The Best of SEMA

Every year for one week, Las Vegas is overrun with companies that display their wares at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show. The city is filled with people that introduce new products for cars, trucks, and SUVs, as well as hundreds of thousands of people that come to the Las Vegas Convention Center to see what is new in the automotive aftermarket for 2003. We spent a week at the show, sifting through the press releases and walking the immense floor area to find the newest, the coolest, and the most interesting products for SUVs for the next year. We also saw some great examples of automotive manufacturers showing their SUV platforms' aftermarket potential, including some that may surprise you. All of the vehicles in this story were built by the manufacturers, as opposed to the aftermarket-built sport utilities shown in the SEMA coverage in Currents. Follow along as we show you some of the best of SEMA.

VizuaLogic Sunvisor Monitors
VizuaLogic offers a line of products known as PerfectMatch. This line includes headrest monitors and sunvisor monitors with 5.6-inch or 7-inch TFT LCD screens. What makes these monitors different from others on the market is that they come already installed in a replacement sunvisor or headrest, with the exact OE-matched leather or fabric as the vehicle application. At SEMA, VizuaLogic had its headrests and sunvisors on display next to the OE units, and no one could see a difference between the new material and the stock material. The headrests and visors come with all of the wiring in place, completely concealed. This means that an installation that could have taken an hour or more can now take 15 minutes. Instead of cutting into the material and running wiring through the headrest or visor with other monitors, with the PerfectMatch system you unbolt the stock item, bolt in the new one, and connect the wires. VizuaLogic has fabrics that match many '99-and-newer SUVs, with multiple colors available for most of them.

For more information, contact: VizuaLogic, a Division of TMI Products, Dept. TSUV, 1493 Bentley Dr., Corona, CA 92879, (800) 624-7960, www.vizualogic.com.

TrailBlazer SS
Rumors have it that this vehicle may soon join the General Motors SUV lineup. Chevy recently announced that it will update the Super Sport (SS) line of vehicles. This update began with the introduction of the Silverado SS, a truck that recently went on sale in North America. At the SEMA Show, Chevrolet showed three new SS vehicles: the Silverado Regular Cab SS, Tahoe SS, and TrailBlazer SS, all of which we hope make it to production. Pictured here is the TrailBlazer SS, Chevy's first high-performance version of this sport utility.The TrailBlazer SS was powered by a high-output 6.0L V-8, backed by a 4L80-E heavy-duty automatic transmission. There was also a special Corsa 2-1/2-inch stainless steel exhaust, and the suspension was lowered 2 inches with progressive-rate springs. The TrailBlazer SS rode on 20x9-inch Budniks with Goodyear tires. Behind the wheels were four-piston brake calipers. The SS was painted in BASF Ceramic Silver Metalure, and the body was given unique front and rear fascias, body-colored mirrors, clear lenses, SS badging, and unique taillamps. The interior was unique as well, with graphite leather, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and special headrests and pedals. This concept shows Chevy's commitment to high-performance SUVs, a niche we would love to see them pursue.

E-Cool Automatic Parked Vehicle Air Exchanger
It's hard to tell from the name of this product what exactly it does, but the e-Cool Air Exchanger will help keep your sport utility cool and dry, even parked in the midday sun. It also reduces the time that the air conditioner needs to get up to speed. e-Cool connects to your vehicle's ventilation fan, and uses this to cool off the interior, when necessary. It can cool the interior by up to 25 degrees, and can drastically increase the efficiency of the SUV's air conditioner. By sensing the interior temperature and regulating it when you are not in the car, e-Cool not only keeps the cabin at a comfortable temperature, but can also prevent damage to fragile belongings left exposed to the scorching sun. The system's sensor rests on the dashboard and works with a controller that activates the sport utility's fan if the interior temperature rises about a pre-determined level. e-Cool is easy to install and works with the vehicle's current ventilation system. To prevent this system from running the vehicle's battery down, it uses a very efficient PWM power supply management system, and has battery condition monitoring, which will constantly keep the driver informed if the battery starts to run low.

For more information, contact: The Exciters Inc., Dept. TSUV, 11837 Kemper Rd., Ste. 5, Auburn, CA 95603, (800) 886-5166, www.exciters.com.

