- 2016
- auto shows
- SEMA Auto Show
copyJust a few short weeks prior to the SoCal limelight of the Los Angeles Auto Show, the car world focuses its gaze a little further North East for the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas. In case you were unaware, SEMA stands for Specialty Equipment Market Association, and the accompanying trade show that bears the name attracts thousands upon thousands of parts suppliers, car builders, restoration shops, tuners, dealers, restorers, and big OEM automakers, all of whom arrive in the Vegas desert to partake in one of (if not the) biggest custom car events in the world. It’s an aftermarket extravaganza, a cornucopia of customized rides that compete for the attention of some of the most discerning eyes in the industry. And that means we’re in store for some of the wildest automotive creations on the planet.
The SEMA show isn’t open to the public, but rather it provides a space for industry professionals to connect, learn, and show off their latest builds. Not only that, but it gives car lovers of all stripes a chance to see what’s possible in the world of customs, either for inspiration, or just to look and drool.
Originally founded in 1963, SEMA was started by several big names from the world of aftermarket speed, including Roy Richter, Willie Garner, Bob Hedman, Robert E. Wyman, John Bartlett, Phil Weiand, Jr., Dean Moon, and Vic Edelbrock, Jr.
Held annually at the beginning of November and hosted at the Las Vegas Convention Center, SEMA is always a surefire way to dig deep into the aftermarket, with pretty much every corner of the car world represented on the showroom floor.
This year’s event is slated to run between November 1st and November 4th, but before the attendees make the rounds, we’re giving you a breakdown of what’s slated to show in the following preview.
And make sure to check back as the Show approaches, because we’ll be adding more __cars to the list!
Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 SEMA Show.
Hyundai
Rockstar Santa Fe Concept
Hyundai is bringing all kinds of interesting vehicles to SEMA this year, the first of which in this gargantuan off-road machine. The South Korean automaker teamed up with energy drink producer Rockstar in order to create it, fitting the mid-size five-door with a custom black and white exterior, LED illumination, spruced up interior, and some seriously jacked-up suspension. Those mean-looking tires measure in at 35 inches, while under the hood is a shot of laughing gas. The end result is something that looks like it’s ready to crawl up the side of a mountain and crush anything that stands in its way.
Read the full review here.
Santa-Fast By Bisimoto
If you prefer your vehicles low and fast, as opposed to high and dirty, then you’ll be delighted to find out Hyundai is bringing another Santa Fe built with an entirely different philosophy in mind. It’s called the Santa-Fast, and under the hood is over 1,000 horsepower waiting to be unleashed. Responsible for this outrageous SUV is Bisimoto Engineering, a company well versed when it comes to making a head-turning SEMA car. Now if only we could convince Hyundai to actually put it into production…
Read the full review here.
Veloster Concept By Gurnade
While more focused on the show than the go when compared to the Santa-Fast, the Veloseter Concept by Gurnade is still definitely worthy of a spot at SEMA. It’s got the right kind of look, with a creased-up wide body kit, slammed ride height, deep-dish wheels, and candy-colored paint. Mounted in the nose, you’ll find some basic performance upgrades for the 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder engine, while big brakes and coilover suspension round out the package.
Read the full review here.
Road Racer Elantra Concept By ARK
It’s highly unlikely your go-to image of a SEMA car includes an Elantra, but that’s not stopping Hyundai from turning its family-oriented grocery hauler into a performance machine. Assisting in the transformation is a custom wide body kit for the exterior, which is punctuated with LED illumination and substantially flared fenders, all of which is wrapped in a dark grey vinyl finish. Not only does this thing look the part, but underneath the body mods is a coilover suspension and a custom turbo kit. No word on how much the new snail adds to output, but we’re feeling around 260 horsepower total. The Concept Elantra also adds custom upholstery to the interior, which is a surprising move for a road racer, but hey, it’s a SEMA car – it’s about turning heads, not making sense.
Read the full review here.
