SEMA Tuning Show 2012: From The Awesome To The Downright Absurd!

Toyota DragQuoia Concept

For SEMA this year, Toyota's displaying a bevy of concepts designed with input from motorsports celebrities including Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Alexis DeJoria, and this strip-ready Sequioa designed by NHRA driver Antron Brown. For those across the pond not familiar, the Sequioa is Toyota's biggest people carrying SUV- like the Japanese version of a Chevrolet Tahoe. Normally used to haul baby diapers, children, and the occasional load of groceries, the Sequoia has been repurposed for a different kind of hauling - in this case, hauling ass. 

The interior has been stripped out, save for four racing seats with harnesses. The 5.7L V8 has been pumped up with the addition of a TRD supercharger, as well as a hit of nitrous (NOS) for 650 horsepower - that's 270 more than stock.  With 1600 pounds of extra weight stripped out, and a set of 21.5" (!) drag slicks in the back, Antron says the DragQuoia concept should run a ten-second quarter mile.  Bizarre? Sure!

 Bisimoto Hyundai Elantra GT

Bisimoto is best known - no, almost exclusively known - for their work on four-cylinder Hondas. They're the group behind the well known 700+whp Honda Civic Wagovan - powered by a single cam, no less, as well as the 1000+ horsepower Civic Si from last year's SEMA show. They've tuned the occasional Porsche as well, with impressive results. But I've never seen anything out of Bisi's garage with the other H on the front - Hyundai. 

Hyundai has had a big presence at SEMA the last few years, and they're also bringing a Cosworth-fiddled Veloster.  However, the Bisimoto Elantra GT is even more interesting, with a claimed 600bhp under the hood.  That comes courtesy of our friend 'boost', with a large Turbonetics blower huffing things up. Of course, a sleeved block with Bisi rods and Arias pistons make sure the whole thing doesn't collapse under the weight of awesome, and the camshafts and ignition system have been upgraded to support as well.  Water-methanol keeps things cool, and a bigger fuel pump supplies dead dinos. Bisi was honest about his goal with the car: "We focussed on raw horsepower with this SEMA concept." Mission accomplished!

Minty FReSh Scion FR-S

The Scion FR-S (and Toyota GT86, and Subaru BRZ) is this year's darling of the press, as well as a bone thrown to thousands of hungry tuner enthusiasts.  A light, rear-drive slick coupe with Subaru boxer power, it's a blank canvas to leave your paint stroke on.  Scion's bringing a trio of FR-S's to SEMA, and this one struck my fancy the best.  Designed by Chris Basselgia from Lebanon, PA, the aptly named Minty FReSh sports a coat of mint-hued paint applied over new bumpers, spoilers, and side skirts.  19" Rotiform alloys and an Airlift air-suspension system provide the stance, while under the hood an Eaton Roots supercharger pushes more horses through the 2.0L.  The interior gets a slew of enhancements, including a wood-rimmed Nardi steering wheel that looks hilariously out of place.  Not everything can be perfect, though.

Mopar Fiat 500 Beach Cruiser

Chrysler is bringing a boat-full of Mopar-tuned concepts to SEMA, representing all of their brands. There'll be a Viper V10-powered Charger (note to Chrysler: make this happen now), a 392ci Hemi SRT8 powered Ram, and tricked-out versions of the Chrysler 300, Dodge Dart, SRT Viper, and others. 

This Fiat 500 Beach Cruiser is the most interesting, at least to me. Taking influences from all sorts of sources - 60's beach culture in the wheels and roof rack, old-school Abarths with the fender flares and faux trunk vents (that's where the hot-rodded Abarth motors used to sit!) and modern tuner ideas with the ubiquitous matte-black paint, the Beach Cruiser even has the requisite hula girl on the dash. If only they'd stuffed a Viper engine in it. Maybe next year?

Tjin Edition Ford Fusion

Ford's new Mondeo (that's Fusion in the US) has a head-start when it comes to aftermarket additions: it already looks like an Aston Martin. So unlike throwing spinner hubcaps on an Aveo, you'd have to try to make it look worse than when you started. Thankfully, Tjin Edition is good at making cars look better. Such is the case with their Mondeo concept for SEMA, which is wrapped in a delicious coat of matte beige. Normally Beige is a derogatory word used to describe Toyotas, but it actually works here. 

Sitting low on a set of Pedders coil-overs (why such high-grade coilovers for a show car?), the 21" i-Forged concave wheels fill out the wells nicely. Interestingly, Tjin says the Mondeo - which has the top-option 2.0L EcoBoost - features a Unique Fabrication/Vibrant turbo upgrade, as well as a side-exit exhaust. The bright green calipers are out of place, but at least they're part of the Baer big brake kit. Ford is bringing three other Mondeos to SEMA, as well as five Focus ST's, and a handful of Mustangs - as usual.

Chevrolet Hot Wheels Camaro

Further reinforcing the feeling that the Camaro is more of a toy than a car, Chevrolet will be bringing a production "Hot Wheels" edition Camaro to SEMA. It's the inverse of the normal toy car process: in this case, the real car is supposed to resemble the toy. Available as a 2LT (V6) or 2SS (V8), the Hot Wheels Camaro features a unique paint color called Kinetic Blue. It also gets a set of unique 21" wheels, Hot Wheels logos everywhere, a two-tone hood and a tail-light blackout panel, plus other cosmetic changes.  At $6,995 for the package, it will be interesting to see how many takers Chevy has on a car with Hot Wheels badges all over it!

TRD Toyota Avalon Concept

Well this is an odd one. For years, Toyota's Avalon has been a Japanese Buick. That is, a big semi-luxury sedan that puts more of a focus on catering to retirement aged-people, ride comfort, quietness, and ease of use. With the new generation coming out soon (sharing it's bones with the also all-new Lexus ES, although strangely better looking), Toyota is emphasizing the car's sporty side. A set of fancy alloys probably would've done the trick, but the TRD Avalon goes the whole 9 yards.

Under the hood, the 3.5L 24v V6 has a TRD supercharger strapped to it for extra grunt. The concept sits on 19" alloys wrapped in Michelin rubber, with lowered and stiffened suspension. Polished dual exhausts, body-colored grille, black out headlight housings, clear tail light lenses with smoked surrounds, and other little changes give the Avalon more of an athletic edge. Typical SEMA overkill is found in the brake department, with a four-corner big brake kit (6-piston front, 4-piston rear) providing stopping power. The interior gets a makeover, with red and black leather trim, and a killer 15-speaker JBL stereo. Sheesh, I remember when you could get an Avalon with gold badges and a landau roof. The times are changin'!