SEMA 2014
A first-hand perspective of North America's coolest trade show
Call it childish stupidity, but the lifted bare-metal riveted Hauk Jeep with is WWII bomber theme and those Gatling-gun spinners appeals. It's equally ludicrous, but it's impossible not to be impressed with the commitment and single-minded dedication that's gone into creating it. It's in the parking lot, SEMA spilling out from its Convention Centre home and flooding the surrounding space all around the massive exhibition area. You want Trophy trucks and Baja buggies, then the entrance is the place to go, it littered with comically suspended, yet impeccably engineered off-road machines.
It's clear that, like Vegas's other activities, there's something for everyone. A donked Impala might share space with one of those off-road trophy trucks, a body-kitted Subaru, polished or not hot rod or Mustang. Indeed, you don't have to look far to see a Mustang, Ford seemingly have brought one of every type, with a good percentage of the booths bringing some more for good measure. None, absolutely none, better Ken Block's 845hp Hoonicorn RTR '65. Except to see it on a YouTube video soon.
Ken from the block
Whatever your pleasure though it's here, the old and the new, the sublime and the utterly ridiculous. And people. Lots and lots of people, SEMA drawing exhibitors, buyers, sellers, media and the public from all around the world, so much so you'd have a job finding a hotel room if you happened to land at Vegas's McCarran Airport without accommodation.
There are manufacturers here - Ford, GM, FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles), Hyundai, Honda, Kia and BMW among them, though they're not the main act. SEMA's about the smaller players, those Speciality Equipment Market Association organisations that deal with everything from lift kits for your 4x4 or pick-up, to load liners, paint protection films, lift ramps, tools, or anything that's got any relevance in the world of motoring. If you need a three-balled tow bar or American flagged steering wheel this is where you'll find it, along with other highlights like jewel-encrusted wheel weights and replacement badges. For every questionable-taste booth there are hundreds more offering genuinely useful, innovative solutions to problems that you might not know existed. You need waterproof floormats for your new BMW i8? You'll find it at SEMA.
It's the cars though, the diverse, bewildering array of vehicular types that is so impressive, each stand bringing something new. There are definitely themes - the widebody, tacked-on wheelarch and huge, more often than not red, replacement wheels being two of note very obvious at this year's show. Those show cars do what's necessary, attracting people onto the stands for a look around.
Wide load
And people are buying. Vorsteiner's BMW M4 based GTRS-4, with its 10.5-inch wide front and 13.5-inch rear wheels covering its wider stance with buxom-hipped carbon fibre wings. The show car's sold, the $124,995 asking price seemingly not enough either, the buyer wanting it so much they added around 10 per cent to secure it. Vorsteiner's representative says there's nothing done to boost the car's performance to match its more assertive looks, though does talk of another 'easy' 100hp via some ECU tweaking.
It's the people as much as the cars themselves that are interesting at SEMA. Andretti's signing autographs, Von Hot Rod is pinstriping phones on demand and Magnus Walker stops for a chat about his latest '67 S RT project. His silver and blue, louvre-winged 911 has been brought along part-built but exhibiting Walker's usual high attention to detail and signature flourishes. It's one of only a handful of European cars though, SEMA unsurprisingly dominated by its home-market models.
Pic and mix
Several stand out, Roadster Shop exhibiting a number of immaculate muscle car updates on a variety of exhibitor stands. Little gets as much attention as its 'Sliced' Charger, the grey machine an absolute demonstration in exacting detail and defining a movement in the high-end muscle car business. Then there's the opposite end, a barn-find GT 500 Mustang that was bought 17 years ago for $15,000 after sitting for 20 years. It's still covered in the dust and straw it was found in, owner Scott Drake having turned down offers for $120,000 for it at the show.
Classics mix with modern, modifications range from the mild to wild, but there's a collective camaraderie that's unusual in the sometimes divisive world of cars. Humour too, a lot at Toyota, where its excellent sleeper Camry dragster raises an incredulous, admiring smile, Kia's karting weekend equipped Carens, complete with bored looking girlfriend/wife/mum impossible not to love, too. SEMA's where the manufacturers can have a little fun, as COPO Chevys, skater Scions, Mopar dragsters and DJ-equipped Minis testify, though SEMA's about the little guys doing big things. Pop it on your petrolhead bucket list, you'll not be disappointed.
Not a lot of what I see here is to my personal taste but I greatly respect the effort put in by these guys. I know many on here will sniff though. Cue the typical, boring and derogatory Max Power/rapper/gangster/Russian/Arab/footballer comments...
Not a lot of what I see here is to my personal taste but I greatly respect the effort put in by these guys. I know many on here will sniff though. Cue the typical, boring and derogatory Max Power/rapper/gangster/Russian/Arab/footballer comments...
Are the laws in the US different because modding a car in the UK is an insurance nightmare an so puts many off where as in the US (Vegas in particular) it seems people are fine with it an warrenty be dammed.
Speedhunters will most likely run a decent summary in the next few weeks if anyone is genuinely interested.
Speedhunters will most likely run a decent summary in the next few weeks if anyone is genuinely interested.
One of their biggest projects is government negotiations for legislation to allow these companies to continue to produce bespoke parts without the extensive and expensive required by OEM's.
It's a trade only show and is genuinely enormous. It's takes over the entire of Las Vegas every time it comes to town and is a great thing to go to, if you are into cars.
http://expeditionportal.com/sema-day-one/
One of the vehicles that appeals to me more. They also have a cracking youtube channel if living in a tent and driving across North America is your thing (personally would rather live in a tent and travel the world rather than just North America).
http://expeditionportal.com/sema-day-one/
One of the vehicles that appeals to me more. They also have a cracking youtube channel if living in a tent and driving across North America is your thing (personally would rather live in a tent and travel the world rather than just North America).
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff