Auto Shows (Page 42)

General Motors plans to use a new in-house developed 8-speed automatic transmission to help make the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette one of the most efficient in the model’s history but a Motor Trend report indicates that GM may have to call upon an outside supplier for the early versions of the C7 Corvette, as the GM unit will not be ready for the January debut.

The 2012 SEMA Show brought about the public debut of the customized 1953 Ford F100 and the 2010 Ford Super Duty F350, both of which are designed by automotive legend Chip Foose and clad in the colors of the WD40 brand and this weekend, I had a chance to get some more details on these two charity trucks.

Early this morning, the folks at American Honda dropped the virtual sheet on the new 2013 Honda Civic sedan – a surprising “emergency refresh” after just a year of the newest generation of the popular compact lineup with a public debut planned for the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show.

While we have already shown you the new Twin Turbo Cobra Jet and the Vaughn Gittin Jr RTR Stage 3 Mustang, there were five other heavily customized Ford Mustang models in the large indoor Ford company display at the 2012 SEMA Show that are well worth a closer look.

Among the collection of modified Honda and Acura products at the 2012 SEMA Show was the 2013 Honda Accord HFP Coupe (Honda Factory Performance) – a special performance package that will be available in limited numbers at American Honda dealerships starting next spring.

The Scion FR-S was clearly one of the most popular models at the 2012 SEMA Show, with the SEMA organizers naming it the Hottest Sport Compact of the event but with more examples throughout the show than any other models – the Ford Mustang was named Hottest Car and the Ford F Series was named Hottest Truck.

Food Network star of the show Diners’ Drive-Ins and Dives is a hardcore Chevy fan with a history of owning Bowtie clad performance models but at the 2012 SEMA Show, Fieri and Chevrolet Performance introduced the Guy Fieri Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible Collector Edition – an open aired sports car with the power of the Corvette Z06.

While the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu is in a segment of sedans that is often forgotten at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the 2012 show brought about the Malibu Performance Concept – showing how incredibly sporty this midsized sedan could be with a few aesthetic changes and some Chevrolet Performance accessories.

Among the many vehicles at the 2012 SEMA Show was the bright red 2013 Ram 1500 regular cab short bed model that sported the vintage “Little Red Express” name and design scheme complete with exhaust stacks but unlike the 1978 red-and-gold sport pickup – the truck at the 2012 SEMA Show packed a turbocharged 5.7L Hemi engine.

The SEMA Show in Las Vegas is one of the world’s largest automotive industry conventions and while the hundreds of thousands of square feet of exhibition space in the Las Vegas Convention Center are technically reserved for modified vehicles and product displays – the many beautiful ladies of the SEMA Show play a major role in drawing viewers to a company’s booth so these hard working women deserve a piece of the attention as well.

While the majority of the high performance cars at the SEMA Show each year are rear wheel drive muscle cars, Ford helped to bring attention to the launch of the new Ford Focus ST with a quintet of tricked out front drive 5-doors that worked to show the aftermarket potential of this American hot hatch.

We knew that General Motors would be bringing out the new production version of the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro Hot Wheels Edition but the bigger surprise was a modified classic Camaro styled after one of the very first Hot Wheels toys from the late 1960s.

Among the massive indoor Mopar display at this week’s 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas was a trio of 2013 Dodge Dart sedans modified with items from the Mopar Accessories catalog that not only give current Dart owners a chance to see how much they can customize their compact sedan with company help but these sporty show cars could also give us a glimpse of what to expect from the Dart SRT.

The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible is very easily one of the baddest topless American muscle cars to ever roll off of a factory assembly line but at the 2012 SEMA Show, Chevrolet Performance featured the new Camaro ZL1 Touring Convertible Concept designed with items that are already available in the Chevrolet Accessories catalog – allowing new ZL1 droptop owners to build this car themselves with some help from a paint shop.

Among the sprawling Chevrolet Performance display at this week’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas were a pair of Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 models with a coupe designed for NASCAR driver Tony Stewart and a convertible designed in the tradition of the European grand touring sports cars that appropriately wears the “Touring” trimline designation.

A couple weeks ago we brought you a preview video discussing the joint project between ventriloquist Jeff Dunham and Chrysler’s Mopar division but at this week’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas – show goers got a chance to check out the heavily modified Dodge Challenger dubbed Project UltraViolet in person.

This week’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas offered tens of thousands of people a chance to get their first glimpse of the 2013 SRT Viper including a modified unit from Mopar and the unique Launch Edition model displayed by the folks at Pirelli tires.

General Motors used the 2012 SEMA Show to unveil the final 2012 model year COPO Camaro drag car which happens to be the first convertible model while also announcing that the company will be building 69 more examples of this factory drag racing package for the 2013 model year.

Among the collection of Ford Mustang models at the 2012 SEMA Show was the gorgeous deep metallic red machine shown on the right side but unlike the rest of the Mustangs in attendance that are based on standard V6 or GT models - this is the new RTR Stage 3 Mustang designed by drift racer Vaughn Gittin Jr and modified by the folks at Mother’s.

The 2012 Global RallyCross season championship came down to a shootout between Ford drivers Tanner Foust and Brian Deegan at the 6th event of the year and when the dust cleared outside of the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas - Top Gear host Tanner Foust ran away with the win and the 2012 GRC championship.

Every year, the folks from Ford Racing bring something to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas that is sure to be a showstopper and this year – that special something that will become the center of attention in the massive Ford Motor Company display is the incredible twin turbocharged 2013 Ford Racing Cobra Jet Mustang shown on the right.

Last year, General Motors brought out an outrageous Hot Wheels Concept Camaro and while the metallic green paint and unique tail lights didn’t come for the ride – GM has introduced a 2013 Chevrolet Camaro Hot Wheels Edition as a limited production model at the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

The organizers for the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show have announced that among the new model debuts at the LA show this year will be the all electric Fiat 500E – giving the Chrysler Group their first electric vehicle and helping them show some support for the EV movement even though Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne seems less than enthusiastic about the project.

The SEMA Cares charity group and well known custom car designer Chip Foose have teamed up each of the past three years to design a truly unique muscle car in a WD40 paint scheme and while the team got together again for the 2012 SEMA Show – this year the charity build features two unique Ford pickups.

While we have already seen one tightly cropped shot of a Ford Mustang headed to the 2012 SEMA Show, today Ford Motor Company offered up artwork teasing four modified Mustangs that will debut in the flesh next week in Vegas – although none of these appear to be our “mystery Mustang” that we discussed on Monday.

The Ford F Series is always among the most popular vehicles at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas and 2012 should be no different with today bringing us our first look at a trio of the pickups that will be in the massive Ford Motor Company display.

Last week, General Motors announced that the 7th generation of the fabled Chevrolet Corvette will arrive on January 13th, 2013 as a 2014 model year vehicle along with giving everyone a first look at the slightly redesigned crossed flags logo that will adorn the nose of the new American sports car and today – we have our first look at the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette via an official company video.

Ford Motor Company released the ultra close up image shown on the right earlier today, proclaiming that they had “big news” at the 2012 SEMA Show and asking fans of their Facebook page to guess what this news might be in relation to what is very likely the hood of some special Ford Mustang.

Fisker Automotive has announced that when the 2012 SEMA Show opens next Tuesday at the Las Vegas Convention Center, there will be at least two customized copies of their incredible Karma Ever electric sedan in attendance.

Another day – another teaser of a dressed up ride heading to the 2012 SEMA Show but today we get a look at a car typically ignored by those building high dollar show cars for SEMA with our first glimpse at the Chevrolet Malibu Turbo Performance Concept.