Honda Element
One of the most unusual vehicles ever to come out of Honda's design studios, the '03 Element is built for fun and function. The vehicle has a hard, flat, water-resistant floor, suicide doors with no B-pillar, and a highly efficient and easily reconfigured interior that can accommodate a 10-foot surfboard. For SEMA, Honda wanted to expand on the Element's versatile platform by giving one a variety of Honda accessories to show some of the vehicle's potential for surfers and outdoor enthusiasts. All of the accessories, with the exception of the surfboard, are available through Honda. Added on to this Element's exterior are side steps, a foglight kit, a roof rack with a surfboard attachment, and 16-inch machine-finish alloy wheels with wheel locks. On the inside, the Element has metallic-finish interior panels, bungee cords on the seatbacks, and tailgate cushions. Also on display in the back of this vehicle was a Honda Ruckus, Honda's newest runabout scooter.

Baer EradiSpeed Brakes
Stock brakes do not work as well once more rolling mass and overall weight have been added to the vehicle. Baer's EradiSpeed +1 (Plus One) brake upgrade not only gives '00-and-newer GM SUVs dramatically better braking, but it is designed to be installed more easily than most other brake systems. The system is available for Suburbans, Tahoes, Yukons, Denalis, Escalades, Avalanches, and any other General Motors SUV on this platform. This system includes a set of rotors that is a size larger than OE, but still work with the factory calipers. The system was made with anchor castings, which allow you to bolt the system on without needing to bleed the brakes. It consists of 14-inch front and rear cross-drilled, slotted, and zinc-washed rotors, and is said to provide a 17-percent increase in torque, meaning much better brake performance. These performance rotors feature LITE (Low Inertia/Thermally Efficient) technology, with anodized billet aluminum centers and reusable N.A.S. aircraft hardware. The system is ideal for people that have upgraded their SUV's wheel and tire package. These rotors work with wheels that are 18 inches and larger. The EradiSpeed +1 rotors are made with more mass for increased heat absorption, and are balanced and heat-treated, with directional vents for better performance. They come with a limited lifetime warranty against warping.

For more information, contact: Baer Brakes, Dept. TSUV, 3108 W. Thomas Rd., Ste. 1201, Phoenix, AZ 85017, (602) 233-1411, www.baer.com.

Liberty Lift
Skyjacker released a suspension system for the Jeep Liberty at SEMA. While numerous companies manufacture suspension systems for the Jeep Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, and Wrangler, this is one of the first on the market for the Liberty. This suspension will add 2-1/2 inches of lift to any '02-and-newer Jeep Liberty, which makes room for 31-inch tires. The system comes with Skyjacker's linear coil mount, Softride coils, and Platinum Series shocks. Knowing how well the Liberty performs off-road, we were pleased to see a company that was willing to show the Liberty's trail potential. The shocks included in Skyjacker's system provide 180-degree directional mounting, have a 2-inch piston bore and 7/8-inch chrome hardened piston shaft, and off-road race-inspired wafer valveing. The 2-1/2-inch lift comes with several replacement polyurethane mounts, including front and rear coil spacers, bumpstops, and sway bar bushings. This system would make an excellent addition to the Liberty Renegade, a vehicle that was given a more rugged look with different fender flares and off-road lights on the roof.

For more information, contact: Skyjacker, Dept. TSUV, P.O. Box 1678, W. Monroe, LA 71294-1678, (318) 388-0816, www.skyjacker.com.

Mopar Concept KJ
For the first time, Mopar, with the help of Decoma SVE, built a concept vehicle for SEMA with primarily Mopar Accessories. The Concept KJ, a Jeep Liberty, was put on display with mostly Mopar mods, meaning that anyone who owns or is interested in buying a Liberty could get one similar to this. Mopar came up with the Copper Sunburst paintjob, which was painted by Rohm & Hass, and added taillamp guards, a trailer hitch, and door entry guards to the body. Mopar also added a dual exhaust to the Liberty. Once the core Mopar goods were put in place, Mopar engineers came up with a wish list of items they'd like to see on the vehicle. Some of them, including Skyjacker suspension and shocks and Warn winch and accessories, made it onto the vehicle. Also installed were an Anotech retractable roof rack, and body side rocker panels and trim, all done in brushed satin aluminum. The Concept KJ rides on wheels from the Wrangler Rubicon and BFGoodrich tires. The interior was also given the Mopar touch, with the addition of a Mopar RB1 navigation/radio system.

