SEMA Show 2002

 

Yeah. They’re just wheels. Like air’s just for breathing. American Racing Equipment’s American Racing Wheels, Epic, Motegi Racing and Ro_Ja brands today introduced 26 new wheels, including the 26-inch Epic Icon and two polishing products at the 2002 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show.

“Custom wheels are for people who aren’t content with the cookie cutter looks of most vehicles,” said Robert Hange, president, American Racing Equipment. “Wheel designs are like fashion and as much a part of who we are as the clothes we wear. The American Racing Equipment wheel styles we are offering our customers for 2003 are imaginative, distinctive and technologically advanced.”

American Racing Wheels (www.americanracing.com), part of the automotive landscape since 1956, is introducing nine rugged wheels for SUVs and trucks and a specially forged rear wheel drive performance Corvette wheel. The SUV/truck wheels come in various finishes with sizes ranging from 15- to 24- inches. The new Titan wheel is the first American Racing wheel available in 24 inches. The new Z50 Corvette wheel is chrome-plated, 17-inch (front) and 18-inch (rear) for 1997-2003 models. It was developed in partnership with Corvette enthusiasts and licensed by General Motors. The Z50 will also be available in black chrome limited edition.

Epic (www.epicwheels.com), created in 1990 for high-end, luxury vehicles, is introducing the new 26-inch Icon wheel. A new luxury forged wheel, the Legend, will be available to fit luxury SUV/truck applications including the all-new H2 Hummer. For passenger cars, the new styles Blade and Prodigy will fit most luxury cars. The chrome-plated luxury Epic line will spotlight the 26-inch Icon and the new styles ranging in size from 18- to 26-inches depending on the vehicle application.

Motegi Racing (www.motegiracing.com), an import performance wheel line created in 2000 and specializing in “tuner” import looks, is introducing six wheels with sizes ranging from 14- to 19-inches and various finishes including white, silver, gun metal, black and hyper black. It is one of the fastest growing wheel brands in the industry. Motegi Racing’s fresh designs include the new MRM, a unique bi-level mesh design that is featured on the new Scion project vehicle.

RO_JA (www.rojawheels.com), RJ Devera’s signature high-end import performance wheel line created in 2001, is introducing five wheels with sizes ranging from 17- to 20-inches and various finishes including white, silver, gun metal, black, hyper black and machined. De Vera’s project RSX vehicle features a new 19-inch RO_JA twisted, five-spoke wheel.

“American Racing Equipment sets the industry standard in craftsmanship, innovation and performance, with wheels of high performance characteristics, technical correctness, and forward thinking styles,” said Tony Picarello, director of marketing, American Racing Equipment.

American Racing Equipment’s two polishing products available in January are American Racing Performance Part Polishing Kit ($69), an air-powered polishing tool with polishing heads; and American Racing Metal Polish ($9.95), a one-step, easy-to-use polish for uncoated aluminum wheels and performance automotive parts.

“Our new polishing systems deliver on our company’s promise of consistently producing quality products and supports those car enthusiasts who want to keep their wheels looking like new,” said Steve Zieber, merchandising manager, American Racing Equipment.

American Racing Equipment’s trend-setting wheels are designed by leading automotive stylist around the world, developed at its in-house design concept center using a next generation engineering computer system, and performance tested at American Racing Equipment’s product testing laboratories in Los Angeles.

The wheels are then manufactured at two American Racing Equipment manufacturing plants in Rancho Dominguez, Calif. and one in Queretaro, Mexico. Wheels that require chrome finishes are multi-staged plated at the company’s state-of-the art chrome plating facility in Gardena, Calif. With more than one hundred precision-crafted alloy wheels, American Racing Equipment wheels undergo the toughest quality assurance tests in the industry.

Visit: www.americanracing.com