Here, how to trick out a car for the next Hot Import Night (parts are available at www.faswrx.com).
Usually, about 35percentt of those attending are women, said John Russell, vice president for marketing at Vision Entertainment of Irvine, Calif., which operates Hot Import Nights.
Automakers regularly send researchers to car shows like Hot Import Nights, NOPI Nights (run by the aftermarket company No. 1 Parts Inc).
Hot Import Nights are an automotive rave with music; dancing; exhibits promoting everything from beverages to motor oil; contests for trophies; and product giveaways.
"The movie exposed our industry to a bigger audience," said John Russell, 31, a partner in Vision Entertainment, a company in Laguna Beach, Calif., that organizes Hot Import Nights.
Desperate to lure these buyers, whose numbers and purchasing power surpass that of their parents, every major automaker is watching shows like Hot Import Nights.
This show is part of a series of Hot Import Nights, car exhibitions aimed at young people who customize their cars at what is referred to as the import scene.
In July, Dara Sodano, 22, of Martinez, Calif., won best in show at the Hot Import Nights in Seattle for her candy-apple-red 1997 Honda Civic EX Coupe with a red tweed interior.
Hot Import Nights, a car show liberally mixed with a club scene, draws thousands of the under-25's each month to stadiums and convention centers around the country.
Then there are the beauty shots of his car, hood up, engine gleaming, miniskirted model smiling in front at tuner events like Hot Import Nights or on the set of a Ludicris video.
