COSTA MESA, CA (09.23.22) – MTX Audio offers a wide selection for products for the Powersports market. The West Coast’s annual Sand Sports Super Show, at the Orange Country Fair and Event Center, was an excellent venue for MTX Audio to connect with thousands of sand and Powersports enthusiasts.
The MTX Audio area included several SXS demos, products stacked under a large canopy and large trailer. The setup adjacent to Polaris brought much event traffic to the MTX area.
The MTX Audio Team members on site included Jason Fickas, Jason Planck, Steve Abdelahad and Ceasar Olaes. The MTX area was massive with multiple vehicles on site and all outfitted with the latest audio gear MTX offers. Attendees had a chance to experience live demos on the hottest vehicle specific audio kits plus get sales and technical info from team members. MTX was located adjacent to the Polaris setup which was a great traffic draw.
The MTX Audio crew pictured in the center of the booth area included Jason Planck, Steven Abdelahad, Ceasar Olaes and Jason Fickas (L to R).
Jason Fickas related “In terms of the Sand Show it’s one of the few events we attended this year that had significant growth in both consumer and vendor participation. I’m not able to make it to most events but this one is a priority for me because of the opportunity to learn first-hand what various consumers want and expect. It’s also a venue to observe where the industry is headed and of course what other manufacturers are focused on product wise.”
This loaded SXS was one of several demos set for attendees to experience and crank it up.
Concluding Fickas offered “Along with a substantial increase in show sales over last year’s show, it’s always nice to catch up with industry friends and perhaps find some new ventures as well.”
MTX 12volt Regional Sales Manager Ceasar Olaes supplied great images for this article.
DIAMOND BAR, CA (09.23.22) – At the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, TMI Products will recognize the builders who have created one-of-a-kind vehicles with the TRIM Awards, which were created to recognize the forethought it takes to not only create a finely crafted custom vehicle, but also incorporate the interior into that design. Since the TRIM Awards will be presented live at the SEMA Show, only the most detailed and creative interior installs will be considered.
Each individual category winner will receive a $500 voucher and the Best of Show Champion will receive a certificate for a complete interior for their next build ($8,000 value) that can be used to purchase TMI interior products.
A panel of insiders from the aftermarket industry, including the TRIM Awards host, will present the awards. They include Kevin Oeste of V8 Speed & Resto Shop and voice of the 2022 SEMA Show; Sean Holman, content director of the Truck and Off-Road Group at Motor Trend and co-host of “The Truck Show” podcast; Sara Morosan, 2021 SEMA Person of the Year, multi Ford Design award winner and co owner of LGE/CTS Motorsports; Theresa Contreras, PPG brand ambassador, multi Ford Design award winner and co-owner of LGE/CTS Motorsports; and Marcel Venable and Jason Mulligan, co-owners of Auto Revolution on Amazon Prime.
TRIM Awards categories include:
Best Car Best Truck Best SUV or Wagon Best Full Interior Most Creative Best Color-Matching Best Custom Car Interior Best Custom Truck Interior Fan Favorite (chosen on social media) Best of Show Champion All contestants must have a vehicle on display at the 2022 SEMA Show. The awards will be presented on stage in the TMI booth #24477, located in the Central Hall, Wednesday, November 2, at 12:00 p.m. Contestants must be present during the awards ceremony.
DIAMOND BAR, CA (09.22.22) – Emmitt Smith, the NFL legendary running back who became a NASCAR Xfinity Series team co-owner last summer, will headline the 2022 SEMA Show Educational Program’s Friday Enthusiast Track. The new seven-session series will feature celebrities and iconic personalities as they share personal stories that will inspire and entertain Showgoers.
Smith, who will be joined on the Paradise Event Center stage by television personality Chris Jacobs from the hit show Overhaulin’ on Friday, November 4, at 8:00 am, will discuss career opportunities in motorsports and the importance of paying it forward. His race team, Jesse Iwuji Motorsports, is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and seeks to break down barriers in motorsports.
NFL Legend Emmitt Smith will headline the new 2022 SEMA Show Educational Program Friday Enthusiast Track. He will discuss career opportunities in motorsports and his race team, Jesse Iwuji Motorsports.
“Through Jesse Iwuji Motorsports, we want to bring awareness to the many opportunities available in motorsports,” said Smith. “We want to inspire and educate people of all walks of life to work hard and pursue their dreams.”
SEMA Showgoers will hear from Smith about what motivated him to partner with Iwuji as a NASCAR Xfinity Series team co-owner and how they are supporting minorities, youth, and the service member community.
