By SEMA News Staff
The SEMA Show annually gathers some of the most innovative companies and products in the world. It also shines the spotlight more than 1,000 custom vehicles with unmatched craftsmanship, ingenuity and breathtaking style. Here is a collection of just a few of the personalized vehicles that were unveiled at the 2016 SEMA Show.
New Civic Type R Prototype Makes North American Debut at the 2016 SEMA Show
The next-generation Civic Type R made its North American debut at the 2016 SEMA Show, marking the arrival of the first-ever Honda-badged Type R in the United States.
The Civic Type R Prototype offers insight into the styling of the next-generation Civic Type R, which will be officially unveiled in 2017, joining the 10th Generation Civic Sedan and Civic Coupe and newly released Civic Hatchback, with the Civic Si variants also launching next year.
 The next-generation Civic Type R made its North American debut at the 2016 SEMA Show, marking the arrival of the first-ever Honda-badged Type R in the United States. |
Based on the low and wide proportion of the new Civic Hatchback, the Civic Type R Prototype is enhanced by muscular body styling and modifications to aid aerodynamic performance. The exterior is wrapped in a highly reflective, finely-grained brushed aluminum-effect finish, which is unique to the prototype car. At the front, the aggressive fascia is accentuated with a winged carbon fiber splitter and sporty red accent line. Carbon fiber side skirts run the length of the side sills, between 20-in. piano-black alloy wheels with red accents and 245-section high-performance tires.
The next generation Civic Type R was developed by the joint efforts of Honda R&D teams in Europe and Japan and will be officially unveiled in production form next year. The 2017 Civic Type R will be produced exclusively at the Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM) plant in Swindon, the global manufacturing hub for the five-door hatchback.
Vaccar Blood & Grease Focus Debuts in Ford Booth
 The Blood & Grease (B&G) “Do-It-Yourself” 2016 Ford Focus ST is one of Aaron Vaccar’s latest creations. The build is a 2016 Battle of the Builders entry and on display in the Ford Motor Co. booth, #22200. |
The Blood & Grease (B&G) “Do-It-Yourself” 2016 Ford Focus ST is one of Aaron Vaccar’s latest creations. The build is a 2016 Battle of the Builders entry and on display in the Ford Motor Co. booth, #22200.
In collaboration with B&G clothing, Vaccar designed this hot-rodded hatchback to represent how turbocharged tuners can be modern hot rods. The Focus takes classic concepts and puts a next-era spin on theme, from the matte-metallic color change (BASF x Vaccar “hot rod black”) with custom pin-striping, to the exposed brushed metal 3-piece BC Forged modular wheels and aggressively lowered suspension stance. The build uses BC Racing custom coilovers, and Continental Tire UHP tires.
Additional exterior modifications include Blood & Grease retro signage and Diode Dynamics RGBW Demon Eye headlights.
Under the hood, the vehicle is powered by a 2.0L EcoBoost I-4 engine; Mishimoto air intake, intercooler, oil cooler, baffled catch can; Flowmaster American Thunder exhaust, tips; JMS BoostMAX, PeddleMAX, custom tune; and SCT X4 programmer. Special performance items are featured prototype products for the SEMA Show. Vaccar and B&G also collaborated with aftermarket companies to create limited edition products for the interior, such as a B&G brushed metal-look steering wheel and distressed brown leather upholstery kit.
 Thermo-Tec has partnered with award-winning builder Tim Palazzolo (right) and GAP Racing Inc. to bring this ’71 Chevrolet Camaro to life. |
Thermo-Tec, Tim Palazzolo Reveal ’71 Camaro: Enigma
Thermo-Tec has partnered with award-winning builder Tim Palazzolo and GAP Racing Inc. to bring this ’71 Chevrolet Camaro to life. Built to have a clean, refined look, its simple lines sit atop Detroit Speed suspension. The LS9 engine has upgraded cams and a blower, and the drivetrain features a Bowler 6-speed transmission and a PSTDS driveshaft. It sports Black Widow mufflers and a GAP Racing custom stainless exhaust.
The Rick’s stainless tank is coated with Accu-Coat, and the Chassis has a Detroit Speed subframe. Enigma rolls on 19-in. HRE wheels and Nitto tires, with JRI coil covers and 15-in. Baer brakes. The build uses ARP bolts, Royal Purple fluids, an XS Power battery and a Restomod air conditioner.
