See It, Saw It….SEMA 2012

After two days of walking [part of] the over 2 million square feet of exhibits, I was exhausted and my feet were swollen…but it was well worth it!  To give you a bit of background, SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association), the auto industry’s premier specialty products trade show in the world, attracts more than 100,000 people and it’s not open to the general public– it brings in auto industry people from the all over the world.  The show is held at the quintessential adult play-land– none other than Viva Las Vegas, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  (I mean really, what other destination would attract so many car guys and gals?) Here are a few of the highlights from my experience, (the show is so massive so my apologies, I didn’t get to see it all,) and lots of pics:

SEMA 2012

For those of you that don’t know, the SEMA award is awarded to those vehicle models that are viewed by specialty equipment manufacturers as the best platform to accessorize, and also showcase the year’s coolest products.  Kudos to Ford, for being honored with two awards– the “Hottest Car” award went to the Ford Mustang & the F-Series was chosen as the “Hottest Truck.”  Other recipients included Scion FR-S (Hottest Sport Compact), Jeep Wrangler (Hottest 4×4-SUV).  And speaking of Jeep, how about that recent auto-industry targeted commercial from Romney?  Struck up a bit of controversy, to say the least.  But enough about that…

EF-65 hand cleaner— AMAZING. Tried and tested. I heard the whole story from the guy behind the product, and it was quite compelling nonetheless (more to follow at a later date).  In the meantime, to give you a brief overview, I did watch him scribble ink on a piece of velour, then use the product to remove the stain in a matter of seconds.  (I almost felt like I was part of an infomercial.) Plus, it’s eco-friendly– buzz word in of the moment in every industry.  Therefore it’s non-toxic, biodegradable, good for your skin, and won’t dry it out. Admit it guys, I know the latter may be more appealing up front to the ladies, but you don’t want dry hands either– and the “ladies” in your life sure don’t want your hands to be dry. Furthermore, I received a sample, so of course I tried it when I got home to really see the action (i.e. mysterious red stain on my carpet that wouldn’t come out for nothing).  And guess what, it worked….carpet is now white again, and my hands are still soft.  So yes, it’s also multi-functional.  Made in the USA, it’s a gem in the garage, but fabulous for everything else too.

GoPro—  I’m sure most of you have read the recent articles on the launch of the HERO3, and the excitement at their SEMA booth was not disappointing. The HERO3– the major showcase, is 25% lighter, 30% smaller, and features WiFi capabilities, and the most coveted “Black Edition” offers ultra-wide angle HD video streaming at 1080p-60fps, and captures 12MP (megapixel) photos at 30 photos per second.  Silver and white editions offer a more affordable price point. In the GoPro booth, you could find the rest of the on-fire line of GoPro products, celebrity autograph signings, giveaways, and so forth.  It was huge, and at any point you walked by the vicinity, there were tons of people milling around.

Ford— Inside the convention center, Ford took up an entire wall of one of the halls, showcasing their latest models, customized and accessorized to the max, and outside, you could find “Ford Out Front.” Featuring their current star drivers and racing vehicles, in this area were also high-performance drivers drifting and doing all kinds of tricks to keep you entertained.

General Motors— Seeing the much anticipated debut of the Chevy Camaro Hot Wheels Edition— the first-ever, production Hot Wheels vehicle, was exciting in itself, and brought me back to my childhood.  Then outside, between the South and Central Halls, General Motors had quite the ensemble set up with their proving ground, giving attendees the opportunity to take a hot lap in vehicles like the Chevy Camaro and the Chevy Corvette, amongst others.  Unfortunately the line was super long and I didn’t have time to wait, but I sure did smell the tires burning all day!

And now for the best part… the pictures.  Enjoy!

Oooh La La Ferrari….showcasing Seibon carbon fiber.

It wouldn’t be Vegas without the showgirls presenting Ford with an award.

Vehicles of the future…driving themselves.

Kia and DC Entertainment = superhero themed cars

One of the KIA “superhero” themed cars.

All-new Ford Fusion!

Ford F-Series receives the SEMA Award for “Hottest Truck”

The GM Proving Ground– checkout the Chevy Camaro and the Chevy Corvette….

Quite the Dodge display- red carpet all the way.

Ford showcases a classic!

NASCAR!!!

This guy seemed pretty excited to be here….

Check out the paint job and the rims on this Cadillac!

And one of my favorites- the Audi R8….

Miss Painless Performance….what exactly that refers to, I’m not sure.

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