SEMA International New Products Award: International Media Jury Selects ``Best'' New Products; Australia's Herald Sun Votes

LAS VEGAS--Nov. 4, 2005--Recognizing the increasingly global appeal of specialty automotive style and performance equipment, SEMA presented select member companies with its first-ever International New Products Award. The award ceremony was held at the 2005 SEMA Show and attracted hundreds of international buyers, U.S. Department of Commerce officials, SEMA-member company representatives and the press. Winners were selected by a prestigious jury comprised of leading international journalists.

The voting panel reviewed over 1,000 new style and performance products introduced at the SEMA Show. From these, each journalist selected ten products as their new product award nominations. "Our goal was to have media experts from around the world determine which new products are likely to succeed in their home markets. Editors from Australia and New Zealand were joined by French, Greek, British, and South African journalists. Their selections became the International New Product Awards," said Linda Spencer, director international and government relations.

In total, 115 companies were honored. Winners ranged from advanced ignition systems to sophisticated in-vehicle navigation systems, a portable barbeque perfect for automotive getaways, and builders of replica car chassis and body parts.

Australia's Herald Sun selected as its award winners:

-- Brookville Roadster, All Steel 1932 Ford 3 Window Coupe Body

-- Flaming River Industries, Inc., Right Hand Manual Mustang II Rack and Pinion Steer, Rack and Pinion Series

-- Holley Performance Products, Holley LS-2 Billet Throttle Body

-- Innovate Motorsports, XD-16 16-in-1 Digital Gauge

-- Lokar, Inc., Five or Six-Speed Manual Shifter Levers and Shift Knobs

-- Lowrance Electronics, iWay 350c

-- Modernistic Inc., Low Pro Ultra Thin Graphic System

-- MSD Ignition, MSD Lazer Gauges

-- Sebring Tuning, Cast T304 Twin Turbo Tips

-- Twist Machine, LLC, The Shrifter(TM)

"SEMA's International New Products Award reflects the niche market segments our member companies have helped establish. The inaugural Award represents SEMA's latest initiative to recognize the innovation, creativity and drive of our member companies. These awards confirm the specialty equipment market has indeed - gone global," Spencer concluded.

SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $31 billion specialty automotive industry of 6,466 member-companies. It is the authoritative source for research, data, trends and market growth information for the specialty auto parts industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. For more information, contact SEMA at 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765, tel: 909/396-0289 or visit www.sema.org and www.enjoythedrive.com.