The SEMA Education Enthusiast Track will continue with sessions throughout the day on how to secure sponsors for project vehicles, protecting the right to modify, land-use sustainability, and more. The Enthusiast Track is open at no cost to all credentialed SEMA Showgoers, including top enthusiasts who are SEMA Individual Members attending through the SEMA Ignited Friday Experience.
“We’re excited about the Friday Enthusiast Track; it is the first time the SEMA Show Education Program has dedicated a series of seminars to appeal specifically to enthusiasts,” said Pamela Brown-Matthis, SEMA Education Director. “Given that this is such a passion-driven industry filled with professionals who love their jobs, the Enthusiast Track will be especially entertaining and engaging. Attendees will leave with practical information that speaks to this passion.”
For details about the SEMA Show Education Program and a complete schedule of seminars available, visit www.semashow.com.
MIAMI, FL (09.22.22) – Nakamichi Car Audio has announced plans to exhibit at the 2022 SEMA Show November 1-4 in Las Vegas, NV. This will be the companies third SEMA Show appearance since re-entering the market in 2019.
Nakamichi will use the international backdrop of the SEMA Show to unveil its new Susumu menu featuring a redesigned layout that is more intuitive and more responsive than previous models—further demonstrating Nakamichi’s commitment to Japanese innovation.
The highlight of the new 20’ x 20’ booth will be its release of the NA3625 platform touting Nakamichi’s “wireless evolution”, the companies next step in CarPlay / Android Auto technology. “We are very excited about SEMA and the release of our new wireless CarPlay products”, exclaimed Robin McNeal, National Sales Manager for Nakamichi.
Nakamichi encourages all current and prospective dealers to contact their local sales rep to make an appointment or email Robin McNealrobin@usa-nakamichi.com
Nakamichi Car Audio can be found at booth 11517 North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center duing the SEMA Show.
METAIRIE, LA (09.21.22) – Oracle Lighting has launched three new tail light modes in their popular “Flush” style design. The new LED tail light models include the Ford Super Duty Trucks (model years 2017-2022), the new Ford Bronco (model years 2021+), and for the Jeep Wrangler JK (model years 2007-2018). These new models with make their debut at the 2022 SEMA Show, held in Las Vegas, Nevada. from Nov. 1-4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The debut will take place in the SEMA new product showcase and at Oracle’s booth # 20137 in the Central Hall.
“Oracle’s flush taillights have become very popular in the Jeep market and have become a top performing category for us,” explained Justin Hartenstein, Oracle Lighting’s director of development. “We are looking forward to introducing these new and innovative models of LED tail light designs and expand our offerings for the Wrangler and introduce these designs to the Ford Super Duty and Bronco markets.”
Protruding out significantly less than the factory tail lights, Oracle Lighting’s low-profile designs have a more streamlined appearance while also reducing risk of tail light damage when off-roading. These flush tail lights also feature a unique design and functional LED lighting elements including high-powered reverse lights, Oracle’s unique signature perimeter lighting, and an animated turn signal sequence.
Utilizing the same features as Oracle’s very popular JL flush tail lights, the new design for Jeep Wrangler JK (Part# 5891-504) is compatible with all JK model years 2007-2018 has an MSRP of $369.95
The new Ford Bronco is one of the most popular vehicles on the road and Oracle’s Flush Tail Lights (Part# 5892-504) are a big improvement. These are compatible with both the with factory halogen tail lights and with LED tail lights (will require ForScan flash) for all Broncos model years 2021-2023 (except Raptor) and have a MSRP of $449.95
The innovative modular design of Oracle’s LED tail lights for the Ford Super Duty (Part# 5896-504) features a unique animated turn signal sequence and adapters to fit both Halogen and LED model tail lights. Compatible with F250, F350, and F450 model years 2017-2022 and have an anticipated MSRP of $495.95.
Designed and engineered in the USA, all three models of these patent-pending LED tail lights feature easy plug-and-play wiring and user-friendly installation.
“The new modular design for Ford Super Duty Trucks allows the light to be quickly disassembled for custom painting,” Hartenstein continued. “The reverse light module and stop/tail/turn module can be easily removed from the black housing which can then be painted to match the body color of the vehicle to provide a more customized appearance which more seamlessly blends with the truck. No more problems backing up at night and no longer do you need to install additional reversing lamps onto the back of your truck to get the brightness that you desire. That’s because these LED reverse lights are basically a pair of LED light bars mounted into the tail light which will provide over 4,400 Lumens of rear-facing illumination.”
Damaging factory tail lights on trails is not an uncommon issue for owners who often off-road their Broncos and Wranglers. The factory design protrudes out several inches past the body which creates unnecessary exposure to trees, boulders, and other obstacles on tight trails.
