Words by Matt Willis

SEMA is characteristically known for debuting uniquely built vehicles, and it is also a platform for the latest in automotive trends. The annual show brings thousands of attendees, exhibitors, and media to the Las Vegas Convention Center for a celebration of all things custom.

You could say (and I’m sure many have already said) that this year was the “Year of the Supra” – the new Toyota Supra being the next big ‘affordable’ performance car. There was no shortage of Supras on display from all the various vendors, Tim and I were even able to maintain a running tally – 43 to be exact.

Going back through the photos, there were a handful of prestigious builds, as is usually the case. The thing is, there are always a lot of high-quality cars at SEMA, but sometimes the expectations are just so high that it easy to become a little jaded. The photos allow us to go back through and re-appreciate…

This year Tim and I were at the show Thursday and Friday – the final two days. Anyone who has been to the SEMA Show knows that there is so much to see, and there is a tremendous amount of walking involved if you want to see anything, so we maximized our time as much as possible. After an early arrival, we started off our long journey at the Toyo Treadpass, which conveniently showcased some of our favorite cars of the entire show…

At SEMA’s front porch – the Las Vegas Convetion Center.

Hidden beside the bridge was this nice two-tone TRA Kyoto S13…

This Datsun B110 was a nice greeting as we made our way across the bridge – a nice blend of minimal, modern updates vs. the car’s original lines. The Hayashi wheels fit perfectly as well. This car, while it resembles a simple 510/Bluebird, is actually more of a fastback design and is harder to come across…

Gone but not forgotten, a lovely Evo 5 with a rare Varis kit…

Aesthetically I think this was one of the most interesting and satisfying cars of the entire show. This Bisimoto-built Porsche 935 features the reminiscent body accents, with a stand-out livery and futuristic prototype Brixton wheels that are nicely color matched.

Anything from Bisimoto is usually going to really push the limits in some fashion, and this car was no exception with a complete electric motor swap.

Supra #1 of many – equipped with a Pandem body kit, meaty R888s and yellow lenses that give this car the look of a formidable Le Mans racer.

A more aggressive take on the Mercedes 190E from F7lthy Customs…

This center-seat brown-and-gold Porsche 955 was stunning – from the interior details, to the gaudy but refined gold, chrome and brass accents. This car was a finalist in the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition…

One of my favorites from the Treadpass was this 1970 Mustang built . A majority of the body work on this car is completely custom – from the seamless transitions on the fenders to the chin spoiler in the front, to the molded-in OEM steel bumpers and vents near the headlights. To me, it stands out far more than the ‘slap on’ body kits we are so used to seeing these days.

Don’t be fooled here, this is not a restored Boss 427 – in fact there was no such thing. The closest thing was a Boss 429, which did feature the big-boy hood scoop, iconic chin spoiler, and of course, a 429 cu-in V8 engine. But it doesn’t have that, either. this work of art is actually powered by a more modern aftermarket 427 cu-in LS3 crate engine, producing nearly 630 hp.

Lamborghini Huracan from 316 Speed, featuring a new Liberty Walk kit and a Sheepy-built twin-turbo setup…

The center fin on the wing is a nice addition…

Out front was this aqua Hako, with a 2JZ swap among other additions, including lateral suspension in the rear and a left-hand drive conversion. Typically these are cars that are seen really preserved, at least here in the states, so seeing one done in such an outgoing fashion was great. Tim and I thought it came together really well.

Topping our favorite cars this year was this EA Civic from Rywire. Clean and simple, there’s no crazy widebody or impossible engine swap here – though it has been swapped with a rare and powerful B16B. The two tone paint really brings the car out, and it was getting lots of attention…

We then ventured back inside to the crowded main halls, stopping at the Honda booth where they had a few memories from the past…

Realtime Racing NSX that won eight races in the WTCC in the late 90s, and a Championship title in 1997.

Beautifully done S800, restoration aside, the lowered stance and black/red theme may make this the most aggressive Honda S I’ve seen to date.

Another icon of the times, as we begin to depart the 2010s…

The one GR Supra I truly liked out of the 43 we saw was this one at the Toyota booth, which incorporated styling cues from it’s Mk4 predecessor…

Just as there’s always a bigger fish, there’s always a wider car…

We got a glimpse at the new and controversial mid-engine Corvettes.

Manifold pipes were the centerpiece of this LTO/Rebellion Forge E30 at the Meguiar’s booth.

The kit on this car is interesting and definitely unique. I kind of like the way it’s fitted, almost like armor plating…

After a long day, we made a buffet run and then crashed back at our hotel to prepare for day 2…

To be continued!