The Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) has released its 2006/2007 annual report. The SEMA council, which consists of more than 300 companies and represents the hot-rod niche, issues the report annually to update members about critically important information, including industry trends, educational opportunities and legislative activities.

With spy shots of the forthcoming Dodge Challenger coming from our own photographers and leaking onto the Web, it was time to check on the state of the Dodge parts and accessories online market. Since the Dodge badge encompasses everything from trucks to muscle cars to turbocharged compact cars, our findings run the entire spectrum of Dodge enthusiasts.

The urban lifestyle market is a form of vehicle customization that embodies the flamboyance, culture and lifestyle of young, urban (city-dwellers) drivers. Tune into this webinar, Thursday, July 26, 10 a.m. (PST), presented by SEMA’s market research department, and learn how to cash in on this profitable opportunity.

How to Participate
During the webinar, you’ll be able to interact and ask questions via computer or over the phone. Simply follow these steps:

With the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-class sedan to appear in U.S. showrooms later this summer, the online market for C-class parts and accessories is nearly $2 million per month strong, despite a recent leveling off in sales.

Since January, C-class parts and accessory sales via online auction have averaged $1,795,00 a month, peaking in March at $1,908,000 total sales (numbers rounded to nearest hundred) according to data from Terapeak, a developer of market-focused research software that monitors online sales and auctions.