“Even if you don’t off-road your Bronco or Wrangler JK often, these lights provide plenty of innovative features and unique styling, which make them an awesome mod for any Bronco or Jeep owner,” said Hartenstein. “Gain sleek styling that compliments the original body lines and tons of innovative features. With the superior quality and durability that Oracle Lighting is known for, these tail lights are the perfect upgrade for your Bronco and Wrangler JK.”
Louisiana-based Oracle Lighting has been designing innovative lighting products and technologies for the automotive/12Volt, powersports, motorcycle, and marine markets since 1999. Oracle’s philosophy is this: in today’s world of fly-by-night vendors, we think it is important to partner with businesses that you can trust to be there for you today, tomorrow, and for years to come.
VACAVILLE, CA (09.21.22) – Aegis Distribution Incorporated (ADi) announces its agreement with Audio Wave Ltd of Essex, England to bring hand-crafted amplifiers from the UK to allow for distribution throughout North and South America.
“I first heard an Audio Wave amplifier at a CES demo and I was amazed,” says Scott Welch of ADi. “In over 20 years on the competition circuit I had never heard anything like that. I was familiar with the speaker system but had never heard them sound that good. The sound stage and clarity were incredible and I kept looking for a sub… the low end extension was unreal. I had to have them and I immediately ordered them for my own competition car. Now, we at Aegis Distribution are proud to be able to distribute these incredible products here in the US and throughout the Americas.”
Audio Wave’s engineer, designer and owner Grant Hunan’s approach is to design and handcraft every amplifier one at a time. Every part of the process is done in-house, from the schematic diagram to the design of the printed circuit board, including fitting all the components by hand. Only high quality parts are used, with all the electronic components carefully matched before circuit board assembly. After testing they go through a burn-in period before final tests are carried out, a process done to detect early failures and ensuring reliability. In some cases Grant even builds his own discrete front end rather than using an integrated circuit op-amp. All with the intent of building the best sounding audio amplifier you can buy.
“Audio Wave ltd is excited to have Aegis Distribution Inc represent the brand in the USA, Canada, South America and the Caribbean countries. ADi understands and has the knowledge to back up our products to a very high standard and I have full confidence that our companies will be a great partnership,” said Audio Wave’s Grant Hunan. “ADi’s President Scott Welch has been using Audio Wave amplifiers for the last two years and understands the commitment and time that we put into every product.”
For more information or dealer inquiries, please contact us at sales@aegisdis.com or by phone at 707.446.6749.
OXNARD, CA (09.20.22) – SSV Works is proud to announce the launch of the new SSVWorks.com.
“As we have updated and created new and better purchasing abilities for our products, we have rebuilt ssvworks.com from the ground up in order to give our customers the best online experience possible,” said Trevor Kaplan, SSV Works CEO. “Our website now utilizes the Shopify platform, which provides for a better and easier way to buy as well as providing more customer-friendly tools to utilize when browsing and selecting their new audio systems.”
Compared to the past website, the new ssvworks.com has better overall aesthetics, better overall organization and easier navigation for customers, and internal system linking that keeps products consistently up-to-date.
“To make finding product information easier, we’ve included additional features,” Kaplan continued. “Product variations such as speaker enclosures, for example, the SKU on the product page will dynamically change when you select the speaker option and clamp size option. Each product title, description and spec have been updated, along with an added ‘Vehicle Compatibility’ tab, making the process of finding the correct kit much simpler.”
During the purchase process with the new Shopify platform, zero interest financing is now available. Popular payments such as Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, and more are now available, as well.
DIAMOND BAR, CA (09.20.22) – After the SEMA Show concludes, the iconic cars and trucks from the business-to-business event will emerge from the Las Vegas Convention Center and make their way to SEMA Ignited – the official SEMA Show after-party where consumers will have their first chance to see the one-of-a-kind vehicles that debuted at the world’s premier automotive trade gathering earlier that week. Taking place at the convention center’s West Hall Parking Lot from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm PT on Friday, November 4, SEMA Ignited is a combination of a car show, parade, music, food, entertainment, and exhibitions all rolled into what becomes the ultimate automotive celebration.
Now in its eighth year, SEMA Ignited is where consumers see, hear, and – in some cases – get up-close and connect with award-winning vehicles and their owners. With more vendors and exhibitors than ever before, the 2022 SEMA Ignited is where car enthusiasts will be able to discover the newest trends, learn about new products, meet industry celebrities, and experience the excitement of the growing aftermarket firsthand. In addition to demonstrations from Formula DRIFT drivers from throughout the world, this year’s event will include simultaneous live attractions and activations. One of this year’s main attractions is the Urias Globe of Death, a group of daredevil motorcycle riders who perform jaw-dropping stunts in a mesh sphere ball.
