Tabla de contenidos para July 2025 en SEMA Magazine

As your trade association, SEMA is committed to protecting our industry. Sometimes that means correcting misinformation. Here are some myths we’ve seen circulating since the 2024 election—and the facts that can protect you and your business. President Trump is ending the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—False! The EPA continues to protect public health and the environment. While the Trump Administration is focused on reducing regulatory burdens, there is no indication the agency will be dismantled. Electric Vehicle (EV) mandates are going away—Maybe. The Trump EPA is revisiting two problematic federal rules that limit the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. These include regulations for model-year ’27 and beyond, as well as greenhouse gas standards for heavy-duty vehicles. Revising or repealing these rules would take time and follow a standard, lengthy…

Take a glimpse at any current automotive-related event, and you’ll notice an exponential growth and evolution in technology across various sections of modern vehicle platforms, from powertrains and materials to software and safety systems. The industry’s marketing is buzzing with such resonating terms as “EV,” “AI” and “autonomy,” to name a few. Today’s safety systems not only encompass such traditional components as airbags and seatbelts; they also incorporate a new wave of technology known as advanced driver assistance systems, also called ADAS for short. These systems drive features such as automatic emergency braking (AEB), forward-collision warning (FCW), lane-departure warning (LDW), blind-spot warning (BSW) and adaptive cruise control (ACC), to name a few. WHILE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES MAY SEEM LIKE A TECHNOLOGY THAT WON’T IMPACT THE NEAR FUTURE, IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE…

“THE RIGHT DEMOGRAPHICS ARE NOW GETTING TO THE POINT THAT THEY’RE WILLING TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY THAN IN YEARS PAST.” They are so back! And who would have thought? The iconic Fox-Body Mustangs of the ’80s and early ’90s are making a comeback in the restomod arena as well as increasing inroads into pro-touring motorsports. If you attended the 2024 SEMA Show in Las Vegas or the PRI Show in Indianapolis, you might have noticed a more significant Fox-Body presence, signaling a return of these vehicles to the automotive spotlight amid the cultural zeitgeist for all things retro. They are popular once more—but why, and why now? A RETURN TO GLORY DAYS The Fox-Body Mustang is the third generation in the Ford Mustang lineage, following the uncelebrated…

We’ll be honest—packaging is not a topic of conversation that’ll fire up most people within the aftermarket automotive industry. Collectively, our conversations revolve around the cars, parts, performance and innovations that drive this industry forward. Nevertheless, disregarding its importance to a product’s ultimate success is a perilous gamble. In fact, product packaging can be a key difference maker between success and failure in a retail environment. “Packaging is the first intimate contact that the end-user has with your product,” said Jarrett Wolf, senior product manager at Gearwrench. “Many times that packaging is the cause of a make-or-break purchasing decision, especially in a retail presence. If [companies] don’t make that investment, many times the customer is going to walk right past that product because it didn’t inspire them.” Packaging oversight is…

Nominations are again open for the annual SEMA Visionary 8 awards recognizing eight future leaders of the automotive aftermarket industry. SEMA members who wish to be considered for these honors are invited to submit their self-nominations through August 15, 2025, at sema.org/visionary8. To qualify for the awards, candidates must: • Be SEMA members already demonstrating active industry involvement and the talent, innovation, integrity, success and leadership needed to become a future driver of the specialty-automotive industry. • Be age 35 or under. • Complete an online self-nomination form. (Upon the form’s submission, candidates will receive a link that they can forward to an industry colleague to endorse their nomination. This endorsement is also required for consideration.) • “The Visionary 8 program was established by SEMA to recognize and honor eight…

SEMA in March mobilized members and automotive influencers to participate in a quickly organized rally in our nation’s capital, advocating for Congress to put a stop to California’s efforts to enact devastating electric vehicle (EV) mandates that would cripple thousands of industry businesses and greatly reduce vehicle choices for American consumers. More than 30 industry professionals and automotive content creators traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with lawmakers and their staffs to request that Congress overturn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) December 2024 Clean Air Act waiver that allows California to enact its Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation, AKA EV mandates. SEMA strongly opposes ACC II, which allows California and more than 11 other states, representing 40% of the nation’s population, to mandate that EVs make up…

“AS AN EXHIBITOR, YOU PUT YOUR BRAND IN FRONT OF AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF BUYING POWER THAT CAN PROPEL YOU FORWARD IN THE AUTOMOTIVE SPACE.” Economic fluctuations, supply-chain realignments, changing buyer habits—at times the market can feel like a confusing swirl of crosscurrents. For specialty-automotive manufacturers and suppliers, however, one steady constant remains: the annual SEMA Show, where the industry comes to do business. “For businesses navigating a rapidly changing market, the SEMA Show offers more than inspiration; it offers stability and an unmatched environment to future-proof your business,” says SEMA Vice President of Events Tom Gattuso. “In times of uncertainty, SEMA delivers clarity, confidence and opportunity, fueling connections that matter and growth that lasts.” In other words, if you’re already a registered exhibitor for the 2025 SEMA Show, set…

