Tabla de contenidos para July 2024 en SEMA Magazine

With the Show floorplan now live at SEMAShow.com and registration open, the 2024 SEMA Show—set for November 5–8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC)—is already shaping up to be yet another milestone trade event for exhibitors. For those manufacturers and brands that haven’t yet confirmed their participation, there is still time to sign on—and plenty of reasons to do so. The four-day extravaganza continues to reflect the energy, innovative spirit and vitality of the specialty automotive trade as a whole while providing exhibitors with a unique opportunity to grow their businesses. In 2023, the SEMA Show hosted more than 140,000 automotive aftermarket professionals, including 2,000-plus exhibiting companies and more than 2,500 media and content creators. “We’re building on a strong 2023 Show, and early response is indicating that 2024…

Cramming a comprehensive look at any subculture into a single article is at best a fool’s errand. But I’m nothing if not foolish, so slide into your fixed-back buckets and strap into your five points, because we’re taking a trip deep into the heart of the tuner culture. I’ve lived this life—as both enthusiast and insider—serving some of the most influential content makers in this scene. It’s safe to say I know this space, but what I don’t know is exactly what to call this perfectly imperfect movement. Japanese car culture or Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) both feel too exclusive by today’s inclusive standards and “sport compact” sounds like a box you’d lazily check on an insurance application. And while it feels like a phrase a PR rep would toss…

For many specialty-equipment brands, the powersports category has always been a natural adventure playground. Motorcycle and other powersports vehicle owners demand performance, utility and even styling, and are rarely satisfied with stock. Moreover, the category represents a huge crossover opportunity for the specialty automotive industry. “Half of our accessorizer consumers own a powersports or recreational vehicle,” reports SEMA Director of Market Research Gavin Knapp, and their choice of powersports toys can range from ATVs, quads or UTVs to motorcycles or snowmobiles. There are also a number of encouraging trends currently at work in the marketplace. According to the Q9 PowerSports Blog (q9powersportsusa.com), throughout 2024, we can expect to see an expansion of adventure tourism featuring off-roading bikes, ATVs and UTVs; an increased focus on safety technologies like stability control and…

As the automotive industry navigates increasingly stringent emissions regulations, a promising alternative powertrain technology is advancing on multiple fronts. The hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2-ICE) offers clean, near-zero emissions potential. As a fuel, hydrogen has high energy density, and is literally the most common element on the planet. Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are already on the road, but these are essentially electric vehicles that rely on a chemical reaction to make electricity via a fuel cell. Another current H2 fuel-cell application is forklifts, which have long been in use in warehouses across the country. In contrast, hydrogen internal combustion engines (ICEs) actually burn hydrogen as fuel, an option that becomes attractive for a number of reasons. Perhaps the most important of these for the specialty automotive industry is that H2-ICE engines…

Kyle Kuhnhausen and his company Kuhnhausen Metal Concepts burst onto the SEMA scene in 2018 when he won the Young Guns category in the annual SEMA Show Battle of the Builders (BOTB) competition. Since then he’s achieved status as a high-level custom car builder, continues to take part in the contest, and has even served as a BOTB judge. One of the companies that he’s built a relationship with is SendCutSend, which fabricates custom designed parts for businesses that lack computernumeric or laser-cutting capabilities. “I stumbled upon SendCutSend four or five years ago and it was through my first sponsor ever, Radium Engineering,” Kuhnhausen recalled. “He said you should look into laser cutting and it wasn’t doable where I’m at.” He said that he dabbled in Solidworks and knew how…

STATE UPDATE ALASKA—INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES: In April, SEMA staff testified before the Alaska House Committee on Labor & Commerce in support of legislation to protect consumers’ choice of vehicle powerplants and fuel by preventing a state agency, county or city from limiting access to certain power sources. Under current law, new gasand diesel-powered vehicle sales may be threatened if narrow energy policies are adopted. CALIFORNIA—LEGACY PLATE: California Assembly Member Tim Grayson, a State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus member, has reintroduced SEMA-sponsored legislation to expand the state’s successful Legacy License Plate Program, which is available for all model years of motor vehicles. Under the bill, the DMV would create and issue an additional series of new, specialized license plates resembling designs from the state’s past: ’50s (black lettering on a yellow…

When we talk about the importance of the relationships our industry has with lawmakers, many often default to the federal and state levels. Frequently overlooked is the importance of relationships with local lawmakers, especially for those on the event side of our industry. Local lawmakers are often your most invested elected officials in the whole political chain since they are closest to the impact your business has—the local jobs you create and what you bring to the local economy. Dawn Rowe is the chair of the San Bernardino County [California] Board of Supervisors and represents the county’s third district, which includes Johnson Valley where the King of the Hammers race is held. Before Chair Rowe earned the title of county supervisor she was an off-road enthusiast and long-standing supporter of…

Yet Another ICE Alternative Even as hydrogen R&D continues, there are currently a variety of environmentally beneficial fuels in use that can lower emissions and, in some cases, improve performance. Below is a summary of some of the current options. Biodiesel: A renewable fuel, often made from vegetable oil. The emissions reduction varies according to the source material, which can include animal fats, vegetable oils or recycled restaurant grease. Generally available blended as 2% (B2), 5% (B5) or 20% (B20). Advantages over petroleum diesel include renewable feedstocks, widespread domestic production, higher lubricity, and the absence of certain carcinogens such as benzine found in fossil oil. Most modern diesel engines can burn blends up to B5 without warranty issues, and some can handle up to B20 with proper maintenance. Disadvantages include…

At a time when practically every new production engine sports double overhead camshafts, turbochargers, hybrid technology and aluminum everything, Ford Motor Company zigged when everyone else zagged. In 2020, Ford released its new 7.3L “Godzilla” V8 for its Super Duty line of trucks. The engine was designed as a replacement for the SOHC 6.8L Triton V10 that had been available in large Ford vehicles since 1997. For those who didn’t want or need a diesel powerplant, the 7.3L (445 ci) was the new, large-displacement, gasoline-powered V8 alternative. But rather than follow the pattern of increasing complexity and fashionable technology that has dictated engine design in recent years, the Godzilla V8 arrived like some throwback from an earlier time. Besides plentiful cubic inches, the 7.3 features overhead valves, pushrods, a camshaft…

Companies aggressively engaging in search engine optimization (SEO)—or the art of attracting web surfers to websites by offering compelling content—are doubling down this year by beefing up staff and tweaking SEO tactics, according to a new report, “State of SEO 2024.” Specifically, the report’s researchers found that 62% of in-house SEO managers are hiring more talent in 2024 to tame the SEO challenge, according to Angie Nikoleychuk, lead author on the report. And as in every year since Google became the pre-eminent search engine the world over, SEO managers are relying on such talent to optimize company webpages for Google. In terms of black clouds on the horizon: Many SEO experts remain worried about the slow-rolling phase-out of third-party cookies. Those are the digital tracking codes injected into the browsers…