DynaView Vision
Hella shed new light on night driving with its DynaView lighting. DynaView is a driving light that is able to illuminate corners and bends in the road. There is a sensor that constantly monitors the side-to-side direction the vehicle is taking and automatically switches on the proper cornering lamp when it senses the vehicle is starting to turn. This allows drivers to see around the rest of the turn, something standard lights are unable to do. This light can make night driving much safer, allowing drivers to see where exactly the road goes, any animals on the side of the road that may try to cross, and any inanimate objects or debris. In addition, these lights work well on the trail. It is not uncommon for people driving through the backcountry to stay out there a little longer than anticipated, and end up needing to drive back to camp or the highway as the sun goes down. DynaView will make sure you see trail debris, rocks, ruts, and stumps before you need to make an emergency maneuver. The universal DynaView driving lamp system is sold as a complete kit, which comes with two dual headlamps (one optimized for the right side of the vehicle and one for the left), the control unit with yaw rate sensor, and all necessary wiring.

For more information, contact: Hella Inc., Dept. TSUV, 201 Kelly Dr., P.O. Box 2665, Peachtree City, GA 30269, (877) 224-3552, www.hellausa.com.

Pioneer SPL Subwoofer
It is rare for companies to introduce new mobile electronics products at SEMA, but as more companies take advantage of the close relationship between the aftermarket and the electronics industries, there will be more crossover between the two. Pioneer is one of the companies that introduced a new product at SEMA: the TS-W5000SPL subwoofer. This 12-inch subwoofer is a competition-level unit that uses new technology to provide extreme power handling, sound pressure level (SPL), and reliability. The subwoofer uses a ceramic-coated voice coil wire, which can handle extreme heat; a wide-roll, aramid-fiber woven reinforced rubber surround, which provides strength through the surround material; a carbon fiber-interlaced reinforced IMPP cone for superior strength and stiffness; a triple-stacked magnet; and an aerodynamic magnetic gap design, which reduces mechanical air resistance. This subwoofer's durability makes it an excellent subwoofer for sport utilities, especially those vehicles that are driven daily or off-road. The TS-W5000 SPL can handle SPL above 170dB and as much as 5,000 watts of power.

For more information, contact: Pioneer Electronics, Dept. TSUV, 2265 E. 220th St., Long Beach, CA 90810, (800) PIONEER (746-6337), www.pioneerelectronics.com.

ZoopSeal
A downside to aftermarket items made from billet or polished aluminum, stainless steel, and chrome (especially wheels and grilles) is that these products are often damaged by road debris and can suffer from chips, dulling, or oxidation. Zoops created a solution to this: ZoopSeal. This product will protect all of these materials from oxidation and eliminate the need for frequent polishing, a process that loses its luster after the umpteenth weekend spent in the driveway keeping the billet looking like new. In fact, ZoopSeal will let you get away with a few months without polishing. Each ZoopSeal kit can coat 60 square feet of material. It is fairly easy to apply and is made for use on SUVs, trucks, boats, motorcycles, engines, wheels, and interior accessories. This long-lasting product can eliminate the need for powdercoating, and will keep chrome from chipping and peeling. ZoopSeal is safe to use and is environmentally friendly, and cleaning a ZoopSealed item requires use of mild, soapy water, water to rinse it with, and a soft towel. ZoopSeal will also work on brass.

For more information, contact: Zoops, Dept. TSUV, 931 E. Lincoln St., Banning, CA 92220, (909) 922-2396, www.zoops.com.

American Racing Titan
American Racing made quite a splash at SEMA, introducing nine new SUV wheels under its brand, with many more released from Epic, its sister company. At 24 inches, the Titan, pictured here, is the largest wheel American offers. It is made with a clean, mechanical look, with an over-the-lip six-spoke design. The wheel has alloy construction, and comes with a cap that covers the lugs. This cap is embossed with American Racing's logo. The Titan is also available in 20x8.5-inch and 22x9.5-inch sizes. On the other end of the spectrum, American makes wheels for those who aren't ready to move up to 24-inch wheels. One of the best-looking smaller wheels we saw at the show, the Diamond Lock, has a simulated bead-lock look with a riveted rim. It comes in a high-sheen, Diamond Cut finish with clearcoat. This is a very high-quality, machine-cut finish. This wheel is available in 15x8-, 16x8-, and 16x10-inch sizes.

For more information, contact: American Racing, Dept. TSUV, 19067 S. Reyes Ave., Rancho Dominguez, CA 90221, (888) AR-WHEEL (279-4335), www.americanracing.com.

