Scion displayed this second-generation xB in its booth at the 2008 SEMA Show.
Recent SEMA Performance Parts and Accessories Demand Index (PADI) results show that consumers are slowly shifting away from general personalization and heading toward a niche-focused theme for their customization plans. Over the past three months, more consumers are eying the hot-rod, off-road and street-performance markets compared to this time last year.
Learn how SEMA market research can help you plan your operations.
More Americans are keeping their cars longer, according to a recent report from R.L. Polk & Company. The automotive research firm found that the median age of passenger cars in operation increased to 9.4 years in 2008, breaking the previous two-year record high of 9.2 years.
Trucks are also aging, the median age rising to 7.6 years from 7.3 years in 2007.
This trend spells bad news for both new- and used-car dealers, but opportunity for specialty-equipment businesses.
K Sport exhibited this Honda Integra Type R (Acura RSX) at the 2008 SEMA Show with some of the most current products and styles indicative of the Honda tuning market.
Above all other products attributes enthusiasts overwhelmingly prefer quality.
SEMA research has undertaken a study to determine what matters most to enthusiasts. In recent surveys consumers were given the opportunity to weigh in on the features they prefer from manufacturers. In two different scenarios—one in which the characteristics of the products were listed and another when the question was left open for respondents to fill in—the results ended the same. In both cases, quality was more important than name brand, performance and even price.
The Mitsubishi EVO was among the top three compact-performance vehicles most owned
and accessorized.
As part of SEMA’s annual Automotive Lifestyles Study, more than 3,000 enthusiasts were surveyed on their accessorization and buying behavior, and results reveal that the Ford Mustang, Nissan 240SX and Chevrolet Corvette are the vehicles owned and accessorized most often in their respective categories.
Podcasts merge the inevitable evolution of technology with our 1st Amendment rights. While it sounds high-tech, it is actually quite simple; any person who has an IPod or any MP3 playing device can download a podcast, an audio or video file made available for syndicated download on the internet.
After two months of growth, the SEMA Performance Parts and Accessories Demand Index (PADI) dropped 13 points in March, decreasing from 43 in February to 30 this month. For now, 8% of adult American drivers indicated that they had plans to purchase specialty-equipment products sometime within the next three months.
However, a dramatic jump in wheel, tire and/or suspension purchase plans by 18–24-year-old consumers helped to keep the SEMA PADI from a further decline.
Norwegian electric-vehicle (EV) maker Think Global has aspirations of expanding into the U.S. market. Although the company is presently feeling the burdens of a sour global economy, they are motivated to expand operations into North America. Managers for the brand have announced their intention to build a technical center and manufacturing plant as early as 2010.