Not for the faint of heart – nor for industry outsiders – the 2007 SEMA automotive exposition showcased its annual extreme roundup of hot cars and cool ideas this past October at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV.  SEMA bills itself as “The premier automotive specialty performance products trade

event in the world,” and this most recent expo made no liars of the event’s planners.  The show is not open to the general public, but “draws the industry’s hottest products and brightest minds to one place.”  The result for the consuming public?  Some of the most spectacularly decked-out and high-concept automobiles to roll onto a convention center floor in this or any other millennium.

Octane456 editor-in-chief and founder Dwayne Vance was in on the action at this year’s show.  Dwayne has a long-standing relationship with both SEMA and Hot Wheels ™, having designed larger-scale model vehicles for SEMA in years past.  This year, Hot Wheels™ sponsored the show, and Dwayne’s artwork was displayed on billboards around the convention center and on and SEMA programs.  Dwayne has a rather illustrious relationship with Hot Wheels ™, having once been a full-time designer for the company.  The artwork Dwayne provided for this year’s show was of the classic Hot Wheels™ Twin Mill, as well as a new car, the HW-40, that celebrates the company’s 40th Anniversary.  The concept was designed by Jun Imai and chosen by Hot Wheels™ from among several competitors to be illustrated and a model created.  Dwayne then illustrated the Twin Mill and the HW-40 car racing for the show’s art.  It’s hard to imagine a better job. 

Of course, the real show-stoppers at SEMA are the exotic and extravagant concept vehicles, provided by both design firms and recognized automakers.  While performance, styling and practicality were the highlighted features for some manufacturers, other major automakers focused on the fantasy, the outrage and the “bling” of it all (those things that make SEMA, well, SEMA).  Pontiac, for example, demoed its anything-but-a-commuter-vehicle concept Solstice SD-290, a glittering, flame-colored throwback to the golden age of roadster racers of the 1960s.  Meanwhile, KIA juxtaposed its reputation for practical affordability against a future image of sporty fun with its introduction of the Spectra5 SX concept. 

 Car customizers and their star-powered supporters also shine at SEMA.  At the 2007 expo, Tonight Show host Jay Leno unveiled his need for green speed by showcasing his Chevrolet Corvette C6RS, which was designed by Pratt and Miller engineering to burn alternative fuels (while producing 600 horsepower and 585 foot-pounds of torque).  In a classic example of racing technology adapted to future consumer use, the engine was built by Katech engines, the company that also builds the C6.R racing engines. 

While a select few might ever get to attend SEMA, chances are good that the technologies and innovations displayed there will make it into something driven by most of us in the not-so-distant future.  November 4^th through the 7^th has already been set as the date for SEMA Show 2008 (Las Vegas, as is typical).  We’re off to get our badges – see you in Vegas!