Toyo Open Country M/T
Toyo Tires already had a street-performance tire (the Proxes S/T) and an all-terrain tire (Open Country A/T). At SEMA, the company showed the newest addition to its SUV tire line, the aggressive off-roadstyle Open Country M/T. It was designed with a deep lug tread to meet challenging off-highway conditions. Toyo used DSOCII (Dynamic Simulation Optimized Contact) technology to design the tire. This technology uses a supercomputer to simulate tire behavior under a variety of conditions. Toyo also used computer software to minimize excessive tread noise and optimize braking, steering, and acceleration. The Open Country M/T is not only meant for use off-road. While it will work well while fording streams or driving through deep mud, snow, or sand, the Open Country M/T will also work well on the street. This tire will first be released in 38x15.50R18 and LT325/60R20 sizes. The Open Country M/T represents Toyo's entry into the aggressive off-road tire market, and the company is doing so with a tire that is extremely competitive with the other tires in this category.

For more information, contact: Toyo Tire Corp., Dept. TSUV, 6261 Katella Ave., Ste. 2B, Cypress, CA 90630, (800) 678-3250, www.toyo.com.

Kia Sorento Surf
Kia made some waves in its beach-themed booth in the South Hall at the SEMA Show with the Sorento Surf. The idea behind this SUV was to make the newly introduced Sorento into a beach cruiser, a vehicle someone would want to take to the coast on the weekend. Kia made modifications to the interior and the body, including black neoprene (wetsuit material) floor mats, an upgraded sound system with MP3 capability, XM Digital Satellite Radio, and SkyFi. On the outside, the Sorento Surf was given blacked-out reflectors in the headlights, a roof rack with a basket, 6-inch Hella HID foglights, a stinger antenna, color-keyed wheel flares and bumpers, a new grille, a polished aluminum skidplate, tubular chrome aluminum step bars, and a polished stainless steel exhaust with dual square-tip outlets. It was also given 16-inch wheels and Michelin off-roadfriendly tires. It was lifted 3 inches in front and 2 inches in the rear to accommodate the larger wheel and tire package. Under the hood, the Sorento Surf received blue anodized dress-up items, steel braided hose covers, and an engine cover that was painted Sunset Silver to match the exterior.

Flowmaster American Thunder
Flowmaster expanded its American Thunder line to include an application for '00-and-newer Chevy Tahoes and GMC Yukons. Flowmaster exhaust systems are known for increased performance and a trademark exhaust tone. American Thunder provides both. This system has multiple inlet pipes, which exit in a single 3-inch pipe. The system uses Flowmaster's SUV Performance muffler, which is a larger version of Flowmaster's 50 Series muffler. This muffler is specially designed for trucks and SUVs. It features a special tuning chamber that reduces interior resonance, and has a large 5x10-inch case for better sound control and exhaust flow. Even though the main portion of the system is a single pipe, it exits with tips at either rear quarter panel, giving it the look of a dual exhaust. This system gives Yukons and Tahoes the look of a dual exhaust without the difficulty of installation.

For more information, contact: Flowmaster, Dept. TSUV, 100 Stony Point Rd., Ste. 125, Santa Rosa, CA 95401, (800) 544-4761, www.flowmastermufflers.com.

Scosche SubX
Giving your sport utility a custom Plexiglas rack filled with amplifiers and a wall of 12-inch subwoofers is fine for some, but not everyone wants that setup. In addition, a wall of sound like that requires a vehicle large enough to carry that amount of equipment and the money to get it there. For those who do not want to sacrifice the cargo area or aren't quite ready to get an extreme system, Scosche makes the SubX, an 8-inch subwoofer enclosure that provides several components in one. The SubX combines an amplifier and a subwoofer in a small, easy-to-install enclosure. The system has a low profile, making it ideal to install in a cargo area, since it won't take up a lot of precious cargo space. The subwoofer's versatility is also ideal for smaller sport utilities, where some stereo installations require careful use of the limited space in the cabin. Scosche, which is well known in the industry for making aftermarket stereo installations easy, took the same care with this item. The company made it easy to install, with only four wires that need to be connected to make the SubX work with your stereo.

For more information, contact: Scosche Industries, Dept. TSUV, 1550 Pacific Ave., P.O. Box 2901, Oxnard, CA 93033, (805) 486-4450, www.scosche.com.

Precision Design Grille
Billet grilles look great when they are brand-new: They give the front end of your sport utility a new look and can give an older vehicle new life. However, over time, rocks and other road debris can cause the grille to chip, ruining that perfect front end. Precision Design has a new product that will help solve this problem; actually, it's a new treatment performed on some of the company's grilles to ensure a longer-lasting chip-free look. Precision introduced a series of grilles that are given an automotive OE-quality clearcoat, which gives the grilles added protection against rocks, glass, and anything else that may get kicked up while on the highway. Clearcoated grilles are available for many popular sport utility and truck applications. In addition to the clearcoated grilles, Precision makes grilles in a variety of other finishes, including brushed, polished, and chrome.

