As the automotive aftermarket has gradually adopted digital technologies, so too has the hot-rod aftermarket. Vintage sheetmetal nowadays may house OBD-II-spec engines and drivetrains, 3-D-printed accessories, aftermarket advanced driver-assistance systems and even Bluetooth connectivity. Whatever technologies builders leverage to craft their projects, however, a constantly evolving hot-rod aftermarket can meet their particular needs. What follows is a survey of related products from the New Products Showcase at the 2019 SEMA Show, along with some insights from a number of industry leaders.
Truck and off-road products are aftermarket staples, thanks in particular to resurgent consumer interest in pickups, SUVs and Jeeps, and now CUVs as well. Recent SEMA market research indicates that pickup product sales alone account for a 27% share of the specialty-equipment market. Add SUV product sales, and total market share increases another 13%. Moreover, 47% of pickup consumers and 45% of their SUV counterparts self-identify as true enthusiasts. Little wonder that this past November’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas witnessed the introduction of nearly 500 new truck, SUV and off-road products, not counting wheels and tires. The following pages offer another look at these products as seen in the New Products Showcase.
The performance products market—comprised of engine and drivetrain, electrical and ignition, intake and exhaust, cooling, safety and race gear—is one of the largest in the automotive aftermarket, with an estimated $10.63 billion in sales last year, according to the “2019 SEMA Market Report.” That reality was reflected last November at the 2019 SEMA Show’s New Products Showcase, where hundreds of new racing and performance-related products were on display.
Among car and truck enthusiasts, tires and wheels are often among the first modifications they’re likely to make to their rides, and it makes sense: New rims and rubber can instantly improve a vehicle’s ride, handling and performance characteristics, they can provide an aesthetic upgrade to nearly any vehicle, and in most cases they’re relatively easy to install.
Among automotive enthusiasts, few components stir as much discussion and inspire as much brand loyalty as tires. Tires are such a huge and influential segment of the automotive aftermarket—comprising an estimated $2.46 billion in sales last year, according to the latest “SEMA Market Report”—they warrant their very own floor (along with their companion wheels) at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the annual SEMA Show.
SEMA Show New Products Showcase spotlight.
SEMA News Product & Catalog Showcase, November 2019.
Vehicle restoration is a time-honored tradition among automotive enthusiasts, and the aftermarket makes it all possible. Whether returning a classic to its pristine showroom condition or reinvigorating it as a restomod, the right products from the right manufacturers make all the difference. The 2018 SEMA Show featured a robust-as-ever restoration market with leading exhibitors in the category introducing a wide range of innovations to buyers in the New Products Showcase. The following pages highlight those Showcase products, along with some helpful observations from industry experts about current trends impacting the category.
Tools might be the aftermarket items most taken for granted, left on a shop floor to gather dust or tossed in a grimy parts bin. Yet they’re certainly among the most important everyday shop components because they allow fabricators and customizers to transform their vehicular visions into reality. Whether they’re cutting, clamping, wrenching, riveting, lifting, measuring, monitoring or performing a thousand other tasks, tools and equipment are the workhorses of any shop, and having the right one at hand is essential for any dedicated builder.
It may be the one segment of the automotive aftermarket that no enthusiast ever really wants to get too acquainted with, but it’s one of the most essential and one of the most universally patronized. Specifically, it’s the collision-repair sector—the companies and shops that manufacture and apply the paints, finishes and replacement bodywork that can transform a dinged-up road casualty into a like-new machine.