2022 SEMA Show Was Alive and Well

If you’re a fan of wild concepts and other one-of-a-kind builds, the 2022 edition of the SEMA Show in Las Vegas did not disappoint. It was a stark contrast with recent auto shows like the NAIAS in Detroit, which only had five manufacturers and few premieres on hand in its latest installment.

GM, Ford, Stellantis, Toyota, Nissan, Honda and many more grabbed the SEMA spotlight this year, not to mention the usual parade of tuners such as Ringbrothers, whose 1948 Chevy pickup turned into a 1,000-horsepower hot rod was a star at the event.

Here’s what caught our attention at SEMA…

Dodge

Dodge came to Sin City with an evolution of the fully electric Charger Daytona SRT concept we saw back in August. It now sports an eye-catching, tri-coat Stryker Red paint which, in our opinion, is much more in line with the brand.

When Dodge launches its first electric muscle car in 2024, customers will not only have multiple colours and wheel designs to choose from, but also various powertrain output levels. Expect 456-670 horsepower with the 400V electrical system and significantly more than that with the 800V system called Banshee. Select SEMA attendees were also given an opportunity to evaluate and rank unique tuning versions of the Fratzonic exhaust system designed to give the Charger Daytona SRT a loud and menacing sound that will please performance and big-engine enthusiasts.

Jeep

Let’s stay within Stellantis for a minute. The Jeep CJ Surge was another great example of a classic vehicle being given a new lease on life and a new personality through electrification. Mopar will use it as a test bed for a future propulsion system offering for older Jeep models.

Under the hood, a scalable 400V, 200kW (268 hp) Electric Drive Module mounts to the frame with custom-designed solid motor mounts. And naturally, vital protection in off-road driving is provided by Jeep Performance Parts skid and front-bumper plates in addition to concept JPP rock rails.

Ford

The Blue Oval automaker teamed up with a bunch of tuners and shops to officially present 10 custom builds at SEMA. The bronze-coloured Mustang Mach-E GT by Tucci Hot Rods turned heads with a muscular custom liftgate spoiler, 3D-printed front lip and fender flares, plus vacuum-formed transparent wheel covers, but we believe none was more eye-catching than the low-riding F-150 Lightning by Tjin Edition and Thule.

Despite the slammed suspension, the electric pickup manages to be even more versatile at the same time. Solar charging, a portable air compressor, refrigerator, console vault, Recaro front and rear seats, and Thule cargo accessories on top of the cabin and over the cargo bed allow plenty of possibilities. There’s a rack for two e-bikes in the rear, too.

Nissan

You like EVs? Among the six unique Nissan concepts on display at SEMA, arguably the most polarizing was the Ariya Surfwagon, a retro-style beach cruiser designed to “stoke dreams and inspire EV owners to personalize their vehicles to fit their lifestyles”—in this case the love of surfing. Seriously, what’s going on with that weird colour combination and vinyl wrap poorly mimicking wood panels?

The same company that created it, Tommy Pike Customs, also turned a 1987 Nissan Sunny pickup into an electric street truck using the Nissan LEAF’s motor and 40kWh battery. It has about double the power (147 hp) and more than triple the torque (236 lb-ft.) of the original four-cylinder engine.

Acura

The Acura Integra is back for 2023, and since the car targets young customers and sporty drivers who are likely to be interested in tuning, it’s no surprise that special builds were created for the SEMA Show, like the one presented by avid car enthusiast, drifter, model, host and actor Sara Choi with partner Tony Star Performance.

The custom widebody kit draws nearly all the attention, especially up front with a massive lip spoiler. The rear wing isn’t too shabby, either. The entire car is wrapped in Inozetek Super Gloss Pearl White Film installed by Everlasting Wraps and comes with matching 19-inch Advan RSDF wheels.

Volkswagen

We’ll end this SEMA overview with a look at Volkswagen, which used the opportunity to present Taos and Atlas concepts for camping and overlanding enthusiasts, a unique ID.4 with a drone landing pad on top, a specially accessorized Golf GTI with a matching roof box, as well as a 2004 Golf R32 standing next to the latest-generation Golf R.

However, the headliner was the wide-bodied Jetta GLI Performance concept. We just love the unique, hexagon-themed matte black vinyl wrap that transitions to the car’s factory shade of Kings Red Metallic paint and adds geometric patterns in the process. The matching 20-inch Rotiform Aerodisc wheels are like the cherry on top. Under the hood, VW partnered with RacingLine to boost the turbocharged 2.0-litre engine to 350 horsepower and 372 pound-feet of torque. A TrackSport coil-over suspension kit and additional underbody braces are part of the mix, too.