For more information, contact: Precision Design, Dept. TSUV, 10841 S. Laurel Ave., Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, (562) 946-1907, www.precisiondesign.com.

Painless RF Control Center
In our experience with sport utility modifications, we've discovered that there are many aftermarket modifications that involve extra switches. Examples of these are driving lights and HID systems, winches, and some more elaborate mobile electronics systems. Painless Performance introduced the RF Control Center for this very reason. This product uses a four-button transmitter that can be programmed to control as many as six accessories. The RF Control Center has a transmitter that sends radio frequency signals to the programmable receiver. The receiver can be mounted in the center of a (non-airbag-equipped) steering wheel, in place of the horn button. Even though it is installed in place of the horn button, it can be easily programmed to operate the horn. It fits most aftermarket wheels with a 3-1/4-inch horn button, including many from Grant, LeCarra, and Billet Specialties, and comes in standard and deluxe models. The RF Control Center comes with or without relays, in polished or brushed finishes.

For more information, contact: Painless Performance, Dept. TSUV, 9505 Santa Paula Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76116-5929, (817) 244-6898, www.painlessperformance.com.

Westin Bumper Guards
Repairing or replacing a bumper on a sport utility is not always affordable. In fact, on some vehicles, it can be downright expensive. To save consumers from that expense, Westin makes the Sportsman front and rear bumper guards. These will add extra protection to truck and sport utility bumpers. These guards don't just give your sport utility a tough, modified appearance; they are strong, functional, and fully welded, and are shaped to match the lines of the bumper. The Sportsman guards have heavy-duty uprights, which are customized for each vehicle to follow the lines of the specific grille area. These guards are available in black powdercoat finish, with silver powdercoating available for many applications. The powdercoat finishes are backed by a five-year warranty against rust. Westin makes a wide variety of bolt-on body products, including step boards and tube steps, lightbars, taillight guards, and grilleguards, most of which are available in finishes that match the bumper guards.

For more information, contact: Westin Automotive, Dept. TSUV, 5200 N. Irwindale St., Ste. 220, Irwindale, CA 91706, (800) 345-8476, www.westinautomotive.com.

Land Rover G4 Freelander
Land Rover debuted one of its Tangiers Orange Land Rover G4 Challenge Freelanders at SEMA. This vehicle was built on the standard Freelander platform, with the same mechanical components, but was given a variety of equipment to prepare it for use in the Land Rover G4 Challenge. Each of the Freelanders in the event has Warn roof-mounted auxiliary lamps, front and rear winch receivers, Warn winches, a Safety Devices custom roof rack and rear ladder, a Garmin GPS navigation system, Pietzle rappelling gear, Land Rover Vehicle Kit accessories, such as brush bars, Safari roof racks, kayak and mountain-bike carriers, and first aid kits, front and rear aluminum skidplates, front and rear tow points with heavy-duty recovery rings, and a snorkel. The Land Rover G4 Challenge is an adventure competition that includes entrants from 16 nations who will partake in on- and off-road driving, kayaking, skiing, snowboarding, climbing, and rappelling. The competition will last five weeks and cover more than 4,000 miles. The G4 name comes from the global aspect of the competition - the four stages will take place in four different seasons, on three continents, in four different time zones.

Sequoia Suspension
Superlift now provides a suspension system for a vehicle that has been poorly underrepresented in the aftermarket: the Toyota Sequoia. This versatile midsize SUV has V-8 power, plenty of interior room, and good looks, and Superlift builds on the vehicle's off-road ability with its new suspension lift. The system comes complete and will increase the Sequoia's overall height from 2 to 2-1/2 inches over stock. The system consists of long Superlift coils and shocks and all the necessary hardware to perform the installation. This system will also work on '95-'00 four-wheel-drive Tacomas, two-wheel-drive PreRunners, and two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive '99-and-newer Tundras. Superlift manufactures several suspension systems and accessories for sport utility vehicles, including applications for Blazers, Suburbans, Tahoes, Broncos, Explorers, Cherokees, Wagoneers, Grand Cherokees, Wranglers, Land Cruisers, and 4Runners.

For more information, contact: Superlift Suspension Systems, Dept. TSUV, 300 Huey Lenard Loop, W. Monroe, LA 71292, (318) 397-3000, www.superlift.com.