The custom door handles, carbon fiber splitter, custom mirrors, rear spoiler and PPG Super Duper Blue paint all come together to form Enigma’s unique style. Stitch by Stitch Designs created the interior with a GAP custom roll bar, Racepak/custom dash and door panels, Recaro seats, rear seat delete.
 Rob Phillips’ ’69 Camaro was built to combine modern luxury and pro-touring performance. |
Hedman Debuts Luxury Pro-Touring Camaro
Rob Phillips of PCHRODS pulled the cover off of his latest custom performance vehicle—a ’69 Camaro that was built to combine modern luxury and pro-touring performance—in the Hedman Performance Group booth #22343.
The Camaro features a Chevrolet Performance LS3 with a Tremec six-speed transmission, stainless-steel Hedman Hedders, an ARC Audio sound system, Hamburger’s Performance billet oil filtration components and a Marquez Designs interior.
Hyundai, Rockstar Performance Garage Create Nitrous-Based Santa Fe Concept
Hyundai Motor America and Rockstar Performance Garage have partnered to develop a nitrous-powered Santa Fe CUV capable of serious off-roading while conveying the iconic Rockstar design attitude. Rockstar is world-renowned for the boundless energy it brings to any product concept or event, and the Rockstar Santa Fe Concept follows that reputation, with a nitrous-powered, Hyundai-based 3.3L Lambda V6 engine driving all four wheels through any terrain via a raised Santa Fe off-roading setup.
“Rockstar conveys its endless brand energy in everything we do,” said Nick Ashby, lead developer of the Rockstar concept vehicle. “Our Rockstar Santa Fe Concept is simultaneously all-show and all-go, a non-compromising concept with tremendous capabilities and a confident demeanor to match.
 Hyundai Motor America and Rockstar Performance Garage have partnered to develop a nitrous-powered Santa Fe CUV capable of serious off-roading. |
Key modifications to the Rockstar Santa Fe Concept include:
- Hyundai-based 3.3L V6 engine
- AEM cold air intake
- Mishimoto cooling system
- Nitrous-oxide injection system
- R1 6-piston front, 4-piston rear, big brake system
- 2.0 KING coil-overs front
- 2.5 KING shocks with finned reservoir rear
- Custom suspension setup with new tie-rods and control arms
- Nology high-performance wires
- Odyssey Batteries
- Nitro Gear gears
- KICKER® audio system
- Magnaflow custom exhaust
- 17-inch off-road KMC XD 301 Turbine bead-lock wheels
- Mickey Thompson Baja Claw 35-inch off-road tires
- Wheel clearance expansion setup
- WARN® winch
- Rock sliders and bumpers
- Custom roof rack, headlamps and taillamps
- Bulldog LED lighting
- Roadwire custom leather interior design
Honda Reveals aLL STaR/Tjin Edition Civic Coupe Touring
 Designed to be the ultimate street cruiser, the aLL STaR/Tjin Edition Honda Civic coupe incorporates elements from various automotive genres. |
The aLL STaR/Tjin Edition Honda Civic coupe incorporates elements from various automotive genres. On the exterior, the car features an Apollo Top One Auto Part front lip spoiler, matched with a pair of HFP side skirts and rear valances, all sprayed in a custom Axalta Sunrise yellow paint finish, applied by LR Autobody.
A set of forged, 18-in. Rotiform OZT black wheels are wrapped in the all-new Falken FK450 tires, while a custom BC Racing BR Series coilover kit and Baer 6P brake upgrade finish off the suspension and braking systems. The car also features a custom MagnaFlow cat-back exhaust.
On the inside, the OEM leather was scratched in favor of a one-off perforated suede and leather combination from Katzkin, complementing the Civic’s exterior.
Chevrolet Blue Line Malibu and Cruz RS Concepts Make SEMA Show Debut
Chevrolet debuted the Malibu and Cruze RS hatchback Blue Line concepts on the opening day of the 2016 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
The vehicles feature Genesis White exteriors accented with blue-tinted windows and 18-in. concept wheels, painted slate-blue metallic.
“The Chevrolet Blue Line Series concepts integrate accessories that offer greater personalization choices for customers,” said Roger McCormack, director, Accessories and Performance Parts Marketing. “Each vehicle wears production and concept accessories thematically linked under the Blue Line Series banner.”
