PRESS RELEASE

Closing the Deal With Automotive Specialty Performance Customizing Products

    MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov. 11 /PRNewsiwre/ -- In the world of
auto dealerships, adding on specialty performance customizing products
defines the car for the customer as well as brings in revenue for the
car dealerships.  Whether the car is new or used, people want their
automobile to stand out from the rest of the cars on the road.  The
best way to show one's individuality is with specialty performance
customizing products.
    Recent strategic research conducted by Frost & Sullivan, Specialty
Performance Customizing Product Aftermarkets, suggests that by
customizing one's own car, one can improve the look of the vehicle
without necessarily improving its performance.  Ground transportation
analyst Doug Stein says,"It is this desire, a hunger for something
different, something unique, that drives many specialty performance
appearance product markets."
    The increased cost of new cars, in conjunction with the higher
quality of used cars, is refocusing interest in the used-car market.
New car purchases have become stagnant; in 1995 only 14.7 million new
cars were bought, compared to 35 million used cars.  Of those 35
million used cars sold, approximately 18 million were sold through
new-car dealerships.
    This shift in buyer preference has caused to the car manufacturers
to take a hard look at quality.  The largest threat to the specialty
performance products market are original equipment manufacturers
(OEM).  This threat comes in different forms, from OEM technology (air
bags) to OEM quality (gauges).  Other specialty performance
customizing products included in the study are custom wheels,
speed-rated tires, and interior/exterior performance products such as
gauges, spoilers, and wings.  Often OEMs will put out a less-expensive
clone of a well-known, more expensive model that lacks the workmanship
of the original model.
    Companies like Ford Motor Company are limiting the number of
wheels it considers acceptable for Ford vehicles.  Ford wants to gain
control over this aspect of the business, and give up the
vulnerability they once had when it came to using OEMs products. In
doing so, the company is achieving two goals: first, it's increasing
the demand for Ford wheels, and second, controlling quality.
    Some of the primary market drivers that can gain the most revenue
are the tire and wheel aftermarkets. However, because these purchases
are made purely at the discretion of the driver, when the economy
stagnates, so do these markets.
    As things stand today, OEMs are too far removed from the consumer
to discern the likes and dislikes of an individual buyer.  The dealer
remains the liaison between the OEM and the consumer.
    The companies included in this research include: A & A
Specialties, Inc., Actron Manufacturing Co., Aeroform, Alcoa Wheel
Products International, Alpha/McLean Corporation, American Racing
Equipment, American Wire Wheel, Amtech Wheel, Inc., Apsis USA Inc.,
ASC, Inc., Auto Imaging, Inc., Auto Meter Products Inc., B&M Racing &
Performance Products, BBS of America, Inc., Beede Electrical
Instruments Co., Inc., Billet Specialties, Inc., Boyds Wheels,
Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc., Budnik Wheels, Inc., C.R. Laurence
Co.,Inc., CAI Instruments, California Dream, Camco Auto Sangyo
Company, Ltd., Center Line Performance Wheels, Central Alloy Wheels,
Clark Brothers Instrument Co., Continental General Tire, Inc., Cooper
Tire & Rubber Co., Cord Automotive Group, Cragar Industries, Inc.,
Crown Wire Wheel Company, Inc., Cyberdyne, Inc., Datcon Instrument
Co., Dawn Enterprises Inc., Dayton Wheel Products, Dino North America,
Dixson, Inc., Donmar Enterprises, Inc., E & G Classics, Inc.,
Electrodyne, Inc./Freedom Design, Falken Tire Corporation, Faria
Corporation, Farmont Skylite, Ltd., FOHA Corporation, Ford Motor Co.,
Frank W.  Murphy, Golden Apple Corporation, Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Company, Grant Products, Group A Autosport, GST Industries, Hercules
Tire & Rubber Company, Hobrecht Enterprises Inc., Hollandia Sunroofs,
Inc., Hurst Racing, ISSPRO, Jackson Manufacturing, JSP America, Inc.,
Keystone Restyling Products, L.A.  Wire Wheel, Inc., LeCarra USA,
Ltd., Liberty Wheels, Mallory, Inc., Mangels Custom Wheels, MAP
Industries., MHT Luxury Alloys, Michelin Tire Corporation, Midwest
Sunroofs, Momo USA, Inc., Mopar Performance Gauges, Moroso Performance
Products, Inc., The Ohtsu Tire & Rubber Company, Ltd., Omega,
O.Z. Italian Motoring Accessories, Inc., Pacific Auto Accessories,
Inc.., Pirelli Armstrong Tire Corporation, Prime Wheel, Production
Bumper Stampings, Progressive Custom Wheels, Inc., Razzi Corporation,
Roadster Wheels, Inc., Rochester Gauges, Inc., Ronal Wheels, SFC
Sunroofs, Smittybilt Inc., Special Effects Marketing, Spoilers Etc.,
S.S. White Technologies, Inc., Stewart-Warner Instrument Corp.,
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., Superior Industries International,
Inc., TCI Automotive, Teleflex Inc., Tanium Italy, Toyo Tire USA
Corporation, TSW Alloy Wheels, U.S. Wheel Corporation, Ultra Wheel
Company, Unique Wheel, United Covers, Inc., US Technologies, VDO North
America LLC, Wang's International, Inc.., Webasto Sunroofs, Inc., Weld
Racing, Inc., Willpack Industries, Ltd, Wingmaster Company/Turbowing,
Wings West, Xenon/American Best Car Parts, Inc., Yokohama Tire
Corporation and Zenith Wire Wheel Company.
    Frost & Sullivan is an international marketing consulting company
that monitors the ground transportation industry for market trends,
market measurements, and strategies.  This ongoing research is
utilized to update a series of research publications such as #5298-18
North American Specialty Performance Underhood Component Aftermarket
and #2239-18 Automotive Specialty Performance Markets to support
industry participants with customized consulting needs.  Free
executive summaries of all Frost & Sullivan reports are available to
the press.

Report: 5299-18    Publish Date: October 1996      Price: $1895

                 ***Special Price for SEMA Members: $1395***


CONTACT: in the United States, Amanda Christensen, California,
+1-415-961-9000 ext. 231, or fax, +1-415-961-5042, or
achristensen@frost.com, Or, visit the company's web site at:
http://www.frost.com; or For all other inquiries, Kristina
Menzefricke, London, +44-171-730-3438, or +44-171-730-3343; or Stefan
Gerhard, Frankfurt, +49-69-235057, or +49-69-234566