IRVINE, Calif. (Feb. 11, 2005) — XM Satellite Radio has been named the title sponsor for the eighth season of Hot Import Nights (HIN), which feature tuner cars, high performance tires, music, gaming and more in a car show atmosphere.
HIN events kick off March 5 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
XM Satellite Radio's Hot Import Nights, presented by Valvoline Synpower, is called “the largest lifestyle custom car show in the nation.” Nearly half a million attendees are anticipated at the more than 20 shows nationwide. XM Satellite Radio said HIN has “rapidly become the hotbed for learning what's hot among the trend setting youth scene.” It noted that trends on display at past HIN events have inspired cars like the Scion, Dodge Neon SRT-4, as well as movies such as “The Fast and Furious” and its sequel, and a number of video games.
HIN, which began in 1998 in Long Beach, Calif., has become more of a festival than a traditional custom car show, according to its new sponsor. “Today HIN has evolved into a celebration of all elements of youth culture from music to style to cars and video games,” it said.
Hot Import Nights saw a 30 percent increase in attendance at all shows last year and anticipates double-digit growth again in 2005, the radio network added.
As the HIN title sponsor, XM Satellite Radio—one of is the nation's leading providers of satellite radio with more than 3.2 million subscribers—said it plans to bring live musical performances from top up-and-coming bands and expose attendees to its revolutionary product technologies.
Other event sponsors include Dunlop Tires, Pepsi, Meguiar's, Mazda, Circuit City, Overboost.com and Hachette Filipacchi Media, publisher of Road and Track, Car & Driver, Speed and Road Gear magazines.
More information on HIN can be found at www.hotimportnights.com.
The following is the 2005 tour schedule:
Los Angeles, L.A. Convention Center—March 5
San Mateo, Calif., San Mateo Expo Center—April 2
Houston, Houston Reliant Park—April 9
Orlando, Fla., OC Convention Center—April 16
Charlotte, N.C., Charlotte Merchandise Mart—April 23
Boston, Bayside Expo Center—April 30
Atlanta, Georgia World Congress—May 21
Chicago, McCormick Place—June 11
Washington, D.C., Dulles Expo Center—June 25
Kansas City, KC Convention Center—July 16
San Diego, Qualcomm Stadium—July 23
Seattle, Stadium Expo—July 30
Dallas, Merchandise Mart—August 6
Cleveland, IX Center—August 27
Atlantic City, Atlantic City Convention Center—Sept. 10
Pleasanton, Calif., Alameda County Fair—Oct. 8
Phoenix, Downtown—Oct. 15
Anaheim, Calif., Anaheim Convention Center—Dec. 3
Miami, Miami Beach Convention Center—Dec. 10
Honolulu, Blaisdell Convention Center—Dec. 17