From modified Mustangs to Megan Fox's Mona Lisa, here's our round-up of the world's biggest modding meet
For one week a year, when the Las Vegas Convention Center isn't playing
host to middle-aged men dressed as superheroes, or the very best in
adult entertainment, its fluorescent strip-lit halls are filled with the
most outlandish creations the tuning community has to offer.
Welcome
to the SEMA show, where the world of wide-bodied, pimped-up,
slammed-to-the-floor cars meets the City of Sin in an explosion of
bilious paint jobs and big wheels. Lots and lots of big wheels.
But
where the tuning scene was once a sea of Dimma bodykits, neon and
scantily clad girls in shopping centre car parks, it's matured into a
somewhat classier scene that even manufacturers now want a piece of. The
scantily clad women remain, admittedly.
Top Gear has spent the
last couple of days wandering SEMA's halls to see what this year's show
has to offer. Suffice to say it was... eyebrow-raising. Have a scroll
through the gallery above and let us know what catches your attention
below.
Scion x Slayer Mobile Amp tC
If you enjoy
wearing black, piercing parts of your anatomy that really shouldn't be
pierced, and locking yourself in your room listening to thrash metal,
Scion may have the car for you.
Inspired by metal band Slayer
and designed by Mike Vu of MV DESIGNZ, this custom tC has literally been
turned up to 11. With a soul-sucking black paint job complete with
airbrushed skulls and Slayer emblems on the side, headlights that look
like they've got an eye infection and suicide doors, it's something you
don't want to mess with in a mosh pit.
Inside there are seats
inspired by Marshall stack amps (the real things reside in the boot), a
custom Pioneer speaker set up complete with a custom mixer, and a
32-inch monitor. The gearshifter is a skull-head, while the handbrake is
a sword. This is not a euphemism.
Toyota Camry Dragster
Not all Camrys are as
boring as they look. This seemingly normal appliance shocked onlookers
when the team yanked up the bodyshell to reveal a tube-framed, 850bhp
dragster lurking beneath its mild exterior.
The engine is a
5.7-litre V8 lifted from a Toyota Tundra pickup, enhanced with a TRD
supercharger and, just to make sure it doesn't get left behind, a wet
nitrous injection system.
The end result is a car that looks
like it gets sand kicked in its face but that will handily remove your
own visage every time you light it up. The team who built it reckon it's
good for a 9.8-second quarter mile. We just want to know when it's
going into production.
Liberty Walk Ferrari 458
Ferrari recently unveiled a quicker, harder, more aggressive 458 in the shape of the limited-run Speciale Aperta. But, to some, that's not aggressive enough.
Step forward Liberty Walk, a Japanese tuning firm that'll take your supercar and make it like no other. This 458 has had its wheel arches and wings cut, bashed and pulled to accommodate the ultra-wide 20-inch wheels. It has a (very) wide-arch body kit screwed on. Yep. Screwed on. There is, of course, an aftermarket exhaust. Essentially, it's been modified the same way da yoof customise 80,000-mile Golfs. Sacrilege?
Ferrari recently unveiled a quicker, harder, more aggressive 458 in the shape of the limited-run Speciale Aperta. But, to some, that's not aggressive enough.
Step forward Liberty Walk, a Japanese tuning firm that'll take your supercar and make it like no other. This 458 has had its wheel arches and wings cut, bashed and pulled to accommodate the ultra-wide 20-inch wheels. It has a (very) wide-arch body kit screwed on. Yep. Screwed on. There is, of course, an aftermarket exhaust. Essentially, it's been modified the same way da yoof customise 80,000-mile Golfs. Sacrilege?
Southern Crush mini monster truck.
This is a 1/3 size monster truck that makes the 4x4 Barbie electric ride-on in the Argos Catalogue look immensely lame.
Powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, the ‘Southern Crush' has four-wheel-drive steering and tyres chunky enough to trample right over a poorly parked VW Up.
This is a 1/3 size monster truck that makes the 4x4 Barbie electric ride-on in the Argos Catalogue look immensely lame.
Powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, the ‘Southern Crush' has four-wheel-drive steering and tyres chunky enough to trample right over a poorly parked VW Up.
Ford GT
Having once blocked a major London traffic artery after he got stuck in a width restrictor, Jeremy Clarkson can attest that the Ford GT is one car that doesn't require added wideness. But that hasn't stopped someone.