“There is something for everyone at SEMA Ignited,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA vice president of events. “As the official after-party of the SEMA Show, guests of all ages can come and experience the best of the SEMA Show, see the custom builds, meet automotive celebrities, and enjoy live entertainment. Our exhibitors and builders are anxious to meet with the public and show off their latest products and unique builds.”
General admission tickets allow access into SEMA Ignited. Car enthusiasts may choose to purchase upgraded tickets for reserved seating where they’ll be able to sit and watch the SEMA Cruise and performances from Formula DRIFT and the Urias Globe of Death. A limited number of Friday Experience packages are available for general admission into SEMA Ignited, as well as entrance into the SEMA Show on Friday, November 4, and comes with a one-year SEMA Individual Membership.
“The SEMA Ignited Friday Experience is a rare opportunity for gearheads to experience the trade-only SEMA Show and engage with the industry as SEMA Individual Members,” said Gattuso. “Through the Friday Experience, enthusiasts will get a behind-the-scenes look at what industry professionals are doing at the SEMA Show and witness the trends as they are happening.”
All SEMA Showgoers will be able to attend SEMA Ignited with their Show credentials. For more information about SEMA Ignited, visit www.semaignited.com. To learn more about the SEMA Show, visit www.semashow.com.
METAIRIE, LA (09.19.22) – Oracle Lighting has named Brendan Bohac the company’s new marketing manager.
“As Oracle Lighting continues to grow, we needed a marketing manager with an enthusiasm and passion for the automotive industry as well as a solid background in the communications field, and Brendan was the ideal choice to fill this role,” said Tiffanie Hartenstein, Oracle Lighting CEO. “We welcome Brendan to the team.”
Bohac has a BA degree in Communications from the University of Kentucky. In this position, Bohac will be responsible for all aspects of Oracle Lighting’s marketing efforts, including managing SEO and public/media relations teams, creating and executing email marketing campaigns, coordinating promotional and trade show activities, and more.
“I am excited to be joining the Oracle Lighting team and contribute to its success,” said Bohac. “This is an ideal role for me to utilize my creativity and experience along with my love for the automotive market and the great culture at Oracle Lighting. I look forward to crafting an exciting and engaging marketing presence for the brand that is continuing to grow and is one of the most innovative companies in the automotive market as well as in the Greater New Orleans area.”
Louisiana-based Oracle Lighting has been designing innovative lighting products and technologies for the automotive/12Volt, powersports, motorcycle, and marine markets since 1999. Oracle’s philosophy is this: in today’s world of fly-by-night vendors, we think it is important to partner with businesses that you can trust to be there for you today, tomorrow, and for years to come.
AVON LAKE, OH (09.19.22) – Keep your Turbo cool and running strong with a custom Turbo Heat Shield from Design Engineering, Inc. Available in a variety of styles and fitments for all turbo types, the shields reduce under hood temperatures while protecting sensitive components and encouraging faster spool-ups.
“DEI’s complete line of Turbo Heat Shields provide the ultimate means of reducing turbo lag and serve as a superior heat barrier,” said Mike Buca of DEI. “Whether you’re racing, towing or just out for a cruise, maximize turbo performance with a DEI Turbo Heat Shield.”
Offered in attractive, easy-to-install designs, the shields come in kits that include any necessary locking ties or wire. Popular made in the USA models include:
GEN-3 TITANIUM™ Turbo Shields – DEI’s most technologically advanced shield line, GEN-3 TITANIUM features a silicone-coated TITANIUM LR outer layer, silica blend insulation layer with a glass-silica-stainless weave inner layer and protective stainless mesh liner. The strongest, most heat-resistant textile available, fitments include T3, T4, T6, T25/T28 and T6X turbo applications.
Ultra 47™ Turbo Shields – Made from a Tri-Layer mix of an aluminum-impregnated glass fiber outer shell with a high-temperature insulating mat core and silica glass blend liner, Ultra 47 Turbo Shields feature double-stitching and heavy-duty capped anchor points. They are made in the USA with an economical price and available in T3 and T4 turbo sizes, with more to come.
ONYX™ Series Black Turbo Shields – The ONYX Series features a popular, high-tech rich black finish that looks great while offering extreme protection. Made in the USA using an exclusive combination of premium heat-resistant textiles and newly designed stainless steel attachment anchors, applications are available for smaller T22 and T25 turbo sizes.