SEMA has transformed from a boring parts manufacturer showcase to the most insane car show in the world. Just showing off quality parts and tools isn’t enough anymore. Manufacturers are now caught up in a show car arms race. They’re building ridiculous cars just to grab attention.
Most cars at SEMA aren’t just insane, they’re downright abominations. This year alone we got a chrome Audi R8 with purple LED wheels, a pearlescent Camaro sitting on thirty-four inch wheels , bedazzled motors, and whatever this thing is.
But just because most manufacturers built ridiculous jacked-up pickup limos and life-size Hot Wheels cars doesn’t mean there weren’t at least a few decent cars at the show.
Here five cars from SEMA 2014 that weren’t totally terrible:
Ringbrothers “Recoil” 1966 Chevelle
The Ringbrothers Chevelle was easily one of the best looking cars on the show floor this year. The car manages to look bold and angry (as a classic muscle car should) without going over the top, and its race-inspired, minimalist interior resembles something out of a futuristic military vehicle. The madmen over at Ringbrothers didn’t just build this thing to look pretty either. They dropped in a supercharged LS7 that pushes out a whopping 980 horsepower.
Take note, SEMA vendors. This is how you do a show car.
Camry Dragster
Toyota decided it would be a good idea to turn the Toyota Camry into a drag car. It appears that the people over at Toyota have completely lost their minds.
But in Toyota’s defense, the Camry Dragster is no joke. The custom tube-frame drag car is powered by a 5.7 liter V8 engine out of the Toyota Tundra. Toyota went ahead and slapped on a TRD Supercharger and hooked up a bottle of nitrous to push this “Camry” to 850 horsepower and a claimed ¼ mile time of 9.8 seconds.
How this project got green-lit by one of the most boring and subdued car companies in the world (this is the same company that produces the Prius, people) is totally beyond me, but I love it.
Scion FR-S Targa
I’m willing to overlook all the weird stuff Scion brought to SEMA this year because they also brought this. Scion took their little sports car, turbocharged it, chopped most of the top off, and slapped some louvres on the back window. How cool is that? Sure, it could certainly do without the wide body kit and those god-awful wheels, but I mean c’mon! It’s got louvres!
Mustangs by RTR
I’m throwing Ken Block’s Hoonicorn and Vaughn Gittin Jr.’s Spec 5 Mustang RTR in together because even though they’re wildly different beasts, both are drift Mustangs built by Gittin Jr.’s RTR shop.
Vaughn Gittin Jr.’s Spec 5 Mustang looks like the Mustang of the future. This drift-focused 2015 Mustang features a number of performance and appearance parts, but in the end it’s really not too far removed from the ‘15 Mustang sitting on your local Ford dealer’s showroom floor. That’s by design. Gittin Jr.’s RTR brand has been providing dealer-installed Mustang appearance and performance kits for Ford since 2010, and this Spec 5 Mustang is a concept vehicle for future kits for the 2015 Mustang.
Ken Block’s 1965 Mustang “Hoonicorn” was purpose built for the next installment of his wildly popular Gymkhana video series. Besides the wild exterior appearance changes, this heavily modified Mustang features an AWD system, a one-off custom suspension system, a custom tube frame chassis, and special Pirelli tires with a custom compound created just for Ken Block.
Oh, and the power plant? This insane machine is packing an 845 horsepower Roush V8 NASCAR engine under the hood.
I think it’s a safe bet that Block’s next Gymkhana film will be pretty good.
2016 Miata Global Cup Racer
Mazda seized SEMA as an opportunity to show off the gorgeous concept version of their MX-5 Cup race car for the upcoming ND generation MX-5 Miata. Unfortunately, Mazda was tight lipped on the underpinnings of the car. All we know for sure is that it will pack a 2.0 liter SkyActiv four-cylinder engine under the hood, and that it looks really, really good on a racetrack.
Did we miss anything? Drop us a line with your favorite SEMA car in the comments below.
Don’t Forget To Follow ineptechs:
[efb_likebox fanpage_url=”ineptechs” box_width=”” box_height=”” colorscheme=”light” locale=”en_US” responsive=”1″ show_faces=”1″ show_header=”1″ show_stream=”0″ show_border=”0″ ]
Read More: 5 Cars At SEMA That Weren’t Completely Terrible
5 Cars At SEMA That Weren’t Completely Terrible appeared first on ineptechs.