Flared wheel arches, paint schemes so bright they should come with an epilepsy warning and unfeasibly blinged-up wheels: it could only be the SEMA show.
If you’re not familiar, SEMA is all about showing off the latest and greatest designs from the world’s premier aftermarket parts manufacturers at a massive convention in the heart of Las Vegas. Think Fast and Furious meets London Fashion Week.
It’s been around for the best part of 50 years and in its time has seen plenty of ridiculous, brilliant and ridiculously brilliant concepts. Unfortunately, the show isn’t open to the public but not to worry, as we’ve collated the best cars from this year’s show especially for your viewing pleasure.
Dodge Shakedown Challenger
If we’re being honest, a lot of the stuff that shows up at SEMA these days is tacky and a bit pointless, but the Dodge Shakedown Challenger is truly the stuff modified car dreams are made of.
It’s built on a genuine 1971 Challenger body, albeit retrofitted with a modern Hemi V8 engine, a Mopar cold-air intake and a custom dual exhaust that spits out a total of 485bhp.
As if that weren’t cool enough, it’s been lowered at the front and rear and outfitted a 1971-inspired Shaker hood scoop, while the finish is literally called ‘Bitchin’ Black’. No door handles either, cos apparently the Devil doesn’t need ‘em.
Kia Sorento Ski Gondola
If your daily commute involves regular treks over snow-covered mountain ranges, why not consider the Kia Sorento Ski Gondola?
Created by New Jersey-based tuners LUX Motorwerks in conjunction with Kia, the Ski Gondola converts the seven-seater SUV into a terrain-basher unrivalled by anything less rugged than a Sherman tank.
The car’s silhouette is of course dominated by those crazy tank tracks, fittingly called DOMINATORs, while this special-edition Sorento also features suicide doors which are easier for people wearing skis to get into, apparently.
Toyota Prius G
Everybody can appreciate what the Toyota Prius did for the credibility of hybrid cars, but it’s never exactly been the most exciting car in the world has it?
Well, if you find the regular Prius a bit too dull, check out this racing car-inspired Prius G, which comes outfitted with custom suspension, a full roll cage and four racing slick tyres for good measure.
Thankfully not related to Honey G; the Prius G is so named because it pulled a full 0.99Gs on the skidpan at the Willow Springs International Raceway in California, meaning that it rivals cars like the Chevrolet Corvette and Dodge Viper for grip.
Porsche 997 Slantnose by Kei Miura
Alongside the Shakedown Challenger, this reimagining of the classic 911 Slantnose is probably our favourite car from this year’s SEMA show.
For anybody not in the know, the Slantnoses were rare variants of the 911s which hark back to Porsche’s racing heyday in the 1970s, when it chopped the headlights off its racing cars for better aerodynamics.
This modern version, built on the bones of a 997-generation 911, has been created by Kei Miura, the founder of iconic tuners Rocket Bunny. It features a carbon fibre roof, carbon bucket seats and a full roll cage as a homage to racing Slantnoses, the same cars which originally inspired his famous widebody aesthetics.
Ford Mustang GT4
No SEMA is complete without a bucketload of modified Mustangs, but this factory-built GT4 racing version stands out from the rest, given that it’s fully prepped, caged and ready to race.
Built by Ford Performance in conjunction with Multimatic Motorsports and Roush Yates Engines, it’s based on the Shelby GT350R and comes powered by a dry-sump 5.2-litre V8 engine specifically tuned for racing.
It also features revised aerodynamics with a huge rear wing and rear diffuser, plus specially-designed dampers and coilover springs, along with 11-inch wide alloys and six-piston Brembo brakes. Best of all, you can buy one and use it to compete in any racing series that uses GT4-spec cars.
Honda Civic TJIN Edition
Anybody who’s ever watched The Fast and The Furious or who has even a passing knowledge of import cars will know the importance and the popularity of the Honda Civic amongst tuners.
Honda’s display at this year’s SEMA show proves that it’s still keen for that tuning legacy to continue, with no fewer than three trussed-up 2017 Civics on display. Of those three, it’s the bright yellow TJIN Edition that’s our favourite.
Built to be the “ultimate street cruiser”, it’s lowered courtesy of BC Racing BR Series coilover suspension and sits on aggressive Rotiform OZT wheels. A front lip spoiler, puffed-out side skirts and a rear bumper also feature, and no proper tuner car is complete without side decals displaying all the different aftermarket parts.
Err… Ford Racing V8 by Proform
LMFAO! Toyota brings a 220MPH land cruiser to SEMA and Ford brings a bedazzled engine 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/l2i3jIm3ut
— TheDamaso (@TheDamaso) November 2, 2016
And finally, we know it’s not a car but we couldn’t resist showing off this Ford Racing V8 engine that’s been vajazzled with no fewer than 13,000 Swarovski crystals.
It’s the work of aftermarket parts house Proform, who blessed – or cursed, depending on your opinion – the engine with some of silliest and glitziest tack we’ve ever seen in any SEMA show.
We doubt all those little crystals add much by way of performance to the engine, but it’s sure to make everybody who looks at it ask: “What the hell is that?!”. That, dear readers, is the true spirit of SEMA.
