The Specialty Equipment Market Association holds its yearly show during the first week of November. 2016’s event took place between 2nd and 5th at the Las Vegas Convention Center where it has been since 1977. SEMA is structured to provide a platform for different market leaders in the automotive industry to find a way to capitalize on business. It brings together players from the world over with products ranging a broad scale. Some of the players that appear at the SEMA show include original equipment manufacturers, car dealers, aftermarket manufacturers, specialty equipment distributors, media, retailers, restoration specialists, and installers. 2016’s show saw over 60,000 companies take part.
SEMA, formed in 1963, started small with the first show getting an attendance of 3,000, 100 companies and five cars on display. Over the decades, the world’s largest automotive trade show has seen a significant increase in attendees with 6,383 industry leaders being part of the organization. Some of the benefits that member companies gain include market research, business-to-business events, legislative & regulatory advisory, international business development, industry publications, professional and educational development. The annual trade show has grown into one of the most important in the field. It is also a time when manufacturers put their best products to display the latest technologies and one-up each other.
SEMA Sports Cars
The racing sector is one that benefits a lot from SEMA as different players think out their high-performance vehicles to appeal to this audience.
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Chevrolet COPO Camaro
Chevrolet is not a new player in SEMA. In fact, it is one of the names that drag racers watch out for. The COPO Camaro stays true to the Chevy reputation. It comes with unassisted drag brakes instead of the standard ones. The sidewall is taller, the wheels different and racers get sticky Hoosier tires. It also has a three-speed automatic gearbox and three V8 engines. This Chevy Camaro is for amateur drag racers.
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Mazda M-X5 Speedster Evolution
The Speedster Evolution is an upgrade from 2015’s Mazda Speedster. This previous version boasted an adjustable coil-over suspension, custom wheels and it didn’t have a windscreen. The new Speedster retains those features but has enhanced the weight greatly. It is 350 pounds lighter and that is made possible by the light brakes and Green Lite G20 Lithium battery.
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Hyundai Veloster Gurnade
Hyundai is not known for its sports cars, but this year it decided to test the waters. The manufacturer entered the Veloster Gurnade at 2016’s SEMA, and there was a lot to see. This powerful vehicle comes with a four-cylinder turbo engine, which is complemented by a cold air intake system, new intercooler, and a downpipe. It has a custom rear spoiler, highly exaggerated fender flares, and three-piece wheels.
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Restorations
SEMA is the perfect trade show for restoration specialists to boast of their talents from sprucing up vehicles with high-performance engines to cool paint jobs.
1957 Pontiac Chieftain gets an E-Charger
The 1957 Chieftain got an H-line conversion that improves its fuel economy considerably. It is estimated that the savings are about 25%. It also got a new touch of paint that gave it gorgeous looks. Also, it has classic wheels and studded body side trim. This beauty is one you may not want a title loan online lender to lay hands on.
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1950 Studebaker Dragster
The 1950 Studebaker had a few modifications as an homage to the WWII B-17 bomber, Memphis Belle. For one, the front fender of this car is design to look similar to the nose of the plane. Then there is the paintwork. It has Japanese and Nazi flags on its body as a tribute to Memphis Belle’s achievements. Additionally, there is a roll cage, drag tires, and custom rear fender.
Trucks and SUVs
Off-roaders were in plenty at the 2016 SEMA, and the only limitations were imaginary. From snowmobiles to racing trucks, the displays were full of nice machines to look at.
Ford F-150 Raptor
The Ford F-150 has been receiving significant exposure recently as it prepares to make its appearance at the SCORE 1000 in Baja. This version of the F-150 doesn’t come with a lot of modifications. Some of the changes include racing seats with harnesses, a steel roll cage, LED lighting, and a puncture-resistant fuel cell. It has a 3.5 L EcoBoost V6 engine with 450-horsepower. There are also some adjustments to the factory-spec suspension to accommodate the new weight generated by the racing equipment.
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Toyota Land Speed Cruiser
The Land Cruiser is a popular off-roading choice, and it has always delivered. With this latest version, Toyota is aiming for enhanced speed. It is believing to a capacity of 220 and 2,000 hp. The Land Speed Cruiser has an ATI transmission and twin turbochargers. It got some revisions in the chassis to result in a low-riding vehicle that handles very well in rough terrains.
Image source by Toyota news
KIA Snowmobile
KIA decided to give skiers something nice for vacations. The sled tracks are the first features to notice on the vehicle – they are functional in every sense of the design. Users can ride in inches of snow without making the car work too much.
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This new market entry from KIA is autonomous, meaning vacationers can get to their ski spots and back without too much trouble. Besides being convenient, it is safe, which is a must-have for ski mobiles. There is also the money-saving fact seeing as you don’t have to pay for shuttle services back and forth during your ski trip.
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