With a Belladonna body kit that significantly alters its footprint, a monstrous fixed rear wing and more slats than a Venetian blind factory, this is an, um, original take on Camilo Pardo's timeless design. Just don't try and take it over Hammersmith Bridge, that's our only advice.
Legacy Dodge Power Wagon
We thought resto-mod off-roaders couldn't get much better than the brilliant - and faintingly expensive - Icon Ford Bronco, but this restored and updated 1946 Dodge Power Wagon Conversion has us reconsidering.
Created by Legacy Classic Trucks, this Dodge is available with either a 425bhp V8 or a 3.9-litre Cummins turbodiesel, a five-speed manual or four-speed auto box and some thoroughly modern 20-inch beadlock rims with 42-inch tyres. But that's just the beginning of the options list on this new-old hauler.
The chassis features a laundry list of all the things you want to see on a tough roader like this: Bilstein long-travel shocks, front and rear locking diffs, transfer case with low range and a handy 7.5-tonne winch. There's currently a waiting list, even though the starting price is around £100k. You can almost double that if you spec extras such as a snow blower or sawmill. Yes, a sawmill.
Toyo Smart
How to make a statement in a Smart car: add lots of wings, widen, then turbocharge.
Lone Star Viper
One word. MURICA.
Fab Fours Legend
The Jeep Wrangler has been a staple of America's off-roading scene since day dot. In that time we've seen many modified Wrangler rock-crawling creation, but never anything an excellent as this, the Fab Fours Legend.
Featuring a stock engine and transmission, it's really a design study, but one we're completely diggin', as they say round here. With 10cm lopped off the roof, massive 24-inch wheels wrapped in 50-inch tyres, and the addition of freshly fabricated head-height wheel arches, this thing boasts the proportions of a giant RC car. This is good.
There are custom control rockers, Fox shocks, Oracle lighting in the wing mirrors and a winch. Even better, if you hand over £100,000, Fab Fours will make you one.
The Jeep Wrangler has been a staple of America's off-roading scene since day dot. In that time we've seen many modified Wrangler rock-crawling creation, but never anything an excellent as this, the Fab Fours Legend.
Featuring a stock engine and transmission, it's really a design study, but one we're completely diggin', as they say round here. With 10cm lopped off the roof, massive 24-inch wheels wrapped in 50-inch tyres, and the addition of freshly fabricated head-height wheel arches, this thing boasts the proportions of a giant RC car. This is good.
There are custom control rockers, Fox shocks, Oracle lighting in the wing mirrors and a winch. Even better, if you hand over £100,000, Fab Fours will make you one.
Scion xB
What car do you build when you're the son of skater king Tony Hawk? Riley Hawk, who is no slouch in the skate dept himself, teamed up with Scott Kanemura to create this homage to Seventies van culture.
From the Cragar five-spoke wheels to the candy-coloured stripes and porthole rear side window, the Riley Hawk Skate Touring Scion xB - to give it its full name - is as Seventies as a smoke-filled room of lava lamps. But the outside is just the start.
Inside is equally vantastic. There's thigh-burning brown button vinyl upholstery, an eight-track stereo, CB radio and wind-up windows. Oh, and acres of, ahem, shag carpeting on the floors, pillars, roof and even the rear windows.
What car do you build when you're the son of skater king Tony Hawk? Riley Hawk, who is no slouch in the skate dept himself, teamed up with Scott Kanemura to create this homage to Seventies van culture.
From the Cragar five-spoke wheels to the candy-coloured stripes and porthole rear side window, the Riley Hawk Skate Touring Scion xB - to give it its full name - is as Seventies as a smoke-filled room of lava lamps. But the outside is just the start.
Inside is equally vantastic. There's thigh-burning brown button vinyl upholstery, an eight-track stereo, CB radio and wind-up windows. Oh, and acres of, ahem, shag carpeting on the floors, pillars, roof and even the rear windows.
Daystar Jeep FC-170
As Ken Block recently demonstrated, adding tank tracks to off-roaders is a Good Thing. And even better when they're attached to old Jeep pick-ups.
Off-road retailer Daystar has proved this by binning wheels and strapping rubber tracks to this old FC, then treating it to a 5.7-litre Hemi engine. Now all we need is some snow to test it out. Roll on the ice apocalypse. We're ready.
As Ken Block recently demonstrated, adding tank tracks to off-roaders is a Good Thing. And even better when they're attached to old Jeep pick-ups.
