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Jeep Hot 4x4/SUV SEMA 2012
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By Perry mack
P.T. Barnum trumpeted ‘Welcome to the Greatest Show on Earth’ roughly one hundred and forty years ago. Standing in the sunshine at the Las Vegas Convention Centre, clouds of blue smoke hanging in the air, surrounded by millions of dollars worth of modified cars and trucks, I could hear the ghostly echo of his voice - for automotive enthusiasts, SEMA is ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’.
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) is a trade association consisting of a diverse group of manufacturers, distributors, retailers, publishing companies, auto restorers, street rod builders, re-stylers, car clubs, race teams and more.
The unifying force is a love for cars, trucks and SUVs. SEMA’s activities are vast and include everything from improving world trade to lobbying for improved OHV access.
The main event is the SEMA Show held every October at the Las Vegas Convention Centre (LVCC). It is a ‘trade only’ event as opposed to a consumer show. This means you need to be a part of the industry in order to attend. The SEMA Show provides attendees with educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events, networking opportunities and showcases upcoming trends in the aftermarket industry. The New Product Showcase this year featured over 2000 new products and the entire show drew 130000 people including 60000 buyers from across the globe.
The LVCC has more than 3.2 million sq ft of space. Someone took the time to calculate that if you stopped at each booth during the show for just 16 seconds it would take 4 days to see the whole show. In addition, the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) takes place at the same time at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre with an additional 2.25 million square feet. This organization of automotive parts wholesale distributors, retailers, service chains, jobbers and service professionals represent the $395 billion dollar global vehicle aftermarket.
I’ve used the term ‘aftermarket’ rather casually. Essentially it includes everything that can or will happen to a vehicle after it is manufactured – from oil changes to collision repair, new tires to engine and suspension modifications including all the tools, parts, materials and equipment a service centre would need to get the job done – think paint and paint guns to CNC machines to tire balancing equipment.
My focus was the off-road section in the upper south hall. In addition to a plethora of modified trucks, SUV’s and Jeeps, the show contains an absolute orgy of Lamborghinis, Ferraris, BMWs, Audis, Mercedes, Porsches - all tricked out with aftermarket tires, wheels, grills, paint and body mods – heaven forbid that your factory Aston Martin should look like your neighbours.
Awards
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences doles out Oscars every year for everything from Best Picture to Best Shoe Shine. Similarly but with fewer awards, SEMA honours a number of its members. The enormous difference is the SEMA Awards forecast the future where as the Oscar honours the past. Two of the most coveted awards are the ‘Hottest Truck’ and the ‘Hottest 4x4-SUV’ awards. These are the vehicles that the members believe resonate the most strongly with enthusiasts.
It’s a forecast of what models will get the most aftermarket parts built because more people will own them. "The SEMA Show has always been about innovative products and trends," said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. "The SEMA Award amplifies the industry's special ability to identify and set trends that consumers follow." For 2013, this was the Jeep Wrangler and the Ford F-Series. "The SEMA Award helps guide consumers toward the hottest-trending and most accessory friendly vehicles on the market," added Kersting.
So you may be wondering why your Toyota FJ or Dodge Ram didn’t win (I was). The award isn’t for the best built, best performing or most reliable vehicle. Kersting explained, "Our SEMA Show exhibitors are industry visionaries who determine the winners of the SEMA Award based on the vehicles they showcase in their booths. Each booth vehicle represents a ‘vote' and the most prominent models in each category are the winners."
The AutoJudge Awards (formerly the People’s Choice Awards) were handed out with a lot less fanfare. These are consumer based picks combined with the top choices from a panel of automotive journalists, mechanics and test drivers. The AutoJudge Truck of the Year was the Dodge Ram and the AutoJudge SUV of the Year was the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
This year I was one of a few (alright, more than 20) automotive journalists from around the globe to review the New Products Showcase and recognize the most cutting-edge automotive products either on the market or about to hit the market. So, it wasn’t just about getting free food and liquor. Our job was to choose the products we felt were important to the enthusiasts we represented in our country.
I’ve laid out some of my top picks in the ‘New Products Showcase’ section of this issue.
Virtually every manufacturer is on hand to showcase their products, including some of your favorite vendors like Mickey Thompson, Toyo, Advance Adapters, Borgeson, Eaton, MasterCraft Safety, Daystar and Yukon Gear just to name a few.
One of the advantages of participating as a judge, was obtaining the coveted ‘All Access Pass’ – 24 hour unobstructed access to the Show floor to ogle, drool and photograph some of the most unique, expensive, innovative and hard-core off-road vehicles on the planet today.
I’ve included a photo gallery of 4WD’s top picks in this issue, so read on, ogle and perhaps you’ll come up with ideas for great mods or paint for your Jeep or truck.