Ford
Fusion Sport Ballistic Concept By Webasto Thermo And Comfort North America
It’s got a long name, but this four-door looks like it’s got a few very nice pieces to justify the extended title and attribution. Based on the 2017 Ford Fusion, so far we’ve only seen the Sport Ballistic Concept as a rendering, but we already like what we’re seeing. Starting things off are subtle exterior enhancements, including new body components in the fascia, side skirts, and hood. There are also less-than-subtle enhancements, like 20-inch multi-spoke wheels. Up top is a new sunroof to enhance the experience inside, and under the hood is a tuned 2.7-liter V-6 producing more than the stock 325 horsepower. Finishing it off is new suspension.
Read the full review here.
Mustang GT Concept
As you might expect, there’s gonna be plenty of examples of the Blue Oval’s newest pony car on display, starting with this heavy-hitter from VMP Performance. The first thing that’ll grab you is the military aesthetic adorning the exterior, with a bomber grey paint job, a little stars-‘n-stripes action on the doors, and matte black wheels in the corners. It looks cool, but it’s also got an engine capable of turning the ‘Stang into a ground-bound missile. Thanks to a new blower, the stock 5.0-liter V-8 gets a bump to 850 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque, nearly double the factory rating of 435 horsepower and 400 pound-feet. Further track-ready mods include Recaro racing buckets, five-point harnesses, coilover suspension, big brakes, and digital gauges.
Read the full review here.
Mustang Fastback By CJ Pony Parts
Tuned iterations of the V-8 ‘Stang are to be expected at SEMA, but the four-banger sixth-gen is getting some love too. Applying some go-faster magic to the 2.3-liter EcoBoost is CJ Pony Parts, which managed to coax an additional 100 horsepower from the engine, with final output coming to 410 horsepower total. Rounding out the build is a Ford Performance suspension kit, some added chassis rigidity, and 20-inch wheels, not to mention upgraded aero, a carbon fiber hood, and a Stealth Gray paint job punctuated with neon green highlights. Who said eight cylinders is better than four?
Read the full review here.
Mustang Pearl Candy Orange
This wild-looking muscle car gives us a glimpse at what the Shelby GT350 could look like if Ford chopped the roof off, courtesy of all the body upgrades. Believe it or not, this thing is actually based on the EcoBoost convertible – never mind the black “5.0” badge you see on the fender! Carbon fiber is used in the body panels to keep the weight down, but the weave is hidden under a sea of Pearl Candy orange paint. Under the fenders are 20-inch wheels from Forgeline, while the cabin employs big names like Stitchcraft and Katzkin for more orange spread across the dash, matching the wild exterior. Beyond the look, you’ll find upgrades to the intercooler and exhaust, but the biggest power boost is provided by a heady dose of nitrous, courtesy of Nitrous Express.
Read the full review here.
Chevrolet
Cruze RS Hatch And Malibu Blue Line
Chevy will be bringing a few examples of what can be done with the Cruze RS Hatch and Malibu sedan should you find yourself owning either of those models and wanting a little extra. Both fall under the Blue Line designation, and include a slew of forthcoming and production-ready modifications available to any enthusiast out there. Adding a little custom fairy dust are upgrades like a lowered suspension, engine breathing mods (intake and exhaust), plus-sized custom wheels, blue-tinted windows, and illuminated doorsills. The pair of Blue Lines aren’t exactly the craziest thing you’ll find at SEMA, but they are good examples of what can be done to a street car with just a little extra spending cash.
Read the full review of the Cruze RS Hatch Blue Line here.
Read the full review of the Malibu Blue Line here.
Ringbrothers
SEMA is obviously the place you wanna be if you’re in the custom car game, which makes it the perfect destination for organizations like Ringbrothers. The Wisconsin-based firm has been doing their thing for over 10 years now, and SEMA is common hunting grounds at this point. For 2016, the company is showing up in Vegas with four new builds. Included is a pearl white 1948 Cadillac Series V, a light blue supercharged 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, a wide body 1965 Ford Mustang convertible, and an outrageously overpowered 1972 Winnebago Brave camper van. How overpowered, you ask? How’s 900 horses grab ‘ya?
Read the full story here.
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