2008 SEMA - GM – Subdued at SEMA show?

GM has a huge area on the floor here at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas. What I found notable in this year's fleet of modified vehicles was more what's absent than what was there.

No big SUVs. No Suburbans or Escalades. No Hummer H2s. Just smaller, gentler H3s instead. And only one full-size pickup truck.

The star of the GM booth was the Camaro – six new models and one classic. (There are classic Camaros all over the place this year.) There were two Malibus, a G8 sedan and sport truck, and a Solstice coupe. Jay Leno’s EcoBoost – the GM designed, Alcoa-bodied, helicopter-engine-powered road missile - is also closer to being finished this year.

Sure, I understand that big truck sales are down and that the focus is shifting to cars. But SEMA is a show of excess. Honda’s showing off tricked-out Ridgelines,  Scion is touting an xB truck conversion, and Ford isn’t backing off from showing trucks that you need a ladder to enter. Not to worry – there are plenty of big trucks, including GM's, in other booths…

—Tom Mutchler

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