Table of contents for March/April 2026 in SEMA Magazine

As you’ll read in this issue (p. 104), SEMA continues to break new ground with SEMA Data, the industry’s largest source of specialty-automotive product data. Since its 2012 launch as the SEMA Data Co-op, the association program has provided manufacturers and resellers with a standardized, central database for millions of parts, descriptions, vehicle fitments and digital assets. Renamed SEMA Data in 2020, the program has been instrumental in boosting industry sales and brand awareness among consumers. Now, SEMA Data has taken another major leap forward with the debut of SEMA Connected, a new digital marketplace uniting everyone in the aftermarket ecosystem, including: • Car enthusiasts and DIYers looking for trusted parts and products. • Professional builders and customizers sourcing components for projects. • Manufacturers and brands ready to showcase their…

Tempting as it may be, putting your employee on the boulevard corner twirling a giant arrow saying “Buy Parts” is not going to drive up your sales in this age. In the digital age, in which online transactions drive most sales, successful specialty-equipment businesses are built on a foundation of quality product data. This information becomes the face of your product and your brand when customers browse retailers and see how much information the brand offers. If there are not enough features, not enough fitment details or no materials listed, resellers and, consequently, automotive enthusiasts—who live for specs and data—might just pass by your product for one that offers more information. It’s all about data. SEMA Data (SD) is the association’s data management branch and the largest product database giving…

At first glance, it looked like an April Fool’s kind of story. Titled “50 Fun Vehicles You Can Buy,” it featured things like motorized roller skates and a hang glider. The fact that it ran in the May 1973 issue of Hot Rod lent some validity to the April Fool’s idea. Maybe the April issue just got too full and this story was postponed for a month. But a closer reading revealed author Terry Cook’s intent with the story. Cook, the magazine’s editor at the time, was addressing those readers who were frustrated with the state of performance cars in the early ’70s. “Find yourself falling into a horrible funk because Detroit doesn’t make 440 Six-Packs, or 429 Super Cobra Jets, or LS-6 Chevelles anymore?” he asked in the story.…

Following a Herculean effort to modernize California’s smog-check process to better support vehicle collectors, SEMA has honored the two state senators who pushed reformative legislation forward in 2025. In recognition of their bipartisan leadership of Senate Bill (SB) 712, also known as “Leno’s Law,” California Senators Shannon Grove and Dave Cortese were named the recipients of the SEMA Lawmaker of the Year Award at the 2025 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The annual award honors lawmakers who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to the specialty-automotive aftermarket and the enthusiasts it serves. FAIR, REASONABLE LEGISLATION Authored by Sen. Grove and named in honor of legendary entertainer and automotive enthusiast Jay Leno, SB 712 sought to provide a fair-and-reasonable modernization of existing state laws to provide a pathway to exempt modern classic cars…

To make a name for yourself at the annual SEMA Show, you need to think, design and build beyond convention. Surface-level aesthetics may generate casual attention, but true credibility is earned with thoughtful engineering, precise execution and detailed craftsmanship. Within the aftermarket community, Kyle Kuhnhausen is quickly becoming a household name. In 2018, he showed up to the SEMA Show with his “InZanity” ’72 Datsun 240z build, earning him a Top 4 spot and Top Young Gun Award in the SEMA Battle of the Builders (BOTB). In 2020, his Ballistic Beige ’64 Corvette Stingray earned him a BOTB Top 12 spot, as well as the attention of a new client looking to build a nice Pro Touring car, but one that was “kind of the run-of-the-mill thing you’d see at…

Welcome to SEMA’s wheel and tire trends reporting for 2026. And what better way to take the pulse of the wheel and tire sectors than to walk the hallowed, annual SEMA Show’s rubber-scented South Hall, where nearly every automotive rolling stock manufacturer showed up dressed in their best finery? This we did in November, gaining valuable insights into the latest rolling-stock developments for 2026 and beyond. In this report, we’ll take a look at the stats of this combined multi-billion-dollar market, zoom into SEMA Show highlights, decode the logistics of supply chains and tariffs, take stock of retailing trends, pull the curtain back on the newest tech breakthroughs, and finish up with takeaways for SEMA members to translate all this data into increased visibility, knowledge and a beefed-up bottom line.…

If you don’t know Dean Case personally, it’s safe to bet that you know someone who does. A respected automotive engineer and communications strategist, Case is known for his deep involvement with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International and his ability to connect people across the industry. A two-time author of SAE technical papers and recipient of the SAE International Contributor of the Year Award (2020), Case has played a leading role in advancing industry collaboration, mentoring young professionals and supporting collegiate engineering programs nationwide. He managed the inaugural Formula SAE West Collegiate Design Competition, recruiting more than 250 industry volunteers and coordinating vendors and logistics to deliver one of SAE’s most impactful student events. As a featured speaker at more than 60 engineering universities, Case has helped bridge…

For aftermarket businesses, the past year delivered a lot of uncertainty in various forms. Tariffs, inflation, logistics issues and pricing pressures all challenged industry manufacturers, distributors, resellers and consumers alike. But in spite of the turbulence, the industry emerged from 2025 poised for growth, according to the recently released “SEMA 2025 Fall State of the Industry [SOI] Report,” now available at sema.org/market-research. “Our annual State of the Industry Reports offer an opportunity to check in with our association membership and the industry at large for a snapshot of how things are going—how did our industry do during the past year and how does the industry feel about the climate moving forward?” says SEMA Director of Market Research Gavin Knapp. “It’s a benchmarking report. It allows individual companies to examine what’s…

Online retailers are significantly boosting their sales by opening up storefronts directly inside social-media apps like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, and in the process, greatly simplifying and speeding up purchases for customers. Already, this strategy of “fishing where the fish are” is expected to rake in 17% of all online sales, according to a 2025 Shopify report (shopify.com/enterprise). And it’s no wonder. These days, the typical internet user spends 2.5 hours a day on social media, according to Shopify researchers. And the biggest fans of shopping in-app are also among the demographic most pursued by online retailers: Generation Z. As Nicolette v. Beard of the BigCommerce blog observes: “By merging e-commerce capabilities with social-media platforms, retailers create seamless shopping experiences—allowing customers to discover and purchase products without leaving their favorite…