2008 SEMA Aftermarket Car Show – Start your engines!
If there’s a better place than Las Vegas to hold SEMA—the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s annual extravaganza of custom cars and aftermarket parts, tools, and accessories—I can’t think of it.
SEMA is as over-the-top as Vegas itself. With 120,000 attendees expected and two million square-feet of exhibit space spread over several massive venues, SEMA features everything from spectacular flame paint jobs to the very latest in hubcap mallets. It’s all set against a backdrop of blaring rock 'n' roll, chrome, and high-performance cars. The crowd itself is a blend of polo shirts and khaki, offset by more black attire than you’d find at any gathering this side of the Sturgis, South Dakota, motorcycle rally.
Through the high-revving excitement, our staff will be looking for the most significant products for consumers, ranging from car care to tires. We are on the trail for announcements from major automakers, and we plan to preview some all-new GPS units. We’ll share the highlights all week long here in the blog.
Just as the SEMA show is sensory overload in a truly Las Vegas way, the city has its own twist on car culture. Take, for example, that Vegas plays host to the Liberace Museum, home of the piano showman’s collection of truly unique customs. Notables include a vintage Rolls Royce covered entirely in mirrored tiles and etched with galloping horses.
Vegas is also where, a few blocks away, Evel Knievel once jumped the fountain at Caesar’s Palace on a Harley-Davidson. Unfortunately for Mr. Knievel, his flight resulted in a hard landing, breaking several bones and scattering Harley parts all over the parking lot. Though likely lost to history, some of those parts might be of interest to the SEMA crowd today.
Between the extremes on display will be news and products that matter to consumers. Starting Tuesday, we will explore every nook, cranny, and distant corner booth in our most comfortable shoes to find the very latest in what’s new.
Stay tuned to see what we find.
Read our past SEMA coverage.
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