SEMA Anyone?

[Arkarch]

SEMA - Specialty Equipment Market Association... Big trade show in Las Vegas covering automotive aftermarket.
Show Link - 2007 SEMA Show | Home


Anybody headed to Vegas for SEMA next week? I'll be there on Tuesday 10/30, part of Wednesday, possibly later in the week.

Any special requests for wheel / nav / etc info?

[Mike's Panzer]

Stop by the Schrader booth and say hello. I'll be there all week.

[Arkarch]

Setup Day Report....

First, you know its SEMA when you watch a forklift operator with load execute a flawless multipoint turn between a mirror black Porsche Carrera GT and a classic red Ferrari (probably a F430). We should be that good!

SEMA looks like the kid up the street with the humongous Hot Wheels collection came and visited with his grown-up full scale set.... lifted vehicles, lowered vehicles, amazing paint schemes and some of the most well out-fitted offroad vehicles ever gracing a magazine. This is also the 40th anniversary of Hot Wheels, a show theme this year. In case you are wondering, most of these show cars are used for exhibit only and will never see one grain of dirt. This is fantasy, reality not apply.

Whats important here is the product. I'll be taking pictures of tires and wheels and double-din car computers (the coming hot trend) and Bilstein shocks and anything else of interest for us Touareg folks. I'll see if I can post some shots in appropriate locations here on the forum. Let me know if anyone has a specific item to look at. (MountainLord, where is your Dakar-Offroad booth!)

VW does have a a small section on the outside in front. What I saw in that space was the touring Clean Diesel mobile show. GTI, Passat Wagon, One of the fully-modified race Touaregs was outside. The vehicle has Euro-style plates and Dakar decals everywhere - is this one of the Dakar vehicles? I send a photo tomorrow, didnt bring the camera today, had to bring the tools instead since this was setup day for us too!

Mike's Panzer - I see you are at the Sands,, I'll see if I can make my way there during the afternoon.

Anyone else at SEMA?

edit - I have yet to see a modded show Touareg.

[Arkarch]

I have posted a few specific posts here...

http://www.clubtouareg.com/forums/f4...ema-16281.html

http://www.clubtouareg.com/forums/f4...tml#post108725

Photo Repository - Picasa Web Albums - Karl

Opening Day -

Arrived at SEMA to do some additional setup during Exhibitor-badge only hours... had a few vehicles to complete power setups now that show services completed final power extension orders. For those interested, I am a graphics software developer working on In-Car Navigation systems - primarily those on a rear-view mirror product and double-din Windows box - so we had devices installed in the Chrysler 'Blackjack', GM Acadia, and some other vehicles at the show.

Shot lots of photos of Wheels, Tires, FJC's, and the VW display. Visited Bilstein. Caught a shuttle to companion show AAPEX at the Sands, had lunch, watched the VW Press event, feet burning, more photos of wheels, tire, hunting down suspension parts for H3's (different board), more feet rest, more photos, show thankfully closes at 5:00 and into deep traffic.

Thats about how the show will go for the next few days. I'll be posting plenty of wheel images shortly.. I probably only caught about 10% of all the chrome and rubber on display so far.

Here is some images from the South Hall....

[Arkarch]

Close of SEMA, Day 4.

I got a couple hours on Day 2, then was in LA for Knott's Haunt with friends on Halloween. I got a full day on closing day, Day 4, at SEMA.

SEMA is all about modification, specialty, aftermarket product. Exotic cars, sports cars, Jeeps, Big Trucks, Hummers, FJ Cruisers everywhere... this is not a Camry show (no offense to Camry).... but I was disappointed to not see a single Touareg on exhibit, excepting the Race Touaregs provided by VW's Dieselution Tour above. There were a couple Cayennes to be spotted.

Further, I found many exhibiters, especially in the offroad manufacturer areas, to be fairly oblivious to Touareg's offroad capabilities. While some may have heard they can go offroad, most were surprised someone would take a Touareg on real trails like Moab, the San Juans, and other Cat 3-4 (Red Rock Scale) trails. Some never knew the Touareg could clear 13" + with air and BFG 32's, or that a locker existed at all, let alone center and rear. Many did express interest and promised to take a second look for lift kits, suspension, and other accessories. Not holding breath but beat on them anyway. Good to see Bilstein making real moves.

I welcome VW's appearance at this major show, and they are clearly focused on Diesel. Globally, its the right thing for them. But I do hope some effort is made to sharpen the message on this vehicle's excellent offroad capabilities.

It would be nice to have a couple of our own toys on display in future years, properly outfitted and detailed of course.... I think we could find one seriously urban-oriented 20" + wheels, etc vehicle; and one offroader looking ready to take on Hell's Gate... but its more than that. Its fun to run with regular offroaders and show them we can keep up if not surpass, and have no issue taking our toys into the rock and mud

Otherwise I spent a good part of the morning shooting images of 5x130 (Porsche/Cayenne/Q7/Touareg-compatible) wheels from many manufacturers. I'll be posting this collection at my photo repository shortly, look for a post in the Running Gear subforum.

Thats it from SEMA... Next year SEMA is Nov 4-7 2008.

[Arkarch]

All photos uploaded.
My SEMA 2007 Photo Albums are complete.

(click)
Picasa Web Albums - Karl

[LowVW96]

Nice pics...

[diamondgoldsilver]

How the show will go for the next few days. I'll be posting plenty of wheel images shortly.