Record Number of Manufacturers Exhibiting At 2000 SEMA Show October 31 - November 3

26 September 2000
Record Number of Manufacturers Exhibiting At 2000 SEMA Show October 31 - November 3
     Featured OEM Ford to Showcase Sport Trac as the Vehicle of the Show

    LAS VEGAS, Sept. 26 For the first time ever, a record
11 automobile manufacturers, also known as original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs) will be exhibiting at the SEMA Show.  Scheduled for October 31 -
November 3 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the show will feature more than
1,300 exhibitors in 6,000 booths displaying products for more than
80,000 attendees.
    Up from six OEM exhibitors during last year's show, the 2000 event will
feature five additional manufacturers including Hyundai, Isuzu, Mitsubishi,
Subaru and Panoz who will join DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Co., General
Motors, Nissan, Honda, and TRD (Toyota) in exhibiting concept and project
vehicles, and debuting new models.  As the featured OEM, Ford will showcase
the Sport Trac sport utility truck as the vehicle of the show.
    Influenced by the industry "movers and shakers" that attend the event each
year, the SEMA Show is the birthplace of many of the market's hottest trends.
"Manufacturers are recognizing the dynamics of the show and realizing this is
where the action is for custom automotive products," said Carl Sheffer, Vice
President of OEM Relations.
    The SEMA Show has become a vital proving ground for OEMs, as evidenced by
the increase in OEM presence from three manufacturers to 11 during the past
five years.  Many of the innovative products that the automotive accessories
industry creates often become standard equipment for new vehicles.  Therefore,
the SEMA Show acts as a fertile research and development facility for the
OEMs.
    The OEM's presence at the show has increased in size as well as number, as
the SEMA Show has grown to encompass 1.2 million square feet, up 10 percent
from last year.

    SEMA is a trade group comprised of more than 4,400 member companies that
make up the specialty automotive aftermarket industry.  The seven diverse
niches in which SEMA members specialize include light-truck, off-road, racing
and performance, street rod and restoration and restyling.  All combined the
markets add up to $23.2 billion in retail business annually.

    For more information about the 2000 SEMA Show, contact 909/396-0289; write
to 1575 S. Valley Vista Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765, or visit the web site at
http://www.semashow.com.