2015 SEMA Show Spotlight

This week’s annual Specialty Equipment Market Association Show in Las Vegas provided another endless selection of weird and wild wonders from the Kia Forte Koup Mud Bogger to the 8-door Toyota "Tundrasine" luxury pickup. But amid hundreds of custom one-offs, a number of vehicles stood out as being slightly more grounded in reality. Here’s a look at a several we found intriguing: 

2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS Red Accent/SS Black Accent 

Showcasing what it will offer buyers seeking to personalize their 2016 Camaros, Chevy rolled out two unique versions: the Camaro SS Red Accent and SS Black Accent Package Concepts. The Coupe and Convertible are fitted with a selection of tasteful enhancements, most of which are specifically designed for the Camaro LT and SS. These upfits range from alloy wheels, custom grille inserts and a blade-style rear spoiler to bespoke graphics, ground-effects kits and suspension/brake upgrades. In addition to unique engine covers for the LT V6 and SS models, the latter variant also will offer a performance air intake kit. 

Dodge Challenger GT AWD Concept 

Created by Mopar and finished in Destroyer Grey with Header Orange accents, the Dodge Challenger GT AWD Concept provides a look at what could be a future production model. Wearing a unique Mopar wide-bodykit, this one-off Challenger is fitted with a tweaked version the all-wheel drive system found on the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger. To properly complement its enhanced grip, Mopar also fortified the GT AWD Concept’s 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with a Scat Pack 3 Performance Kit that adds 75 horsepower and 44 lb-ft of torque to the baseline 372/410 figures and upgraded the car’s chassis with a stiffer, lower-riding concept suspension. 

Honda Ridgeline Baja Racer 

Offering an early look at the design cues expected on the all-new 2017 Honda Ridgeline that goes on sale next year, the Baja Racer debuted at SEMA along with news that Honda is returning to off-road desert racing. Although more aggressively rendered, Honda says the Baja Racer’s front fascia, hood, roof, bed and profile reflect the general styling of the second generation Ridgeline. Crafted by Honda Performance Development, the Unlimited Class Ridgeline Baja Racer also features an HPD-prepped twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that makes over 550 horsepower but uses the same block, cylinder heads and crankshaft as the engine in the 2017 Ridgeline. 

Jeep Wrangler Red Rock Concept 

Spun from the Wrangle Rubicon Hard Rock Edition, the Wrangler Red Rock Concept is a rolling tribute to the Red Rock 4-Wheelers who host the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah. That event celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2016. Beyond baseline Hard Rock hardware, the Red Rock Concept features a 2-inch lift kit, 17-inch beadlock wheels wrapped in 35-inch BFG K02 all-terrain tires, LED headlamps/fog lights, a Warn Rubicon winch, front/rear differential covers and a reinforced swing gate and wheel mount. There’s also a Jeep-branded CB radio and unique exterior accents. Inside, the Red Rock Concept features Amaretto Brown Katzkin leather upholstery with silver stitching. Jeep plans to build a run of 50 Wrangler Red Rock Editions next year. While they won’t be pure clones, all will share many of the upgrades found on this one-off.

Mazda MX-5 Speedster and Spyder Concepts 

Mazda turned its North American designers loose on a pair of admittedly blue sky exercises based on the new MX-5. While neither of these "extreme lightweight" concepts is destined for the showroom, both leverage the firm’s SkyActiv efficiency while looking quite cool. Done in Mercury Silver and crowned with a red bikini soft top, the MX-5 Spyder puts a modern spin on the classic vintage roadster. Rich in carbon fiber and featuring a full coilover suspension, the MX-5 Speedster takes neo-retro theme further. Wearing bespoke Blue Ether paint and sporting a cut-down windscreen, the Speedster tips the scales at just 2,080 pounds, 250+ below a standard MX-5.  

SEMA Edition 2016 Toyota Corolla TRD Concept 

One of five SEMA-inspired vehicles developed by Toyota Racing Development for this year’s event, the Corolla TRD Concept impressively raises the visual and dynamic profile of the automaker’s best-selling compact sedan. Based on a Corolla LE Eco model, this one-off is finished in custom Silver Pearl and wears a distinctive Five Axis Design body kit. It also swaps the Eco’s standard CVT transmission for a TRD 6-speed manual gearbox while adding a free-flowing TRD cat-back exhaust system. Rounding out the functional upgrades are a lower, sport-spec suspension and sticky 225/30 Michelin rubber wrapped around bronze 19-inch TRD alloy wheels. If public response proves strong enough — and first indications have been positive  — we could well see a version of the Corolla TRD Concept turn up in showrooms.