Off-road retailer Daystar has proved this by binning wheels and strapping rubber tracks to this old FC, then treating it to a 5.7-litre Hemi engine. Now all we need is some snow to test it out. Roll on the ice apocalypse. We're ready.
Ring Brothers Recoil Chevy Chevelle
Take a quick glace at this 1966 Chevelle, and you might not think it too special. Nice paint and some cool wheels, maybe, not much more.
But take a closer look and it starts to get a bit weird. Muscle car meets military vehicle weird. The desert-rat Sand Storm paint and ‘Recoil' name should be clues, but the cabin is the real giveaway: painted metal and functional padding, more tank than car.
The military theme continues all the way to the engine room, where a supercharged LS7 V8 makes a battle-ready 980bhp.
Take a quick glace at this 1966 Chevelle, and you might not think it too special. Nice paint and some cool wheels, maybe, not much more.
But take a closer look and it starts to get a bit weird. Muscle car meets military vehicle weird. The desert-rat Sand Storm paint and ‘Recoil' name should be clues, but the cabin is the real giveaway: painted metal and functional padding, more tank than car.
The military theme continues all the way to the engine room, where a supercharged LS7 V8 makes a battle-ready 980bhp.
Vaydor
Bodykit specialists Vaydor have garbed a car with this extreme fancy dress outfit. They've called it the ‘Builders Supercar', which we thought was a Ford Transit. But turns out it's not. But can you guess what it is?
Jot down your answers below and winners will receive a non refundable Internet Point with the monetary value of absolutely nothing.
Bodykit specialists Vaydor have garbed a car with this extreme fancy dress outfit. They've called it the ‘Builders Supercar', which we thought was a Ford Transit. But turns out it's not. But can you guess what it is?
Jot down your answers below and winners will receive a non refundable Internet Point with the monetary value of absolutely nothing.
Honda Fit & Grom
The Honda stand at SEMA is usually strewn with 1000bhp+ Civics, but this year's star was the MAD Industries Fit - the car known as the Jazz in the UK - concept. While the car itself is fairly SEMA-standard - it has some Edgar Davids-style glassware with matching gold wheels and midnight black paint - it also boasts a custom-made rack inside designed to carry a Grom minibike.
The Honda stand at SEMA is usually strewn with 1000bhp+ Civics, but this year's star was the MAD Industries Fit - the car known as the Jazz in the UK - concept. While the car itself is fairly SEMA-standard - it has some Edgar Davids-style glassware with matching gold wheels and midnight black paint - it also boasts a custom-made rack inside designed to carry a Grom minibike.
Starr Wheels
In the alloy wheel game at SEMA, there's only one rule: bigger is better. This Camara, says Starr Wheels, is the first car ever to roll on 34 inches of shiny, kerbable rim. Well, congratulations, gents.
In the alloy wheel game at SEMA, there's only one rule: bigger is better. This Camara, says Starr Wheels, is the first car ever to roll on 34 inches of shiny, kerbable rim. Well, congratulations, gents.
The Bank Robber
The limits of tuning at SEMA extend beyond cars into the outer fringes of four-wheeledness. Like the example above, which, as you can see, is a tractor. But not your normal agricultural runaround: this has four (four!) engines and 8,000bhp, allowing you to plough Kansas in ten minutes flat.
The limits of tuning at SEMA extend beyond cars into the outer fringes of four-wheeledness. Like the example above, which, as you can see, is a tractor. But not your normal agricultural runaround: this has four (four!) engines and 8,000bhp, allowing you to plough Kansas in ten minutes flat.
Randy Grubb
The last time TG met Randy, he was in the process of assembling this outlandish, V8-powered quad for a client. SEMA was our first look at the finished product, and it's not disappointing, is it?
From the horse-neigh horn to frog front axle ornament, this is Grubb at his deliciously bonkers best. And there's plenty more to come from our talented friend. His next project, a commission from the buyer of his Decoliner bus, is a $500k take on a Delage. The engine is a relatively modest V12, but the rest of the car should be suitably and tastefully outrageous. Just as a Grubb original should be.
The last time TG met Randy, he was in the process of assembling this outlandish, V8-powered quad for a client. SEMA was our first look at the finished product, and it's not disappointing, is it?
From the horse-neigh horn to frog front axle ornament, this is Grubb at his deliciously bonkers best. And there's plenty more to come from our talented friend. His next project, a commission from the buyer of his Decoliner bus, is a $500k take on a Delage. The engine is a relatively modest V12, but the rest of the car should be suitably and tastefully outrageous. Just as a Grubb original should be.
