. NHRA and the Bandimere family invite racers and fans to be part of the last NHRA Mile-High Nationals, July 14-16. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Bandimere website.

Motion Names New Senior Vice President, CFO

Motion Industries has announced the promotion of Patrick Cummings to senior vice president and CFO. Cummings first joined Motion in 2012 as AVP of corporate compliance. He held the position of U.S. controller from 2014-2019, before becoming vice president of financial planning and analysis, until he was asked to serve as interim CFO after Greg Cook, Motion's previous CFO, moved to the U.S. Automotive Group at Genuine Parts Company (GPC). Cummings will report to Breaux and will also work closely with Bert Nappier, executive vice president and CFO of GPC.

Gold Eagle Co. Announces Second Annual Cars & Coffee

STA-BIL and 303, two automotive aftermarket brands manufactured by Gold Eagle Co., have announced the company's second annual Cars & Coffee. This free public event will showcase a large collection of luxury, classic and sports cars combined with coffee and light refreshments. Scheduled for Saturday, May 6, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., the event is being held at the company's headquarters in Chicago.

To enter a vehicle for Cars & Coffee, arrive at Gold Eagle’s main entrance parking lot by 9:00 a.m. Each participating vehicle entered will receive four raffle tickets for the chance to win two general admission tickets to attend NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend scheduled for July 1-2. The winner of the tickets will be announced at the close of the event and must be present to win. All make and model vehicles are welcome. Two additional Cars & Coffee events are being planned for Saturday, July 1, and Saturday, September 30.

Zetterström Announces Global Partnership With Edelbrock, KW Parts

European Top Fuel record holder Ida Zetterström has announced a new global partnership between Edelbrock Group and KW Parts to support her efforts in winning the FIA Championship driving for RF Motorsport. Edelbrock Group helped Zetterström in her successful first FIA Top Fuel season in 2022, where the team became the first to clock a 3.7-second pass in Europe and picked up their first FIA event win together at Tierp Arena in Sweden. For 2023, Edelbrock is expanding its commitment to become a primary partner on her dragster alongside new sponsor KW Parts.

MAHLE Motorsport Develops Performance Ring Webinar

MAHLE Motorsport recently produced a performance ring webinar for Epartrade, a global online motorsports network. The webinar answers many key questions engine builders have about performance rings. The webinar, episode #334, was presented by Joe Maylish, MAHLE Motorsport program manager and MAHLE Motorsport engineer George Wright and hosted by Brad Gillie, SiriusXM, channel 90, Late Shift talk host on the EPARTRADE website and is also available to view in its entirety here.

Wright explains how new materials and MAHLE’s partnership with OEs, racers, race teams and builders has driven the goal to produce lighter rings with increased material hardness, higher tensile and yield strength that are also stronger and more conformable. Additionally, Maylish talks about their proprietary HV385 thermal spray coating that is embedded into the piston rings to improve scuff resistance, increase bond strength, provide quick and consistent break-in and sealing and reduce the coefficient of friction.

Polaris Announces First Shipment of All-Electric RANGER XP Kinetic

Polaris Inc. has announced the first shipments of its all-new electric RANGER XP Kinetic vehicles are headed to dealers this week for customer pickup. Polaris manufactures its fully electric RANGER XP Kinetic off-road vehicles at the company's more than 900,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing facility in Huntsville, Alabama. Polaris plans to take additional orders on the RANGER XP Kinetic this summer. The RANGER XP Kinetic features an all-electric powertrain, engineered for off-road use through Polaris' exclusive 10-year partnership with Zero Motorcycles.

A class-leading 110 hp and 140 lb.-ft. of instant torque deliver maximum power and capability, including the ability to tow up to 2,500 lbs. and haul 1,250 lbs. Its electric powertrain delivers smooth, precise control when operating at low speeds, so customers have full control while towing or backing up to a trailer, while the instantaneous torque also delivers quicker acceleration.

All '23 RANGER XP Kinetic models are equipped with RIDE COMMAND+, which offers connected-vehicle services, including remote-vehicle location, battery-status monitoring, enhanced group ride tracking and more. More details on the RANGER XP Kinetic can be found by visiting Polaris.com.

Dodge Gives Fans an Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Look at Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170

To celebrate HEMI Day on April 26, the Dodge brand launched a 22-minute video, "Dodge Demon 170: Devil in the Details," capturing the reveal of the 1,025hp Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 in Las Vegas last month. Dodge owners, fans and enthusiasts can learn how the stunt came to life at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and hear from Dodge executives, including CEO Tim Kuniskis, the manager of the Challenger SRT program; the helicopter pilot who safely delivered the Demon 170 onto the track and insiders, including Jay Leno, all who describe inspiration behind the reveal and their passion for the Dodge brand.

Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA News. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.

Exhibitors and attendees preparing for the 2023 SEMA Show can lock in the guaranteed lowest hotel rate now by booking in the Show block.

Making hotel reservations in the block provides you with the most affordable and convenient options for a wide range of hotels located on and off the Strip.

SEMA Showgoers can save more than $200 per night at several Las Vegas hotels, including Bellagio, by booking in the SEMA Show block.

All of the hotels available through the SEMA Show block come with a low-price guarantee. Whether you're looking for your favorite place to stay, or for a hotel within close proximity to the Show, you can book with confidence knowing you will get the rooms you need at the the most affordable price available.

The SEMA Show also provides shuttle service to and from the Show for the hotels listed that are not within walking distance to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

There are more than 45 hotels available in the block. For more information on the hotels listed below, including rating, price per night and distance from the Las Vegas Convention Center, visit SEMAShow.com.

SEMA has negotiated exclusive, discounted nightly rates at the best hotels in Las Vegas. However, you can only get the discounted rates when you book through the SEMA Show’s official hotel provider. Save more than $200 a night at the following SEMA Show hotels:

• Bellagio
• The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
• MGM Grand
• New York New York
• The Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino
• Park MGM
• The Signature at MGM Grand
• SpringHill Suites convention Center
• Tropicana LV - A Doubletree by Hilton
• The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino
• Waldorf Astoria

Book your hotel now!

To reserve your booth for the 2023 SEMA Show, visit SEMAShow.com/buyabooth.

The All-Female Build '21 Ford Bronco Wildtrak that was revealed at the 2022 SEMA Show will be on display at the 2023 Bronco Safari in Moab, Utah, May 2-6, hosted by the Utah Bronco Club. The four-door SUV provided by the Ford Motor Co. underwent modifications that represented a culmination of the work of more than 125 female volunteers from throughout the United States and Canada. They included veterans, students, mother-daughter and even granddaughter duos, as well as automotive technicians, race-car drivers and award-winning car-building sisters.

The SBN-styled Bronco will be on display at the main Bronco Safari area at the Spanish Trails Arena for hundreds of Bronco fanatics to enjoy. This 12th annual Bronco Safari hosts organized trail rides throughout the week and concludes on Friday with a huge show and shine with vendor participation.

Bronco Safari is excited to host the build: "I tracked the whole build and although I couldn't go to the SEMA Show myself, I sent my husband to the reveal to send me pictures," said Amanda Williams, a Bronco Safari coordinator and Utah Bronco Club member. "I am excited to be able to put the Bronco on display during our event for everyone to recognize the ladies' efforts in the Industry."

For more information on the SBN Bronco, visit sites.sema.org/sbn-build.