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2008 SEMA Auto Show Preview

All automotive shows are fraught with glitz and glamor, but the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV has to rank amongst the glitziest.

Antuan Goodwin
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Antuan Goodwin
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1 of 22 Toyota/Lexus

IS 350 with F-Sport Accessories

This IS started its life as an IS 350 model before receiving the full gamut of Lexus F-line accessories, including a body kit, big brakes, and intake and exhaust upgrades.
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2 of 22 Toyota/Lexus

Project IS F by Five Axis

Tuner Five Axis is bringing no fewer than three Toyotas to SEMA this year, the first of which is this Project IS F. This custom Japanese muscle receives a fresh interpretation of the IS-F's sculpted bodylines, but there's more to it beneath the surface.
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3 of 22 Toyota/Lexus

Project IS F by Five Axis

Its 5-liter V-8 has been bored and stroked to 5.8-liters and now outputs an undisclosed amount of power and torque. We'll see if we can coax some numbers out of the Five Axis guys when we see the car at SEMA.
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4 of 22 Toyota/Lexus

Five Axis Venza AS V

The Five Axis Venza Active Sports Versatility (AS V) was created to illustrate the sporty nature of the new 2009 Toyota Venza. The rear of the vehicle features a unique fold-away storage solution for carrying snowboards, skis, and the like. The body receives some very Subaru Outback-esque cladding for a rugged appearance.
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5 of 22 Toyota/Lexus

Toyota Venza SportLux

Tuner Street Image also worked with Toyota to create this hot-rod vision of the Venza. The vehicle is suspended over big, 24-inch wheels by an adjustable coilover suspension. A TRD supercharger makes sure the Venza SportLux has enough grunt to spin such big rolling stock.
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6 of 22 Toyota/Lexus

IS F by Fox Marketing/Artisan Performance

The Fox Marketing IS-F has been making the rounds in the car show circuit for a while now, but it's gone back under the knife for SEMA.

It now yields somewhere north of 600 horsepower, thanks to a twin-turbo kit. 600 ponies aren't of much use, but the most random feature on the spec sheet is the full set of Callaway golf clubs in the trunk. Go figure.

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7 of 22 Toyota/Lexus

IS F by Import Tuner Magazine/TEIN

When Japanese suspension company TEIN puts its name on a show car, you can bet that the real show is going on in the wheel wells. This IS-F's suspension has been chucked in favor of TEIN re-valved Comfort Sport monotube coilovers with Electronic Damping Force Control, which allows fine adjustment of suspension characteristics from the driver's seat.
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8 of 22 Dodge/Chrysler

IS F by MotorworldHype.com

MotorworldHype has taken another path that is a bit less aggressive, yet more easily accessible for the average consumer. Lots of carbon to reduce some unwanted mass and a well-rounded package of suspension, brake, engine and cosmetic changes provide sharper responses in all directions.
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9 of 22 Toyota/Lexus

IS F by 0-60 Magazine

Okay, just one more IS-F and then we'll move on. "0-60 Magazine" is bringing this ride to SEMA which uses a two-pronged approach to speed: less weight and more power. Weight is shaved with gratuitous use of carbon fiber, while power is augmented with a Greddy MP92 Supercharger w/ custom aluminum intake manifold.
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10 of 22 Lexus/Toyota

LX 570 by ICON 4x4 Design

At first glance, this Lexus LX570 looks pretty stock. ICON 4x4 Design has made many subtle changes, such as a removal of all external trim, blacking out the badges, and replacing the wood interior trim with carbon fiber. The least subtle change is the fitting of custom-finish 24-inch MOZ Calgary wheels.
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11 of 22 General Motors

Camaro Black Edition

The Chevrolet Camaro has been named the Official Vehicle of SEMA 2008, whatever that means. We think that means that we'll be seeing a whole lot of vehicles with design derivations of this Camaro Black Edition.
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12 of 22 General Motors

LS9 crate engine

Here's the 638 horsepower LS9 V-8 engine, but where's the Corvette ZR-1 it's supposed to be wrapped in. General Motors will be debuting a crate engine version of the LS9 powerplant, so now you can drop one under the hood of your favorite sleeper.
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13 of 22 Dodge/Chrysler

Dodge Challenger Targa

The Targa is race-ready and race-proven variant of the Challenger. It was built almost completely of parts from the Mopar catalog, including the chin spoilers. Power comes from a 540-horsepower, 490 pound-foot of torque, 392 HEMI V-8 Mopar crate motor.
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14 of 22 Dodge/Chrysler

Dodge Challenger SRT-10

Not willing to leave good enough alone, Dodge has set its SRT team loose on the Challenger yet again. This time they've managed to shoehorn the V-10 engine that powers the Viper underneath the Challengers long hood.
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15 of 22 Dodge/Chrysler

Dodge Challenger Blacktop

Mopar's Underground design team round out Dodge's trifecta of Challengers for the SEMA show. This model starts life as an R/T before receiving custom body work, custom paint, Dodge Viper wheels and Mopar coilover suspension and cat-back exhaust.
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16 of 22 Coach Builders Ltd.

Dodge Challenger Convertible

Dodge has flatly stated that they are not building a convertible variant of the Challenger, but that hasn't stopped Coach Builders Ltd from chopping the top off a perfectly good specimen of Detroit muscle and making its own.

There are sure to be more than a few Challengers on display at SEMA, including a 900 horsepower model.

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17 of 22 PML Flightlink

PML Flightlink Electric F-150

Green must be the official color of SEMA this year; that would explain the flood of green cars and this electric Ford F-150.

PML Flightlink has equipped this big green machine with an electric motor in each wheel, for a total of four. Hub-mounted motors eliminate the complexity of driveshafts and differentials, but cost more because of the extra motors. We can't wait to get a closer look at this one.

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18 of 22 RK Sport

RK Sport Hyundai Genesis

Hyundai is putting its best foot forward with the new Genesis sedan and putting donor cars in the hands of tuners for this year's SEMA. This specimen, customized by RK Sport, features custom paint, TSW alloy wheels, a new Baer performance brake system, K&N performance air filter, a new Eibach lowering springs system, and a new Magnaflow performance exhaust.

We can only hope the real deal looks as good as this sketch.

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19 of 22 Hyundai

Rides Magazine Hyundai Genesis

We've already seen this Rides Magazine Hyundai Genesis and its impressive array of Apple products.
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20 of 22 HKS/Hyundai

HKS Genesis Coupe

With the Genesis sedan on showroom floors, expect Hyundai to begin hyping the unreleased Genesis coupe. There should be plenty of examples, such as this turbocharged model built by HKS.
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21 of 22 Toyo Tires

Toyo Tires Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

The Toyo Tires booth will feature a bizarre range of vehicles, from a 1931 Studebaker Model 54 hot rod to a lightly-tuned Nissan GT-R and this super-green Lancer Evolution X.
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22 of 22 Toyo Tires

ASI Bentley Continental GT

The most wild model in the Toyo Tires booth will probably be this Bentley Continental GT modified by Japanese tuner ASI.

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