Ford pulls plug on 2022 SEMA Attendance
By JAMES ELKINS APRIL 29, 2022

When attending the SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center it is easy to spot the Blue Oval’s presence. You have the Ford Out Front outdoor exhibit, Ford Performance trailer, and, of course, the dominant inside booth showcasing Ford’s latest vehicles and products, including a stage for the award ceremony with guest speakers. After many years of the brand being a standout organization at SEMA, it appears those days might just become a distant memory with Ford Motor Company pulling out of the 2022 SEMA Show.

This comes as a major shock as Ford Motor Company has had an outstanding year with sales and newly-released vehicles. The Ford Bronco won a SEMA award for 2021 and the Maverick was a potential candidate for similar awards at the upcoming 2022 show. Meanwhile, Ford has been receiving tremendous feedback on pre-sales of its Ford Lightning and introduction of the Next-Gen Ford Ranger.

While the dust is still swirling and speculations are thrown about, one thing is clear: Ford Motor Company will not be hosting the marketing extravaganza of previous years at SEMA. This means the Ford Performance-backed RTR drift team will not be providing a smoke screen of sideways Mustangs. The off-road experience of driving a Bronco through a variety of terrain including sand, steep inclines, and offset plyometrics are also off the table. The temperate blue lighting in the main hall featuring Ford’s entire line-up of custom builds are also gone.

On the SEMA website a statement was issued, “Due to a change in corporate strategy, Ford and Honda will not be displaying at the 2022 SEMA Show. We appreciate their long-time support, and while many of us are going to miss their participation at this year’s Show, we are excited to see the Show take on a new look in Central Hall. SEMA will continue to collaborate with both Ford and Honda on various SEMA programs, such as Tech Transfer and Measuring Sessions in 2022 and beyond.”

One thing to note is that while Ford Motor Company will not be participating at SEMA, its cars, trucks and sport utilities vehicles will still be shown throughout as custom builders and product producers seek to showcase how they can alter the appearance or performance of the platform. Does this mean SEMA will have to pull more vendors from AAPEX to fill the void? Will Ford return for 2023 and still have its spot saved? Time will only tell.