A recipe for automotive performance

SAE 100 Future look: We have collectively proven once again that it is all about product, product, product, and, of course, the all-important product.

There is no such thing as a boring year in the automotive industry. Take this year, with all the challenges and opportunities facing everyone. On one hand, we have the extremely competitive market where OEMs are clawing out sales through incentives and out-of-the-box thinking on sales strategies. On the other hand, we see automakers making strides with innovative, exciting, and passionate designs. Cars like the Chrysler 300 are selling themselves.

Nowhere is this fact regarding product more true than in the performance vehicle and performance parts marketplace. A movie about baseball became known for the catch phrase, “If you build it, they will come.” In the performance-vehicle industry, particularly over the last couple of years, the sentiment is more like, “If you build it, and it has some bragging rights, they will blow your doors down coming after it!” And what a hoot that is for those of us who build those kind of vehicles. “Great vehicles at a great value” has proven to be a very successful strategy, and we are finding even more success taking it to the next level-best performance for the best value. Is this a trend? Absolutely! Those who do it well will win. Those who just “pretend” won't do so well.