Lyn St. James wasn’t born an auto-racing prodigy. Growing up in Ohio, she didn’t have a father who put her in a go-kart before she could walk. Her mother had polio from the time she was an infant, so for her, a car was a necessity—not a hobby or something to soup up. That changed the day St. James went to a sports-car race. “I always say I found racing and racing found me,” St. James, now 77, says. “I was 27 and too old to be doing this career-wise. Back then you didn’t do this as a career.” That didn’t matter. St. James decided she was going racing. She didn’t do it to be a woman in a male-dominated sport, nor because she wanted to be a pioneer or…

Diesel trucks hit their stride in passenger vehicles in the early ‘90s and ‘00s when Ford, Dodge and Chevy all introduced their lines of diesel trucks. Gone were the ridiculously underpowered naturally aspirated diesels of the ‘70s and ‘80s, and despite being rated at just between 160 hp and 300 hp, it was easy to double or even triple the output of these engines. Just as gas and alcohol racing has advanced, so has diesel performance. It’s now possible to build a reliable 2,000–3,000hp engine out of what would be considered a “small-block” in today’s market; an engine somewhere between 5.9L and 7.3L in displacement. IS “HOT RODDING” A NEW DIESEL POSSIBLE? On the street/strip side of things, much of the focus has been on newer diesel trucks, which are…

B2B businesses have found that becoming a thought leader on LinkedIn—or regularly posting insightful, engaging content in LinkedIn special-interest groups that are closely aligned with their expertise—is one of the fastest ways to book new business. “Establishing yourself as a thought leader on LinkedIn can significantly boost your professional brand,” says Jason Gong, head of growth, Bardeen.ai, a provider of automated digital marketing tools (bardeen.ai). “LinkedIn has become a powerful platform for professionals to showcase their expertise and connect with like-minded individuals.” Indeed, 73% of company decision-makers say that they greatly prefer to size up a business or organization by reading the thought leadership content it has posted on social networks like LinkedIn, rather than pouring over a company’s marketing materials, according to a new 2024 report. “LINKEDIN HAS BECOME…

AUTOMETER  MARINE QUAD GAUGE autometer.com The AutoMeter Ultra Lite Quad Gauge provides a solution to limited dashboard space while yielding a clean look. Individual air core meter movements for each function provide the accuracy and durability required by even the most demanding applications. Includes ⅛-in. NPT temp and pressure senders, red/green bulb covers and mounting hardware. BD DIESEL DEEP SUMP TRANSMISSION PAN DODGE/RAM AISIN AS69RC ’23–’24 bddiesel.com BD’s transmission pans increase oil capacity, while their aluminum construction and heat-dissipating fins keep the temperature down. The pan’s increased rigidity prevents case twisting. Kit includes screws, plugs, a magnetic drain plug, OEM-style gasket and a temperature sending unit port. FITECH FUEL INJECTION DISTRIBUTOR, CHEVY V8 EFI, DUAL SYNC HALL EFFECT, ADJ COLLAR, MEL GEAR fitechefi.com The Go Spark 99565 Distributor offers universal…

One of the most savvy moves a SEMA Show exhibitor can make is to participate in the New Products Showcase (NPS)—a value-packed program designed to maximize visibility and drive booth traffic. With the first product entry always free of charge, there’s little excuse not to leverage this powerful Show feature. In fact, internal SEMA survey data indicates that the majority of buyers discover new companies through the NPS. Whether it’s a physical product, poster or product video, an exhibitor’s presence there sets a tone for their booth and draws in attendees. “It’s such a benefit to exhibitors,” says SEMA Trade Show Operations Coordinator Justine Hubbard, who oversees the program. “The Showcase puts your products right in front of media, buyers, builders, business owners and other industry professionals. It just blows…

The face of grassroots motorsports constantly changes, evolving just like the automotive aftermarket to better suit the economic and cultural landscape. With economic fluctuations and irksome egg prices, enthusiasts are looking for something with a low-cost barrier to entry—a way for just about anyone to dip their toes into the world of motorsports and develop a lifelong passion for the aftermarket culture. Recently at SEMA’s Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference in Orlando, Florida, we put our ears to the ground to get a pulse reading on the industry. Two topics kept surfacing: autocross racing and drag and drive. These two grassroots-style motorsports continue to rise in popularity with no signs of stopping. We spoke with event organizers and partnering manufacturers to see what makes these events so…

ARIZONA—CRUISING PROHIBITIONS: Arizona lawmakers have reintroduced a SEMA-supported bill that explicitly prohibits local jurisdictions from enacting or enforcing ordinances that ban cruising. (In late 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a similar bill into law with the support of low-rider and car club enthusiasts.) The bill is awaiting further consideration in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. ARKANSAS—MOTORSPORTS: In the face of fierce opposition, an Arkansas lawmaker withdrew a SEMA-opposed bill that proposed severe restrictions on rural racetracks. The bill included new insurance requirements, noise-level limitations and restrictions on hours of operation and event types. SEMA and PRI mobilized opposition, generating more than 7,000 letters to lawmakers and working with automotive celebrity Alex Taylor to promote the campaign. The bill’s withdrawal marks a significant victory for the motorsports community in…