DIAMOND BAR, California — Such storied auto show venues as the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show are suffering from no-shows by several automakers, but the 2009 SEMA Show is shaping up to be the one to watch in the fall. SEMA organizers on Thursday issued a statement saying that Ford will be the featured vehicle manufacturer and that several “first ever” programs are in the works.
What was unsaid in the official announcement is that the 2009 SEMA show appears to be alive and well and poised to provide some much-needed high-powered entertainment as the U.S. begins its slow crawl out of recession.
Ford did not reveal what it has planned for SEMA. But John Felice, Ford and Lincoln Mercury marketing general manager, said the automaker will “showcase the flexibility of our vehicles for personalization and accessorization.”
Christopher J. Kersting, SEMA’s president and CEO, said it will be “making some exciting announcements in the coming weeks about ‘first ever’ programs at the 2009 show. These programs will further demonstrate how the SEMA show represents one of the many year-round activities that help us all do better business.”
The 2009 SEMA show will run November 3-6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
