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2003 SEMA
By: Drew Phillips
Photos by the author
November 12, 2003

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Some stats from this year's SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show in Las Vegas on November 4-7: 1,800 exhibitors, 1,100 new products, 80,000 attendees. In short, SEMA is the largest automotive trade event in the world. Every year in November the who's who of the automotive world come together to show off their new products and to see the latest innovations of the car industry. This year's show was the largest ever since the first one in 1967.

Because of its 100th anniversary, Ford has been the main feature of many automotive events this year, and SEMA was no different. In celebration Ford brought a strong showing of nineteen concepts mainly featuring the new 2004 F-150 and their new 5.0 liter "Cammer" engine. "We've said all along that we intend to grow the interest in overhead-cam technology," explained Dan Davis, director of Ford Racing Technology. "There's no reason why a crate engine can't start, run and perform in an aftermarket setting as well as the engines in today's production automobiles and trucks. We see the 5.0-liter 'Cammer' crate engine as the future for tuners, project-vehicle builders and aftermarket car and truck enthusiasts." The Cammer was introduced last year as the power-plant of the FR100 Concept truck. This year it appeared in three concept cars - a rwd Focus called the RS8, a 1965 Mustang Fastback, and in supercharged form in a 1953 Panel Truck painted in a UPS paint scheme. The Cammer engine will be available for purchase through select Ford dealers and warehouse distributors at the beginning of 2004.

GM's offerings for SEMA came mainly from the Pontiac. In an autocross theme, five vehicles received enhanced handling and enhanced power packages along with subtle body kits. The just-released GTO received the most attention because of its 400 hp LS1 V8. The extra boost in power comes from LS6 camshaft and heads. Pontiac fans who think the GTO needs a more aggressive appearance will be glad to know that several of the visual bits on the show car including the front and rear fascia extensions, rocker panel, and rear spoiler will be available for purchase at GM dealers.

DaimlerChrysler took the opportunity to introduce their new performance products from Mopar including 5.7-liter Hemi crate engines. According to Dodge, "the 5.7-liter HEMI can be installed in a variety of vehicles, thanks to an integrated 'plug and play' engine controller." Dodge also launched several products for their SRT vehicles. For Neon owners, they can now order a Stage 1 turbo upgrade kit for their SRT-4. The kit features four upgraded fuel injectors and a Mopar Performance powertrain control module that allows for "more turbo response and a more aggressive exhaust note." Dodge also finally responded to the demands of Viper enthusiasts by showing the Viper SRT-10 Carbon Concept. Ever since the SRT-10 convertible came out owners have been longing for a street-legal coupe version of the SRT-10, and this concept most likely whetted their taste considerably. Although the increase in power (625 hp and 600 lb-ft torque) was well received by enthusiasts, the bare carbon fiber didn't receive too much positive feedback. The Viper could stand to lose a few pounds from the lightweight material, but the consensus from most owners was that a fully painted version would be more appealing.

While many of the performance parts featured by the manufacturers won't ever be found in showrooms, Honda's Acura division showcased several new products that are actually available from dealers right now. Last year's show saw the introduction of Acura Factory Performance, Acura's attempt at following the trend towards manufacturers having a performance division to provide products for performance-oriented customers. For 2003 Acura re-launched the division as A-SPEC to differentiate it from Honda's Factory Performance. A TSX and RSX were displayed alongside Acura's feature car, a 2004 TL. "The new 2004 TL has a high performance engine and chassis with styling to match," said Jim Roach, American Honda vice president of the Parts Division. "The A-SPEC kit takes this aggressive styling and sporty handling a step further, leaving no doubt that the new TL is an extremely stylish, performance-oriented car." The features of the A-SPEC TL include a track-tuned suspension, performance brake pads, lightweight 18-inch wheels and tires, and an aero kit.

Not to be outdone by its Asian counterpart, Toyota's luxury division, Lexus, brought a V8-powered IS to the show. The car was actually built by Rod Millen Special Vehicles of Huntington Beach, CA. Besides the conversion from the standard inline-6 to the GS430's 4.3-liter V8, Millen also fitted modified springs, adjustable shock absorbers, 18-inch alloy wheels, and cross-drilled Brembo rotors. A two-tone black and red paint job completed the look. Unfortunately, Lexus has no intention of offering a production version of the car - a real shame because the Lexus faithful would probably love to see a high performance IS to compete with the BMW M3 and Audi S4.

While none of the concepts or products shown by the manufacturers at the 2003 SEMA show took my breath away (perhaps with the exception of the engine bay of the Viper SRT-10 Carbon Concept - I would consider it artwork), almost everything seen on the cars either will available for purchase or are at least realistic enough that manufacturers could produce them if they wanted to. To me, this is almost better than seeing outrageous concepts that you know will never have a chance at hitting the street. Take for example the Neon SRT-4. For a mere $399, you can upgrade your car to have (underrated most likely) 240 hp and 260 lb-ft torque - all of this in an already-affordable car. The fact that anyone can buy this directly from Dodge for a relatively cheap price is simply amazing, and because the demand for aftermarket products has grown steadily over the decade (according to SEMA, "the automotive specialty equipment industry has outperformed the U.S. economy" since 1992) we will most likely continue to see more and more performance products offered by manufacturers in the future. It should be interesting to see what new products the automotive industry will offer in the next few years.