The production and concept accessories were developed in Chevrolet’s design studio alongside the vehicles.
Malibu Blue Line
The Blue Line concept combines design accents with performance parts, for a more athletic stance and sporty look.
The Genesis White exterior offers a transitional look. In addition to the slate blue metallic 18-in. concept wheels, Chevrolet Accessories include: a ground effects kit with a rear diffuser, a black grille insert, black Chevrolet bow-tie emblems, a rear spoiler, suspension lowering kit, floor liners with premium metal badging, illuminated doorsills and a sport-pedal kit.
The new suspension lowering kit lowers the ride height 0.4 in. for a sportier stance and more responsive handling. It’s designed for models equipped with the available 2.0L turbocharged engine, which is rated 250hp and matched with an available nine-speed automatic transmission that offers efficiency and refinement enhancements over the previous six-speed transmission.
The concept also features a concept Chevrolet Performance brake kit (painted Harbor Gray Metallic) and additional custom touches that include tinted headlamp and taillamp lenses and polished exhaust tips.
Cruze RS Hatch Blue Line
The Blue Line concept is based on the ’17 Cruze RS hatchback, and features a Genesis White exterior, blue-tinted windows and 18-in. slate-blue metallic concept wheels. Chevrolet accessories include a chrome grille insert, a suspension lowering kit, a performance brake package, a performance air-intake system and a performance exhaust system.
Chevrolet’s new performance brake kit is offered for Cruze sedan and hatchback models originally equipped with available 16-in. or larger wheels. It features larger, 11.8-in.-diameter front Duralife vented and slotted rotors and new calipers versus the stock 10.9-in. rotors.
The concept’s black interior features custom satin graphite accents on the instrument panel, shift knob and door inserts, while the sport pedal kit, illuminated doorsills and an interior trim kit are Chevrolet accessories.
Under the hood, the Cruze RS Hatchback’s standard 1.4L Turbo engine—rated at 153hp—is accessorized with Chevrolet Performance’s air-intake kit and performance exhaust system.
The intake kit includes a high-flow air filter and a secondary inlet duct to decrease air restriction, while the performance exhaust is a high-flow system that reduces back-pressure for optimal engine breathing and performance. The intake kit includes a calibration exhaust system that is 50-state emissions-compliant.
785-HP Supercharged Mustang “Vapor” Debuted
 Unveiled Tuesday at the 2016 SEMA Show was “Vapor,” a 785-hp restomod ’65 Mustang Fastback crafted by the award-winning RoadsterShop. |
Unveiled Tuesday at the 2016 SEMA Show was “Vapor,” a 785-hp restomod ’65 Mustang Fastback crafted by the award-winning RoadsterShop.
Presented in conjunction with two of the aftermarket’s preeminent brands—Eaton and Edelbrock—the “Vapor” is derived from the only remnants visible after this supercar passes by.
Fitted under Vapor’s hood is Edelbrock’s newest and most powerful E-Force supercharged Ford 5.0L Coyote crate engine. The low profile supercharger design incorporates Eaton’s TVS® (Twin Vortices Series) rotors with 4 lobes and a 160-degrees of twist, which optimizes airflow and produces consistent peak efficiency. The motor produced an astonishing 785 hp and 660 ft.-lbs. of torque at the flywheel when tested at the Edelbrock dyno facility. Its 9.5:1 compression ratio generates safe and reliable supercar performance that still runs on premium pump gas.
The Mustang also features Eaton‘s Detroit Truetrac® 5 pinion rear end designed with a scalloped flange for reduced rotating mass and the perfect fit in high-horsepower performance applications where extreme strength and durability are critical.
The Mustang—the result of a two-year build—is presented in a Sport Classic Gray and Black paint scheme. “Vapor” was commissioned by a Southern California-based enthusiast and collector, who conceived the project and oversaw its significant design and production details.
The Roadster Shop team dedicated countless hours, precision painstaking craftsmanship and innovative design and production of bespoke components in the development of this one-of-a-kind car. Their work included a ground up chassis and suspension design, custom metal work, design/engineering and production of one off CNC-machined parts, complete wiring, assembly and painting. The RoadsterShop is headquartered in Mundelein, Illinois. Interior and upholstery was completed by Palm City, Florida-based, Avant Garde Designs.