BMW 1-Series Five-Door Hatch, Ford’s High-Performance Raptor, 2011 Dodge Charger

Here is a roundup of proposed or recently enacted legislative and regulatory developments affecting the specialty-equipment industry in key overseas markets.

In a move that is raising eyebrows in the online marketing world, Google is intimating that companies with websites that download faster than those of competitors could soon be given preference in Google search-engine returns.

ProPledge is a program targeted to overcome the traditional barriers associated with specialty aftermarket products sold during the new-vehicle sales process—namely warranty and customer satisfaction scores (CSI).

Opportunity. Diversity. Confidence. Profits. Those are a few of the keys that lock in the continuing partnership between the automakers, the vehicle dealers and SEMA-member companies.

Ford was the Vehicle Manufacturer of the Show for the 2009 SEMA Show, but its support for specialty-equipment companies goes well beyond that. The Ford Licensed Accessories Program offers qualified SEMA members the chance to boost sales of their products through Ford dealerships.

The automotive industry landscape is very rocky right now. A rapid sales rebound is not on the horizon, and many companies are going through radical restructuring.

Designing new specialty-equipment products is a laborious, time-consuming procedure, and time is not a friend, as manufacturers will attest.