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| American Iron, all dolled up is a staple of the SEMA show |
SEMA, The Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Show, one of
the largest annual trade shows hosted in Las Vegas each fall, features every
aspect of the automotive industry, be it shop equipment, tires, aftermarket
accessories, lubricants and of course plenty of automobile manufactures with
customized vehicles on display.
Though Mercedes-Benz is hardly an outcast in this bastion
of American automotive hot-rod heaven, with plenty of hot-rodded passenger cars
on display throughout the show. They choose SEMA to showcase the Metris Van,
known as the Vito or V-Class elsewhere in the world. Four custom conversions,
each displaying a very high degree of fit and finish from different outfitters,
presented a very different vision to the hard working concept one thinks for a van.
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Hartmut Feyhl with his #DJVan
at the '14 SEMA Show in Vegas.
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These were customized specifically for display at SEMA. Mercedes-Benz
provided each outfitter with a van and fifty thousand dollars, giving each two
months to produce a product for display at SEMA. While this was the first
public showing of the mid-size van for the American market of this van segment
for Mercedes-Benz, the customization interpretation was of more interest than
the vans themselves.
Different from each other as the audience they would
attract, they got attention as to the service they would perform in the real
world. RENNtech produced a Party/DJ Van
that took the club scene anywhere. Pumping out music and emitting a cloud of
fog, this rendition featured a clam shell style roof that raised up and
presented a DJ booth, complete with all the equipment need to put on a dance
party at the push of a button.
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Renown race-car driver
Tommy Kendall talks
with Hartmut Feyhl
owner of RENNTech
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HQ Custom Design presented a luxury van conversion, perfect for that group of friends heading to an event. A cross between an executive shuttle and a man cave with multiple big
video screens. Luxurious reclining leather seats and every amenity desired by
passengers while watching everything from movies to sports events, as they are
being transported.
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#FireChiefVan by RADO, perfect for the first responders.
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A show stopper was the RADO Fire Chief Concept Truck, which
blasted the hall with its emergency sirens and strobe lights. Designed to provide
a mobile command unit for first responders, featuring a full complement of
equipment for the fireman to arrive at the scene ready to enter a burning
building at the release of a safety harness holding them into the seats that
were more racing seats than what you might find in the backseat of a passenger
van.
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#FireVan has race seats
and special quick release
breathing tanks.
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| Garmins #GolfVan, a rolling pro shop for golfers. |
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| Garmin golfing products as well as golf pro shop items on display. |
Though the Metris Van will become available for sale in the USA in late in 2015, there is no doubt that they will have a variety of outfitters to customize them to any number of uses, not unlike the current Sprinter product line.
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| Optima has the biggest display of customized vehicles at SEMA |
Aftermarket suppliers like OPTIMA battery has a huge display of vehicles on display at SEMA. This show has everything for every vehicle, be it street or off-road. Work truck as well as high performance upgrade outfitters can find parts and supplies in the aisles of the show.
Booths set up inside to take orders and sell products, displays set up outside, including race tracks and any number of automotive activities.
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| Customized SMART Four Two on display at SEMA. |
SEMA is the show to see all kinds of customized vehicles, large, small, and connect with industry experts. More importantly it is where a lot of the business of the aftermarket automotive world is conducted.
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