After the recent sad news of Pontiac’s demise as the mighty car brand of the 1960s officially went of business last Sunday, this week’s Sema Show in Las Vegas, Nevada in the US felt like balm on a wound as some of America’s top custom car specialists were let loose on the upmarket models.
Sema – the Specialty Equipment Market Association – is the industry body behind the customised car parts market and in typical big-car fashion Las Vegas this week hosted a jaw-dropping display of giant rims, flared wheel arches, dazzling paintwork and outrageous body kits reminiscent of the Gran Torino seen in Clint Eastwood’s film of the same name.
The Sema show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world, drawing more than 100,000 industry leaders from more than 100 countries. Select aftermarket builders, with stock vehicles as their canvas, have expressed themselves by customising vehicles in an infinite number of creative ways, involving themes ranging from racing to artistic design.
Professional custom tuners have worked magic on the big classics, fitting them out with 18 x 8-inch alloys and adjustable suspension and shockers. Meanwhile attendees were hit with one awesome surprise after another and were able to discuss engines with expert car engineers who created unforgettable experiences that introduced some of the most successful and beloved cars in history.
“The Sema audience has a tremendous influence on trends in the auto world; they set the tone for what’s hot when it comes to customisation,” said Matt O’Mara, General Manager for Imagination, Detroit. Imagination is a creative agency with deep roots in experiential marketing. It opened its doors 40 years ago in London and today the company has offices in 12 countries, making it the largest independent creative network in the world. The 2010 Sema show at the Las Vegas Convention Centre lasts until today but for the big car lovers who yearn for the giant motorised toys, the dream lives on even if the ubiquitous car has metamorphose into a smaller, more economical version in line with other signs of the times.