Article: Plastic & profits: automakers don't have to default to the aftermarket for optional trim and appearance pieces, says Auburn Engineering. With a little thought, it claims, these programs can be done in-house.(FEATURE)

Mass personalization is often mentioned, but rarely implemented. Despite buyer interest in unique trim, add-ons, or appearance pieces, more often than not it is the aftermarket that fulfills these desires. Cost is the most quoted reason for the abyss between dream and reality at the OEM, but it is often a lack of creativity and imagination that prevents automakers from supplying the parts--and reaping the profits. According to Reid Scott, president of Auburn Engineering (Rochester Hills, MI; www.auburn.com), "I think these guys go to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas and get all excited about what they could offer. When they start to put the numbers down on paper, however, they ...

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