There is a striking duality to the city of Las Vegas. For millions of visitors annually, it is exactly how it is portrayed in the media: casinos, clubs, and every other glitzy attraction imaginable. And, for most, that is all there is to the legendary Sin City – a “make you or break you town” indeed. Those who search a little deeper, however, are rewarded with an entirely different experience. The architecture and design alone featured in several of the more prominent hotels and resorts quite frankly are mind blowing, equaled only perhaps by that in New York City or various places in Europe or Asia. The detail and depth to which the interiors of the Aria, Mirage, Cosmopolitan, Bellagio, and many other landmarks are planned and executed are worth several days in and of themselves, just to see in person.
Likewise, so it is with the annual SEMA Show, a global conglomeration of aftermarket wizardry the likes of which never fails to amaze. One the one hand, some truly amazing and ground breaking products are on display, and it’s refreshing to spot new trends and see how various manufacturers display their handiwork. On the other hand, there is certainly a case of more money than taste, and by the time we passed the lime green Rolls Royce Phantom with hideous two-foot wheels and scissor doors, our lunch was ready to make an encore appearance. Ignoring the glaring spots of severe distaste, however, resulted in a wonderful time had by all, with a higher level of multimedia interaction than ever seen before, especially at the very impressive Ford display, with a constant stream of videos, live Twitter feed events, and countless interviews by the likes of Chip Foose and other automotive celebrities.
In the end, the SEMA Show is almost too much to take in over a mere five days. One noticeable new trend was the wave of Liberty Walk widebody kits appearing on several exotic and sports cars. Following the visual cues of the Rauh-Welt Porsches and Rocket Bunny, these entail raw fender arches and bumper covers riveted on in a motorsport fashion with exposed hex bolts. You wouldn’t think a Lamborghini Murcielago or Ferrari 458 could come off as more aggressive without ruining the appeal, but those Liberty Walk builds mastered it with authority. Along with the other high-end exotics, such as a breathtaking orange Aventador with Vorsteiner’s new carbon fiber pieces at the Pirelli booth, there were several other noteworthy displays, from electronics to turbochargers to the completely awesome Traxxas R/C booth. And yes, if you’re wondering, there was literally an FR-S or a GT-R on nearly every corner!
