By KOH TENG HIN
Photos by STEPHEN GOH and KOH TENG HIN
What do you get when car makers and hobbyists push the boundaries of customisation?
FLYING 14,000km to photograph the best show cars in the United States sounds like a dream ... until you realise you have to endure 33 hours of travelling time from Penang to Las Vegas.
Upon arrival at the 300,000sqm Las Vegas Convention Centre, all that jetlag and aches was forgotten. Shock and awe best describe the feeling when you are a “motorhead” in the presence of the shiniest, “maddest” and “baddest” custom rides on the planet.
Massive turnout: The external courtyard of Las Vegas Convention Centre, venue of the SEMA Show 2009 that ran from Nov 3 to 6. More than 2,000 automobiles were displayed at the premier automotive specialty products trade event.
We were assigned by Clarion Malaysia to shoot the eye-catching automobiles on display at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Marketing Association) Show 2009 held in Las Vegas from Nov 3 to 6.
This was the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world, attended by more than 100,000 industry representatives from 100 countries. More than 2,000 cars and trucks were on show, serving as platforms for a plethora of products and services.
The trade professionals were there to observe, network, share ideas and do business. The public was not allowed in.
These are some of the outstanding SEMA Show 2009 show cars that most people never got to see.
Pagani Zonda R
EXOTIC and designed for private race track sessions, the Zonda R sports a carbon-titanium monocoque chassis, a full carbon fibre body, ceramic brakes and a Mercedes AMG engine capable of 750hp. It can do the zero to 100kph sprint in just 2.7 seconds and costs €1.5mil (RM7.5mil).
“Yes, it is blindingly fast but more importantly, it’s seriously quick around the corners as well,” said Tom Gravalos, the vice president of marketing, motorsports and original equipment sales for Pirelli Tire North America.
Pagani Zonda R
“The idea is to bring a truly special car which we are associated with to the SEMA Show 2009. Working with Pagani, we developed a special original equipment tyre that can last between 9,000km and 10,000km for this supercar. More importantly, a Pirelli-equipped Zonda R actually lapped the Nurburgring circuit four seconds faster this year,” he said.
Frictionator
FEW things grab your attention like a customised blood-red Ford F650 truck wearing spiky, shiny rims – with a turbojet engine strapped to its back.
“This here is a General Electric J85 jet engine that makes 4,875.41Nm of thrust. It costs about US$26,000 (RM91,000) stock, and it sure can throw out some serious boom and flames when we activate the afterburner,” said Steve Scott from Uncle Tod Motorsports, who drove it 4,144km from Florida to SEMA.
Frictionator
“We wanted a show truck that would blow people’s minds. In Florida, we have rented it out for special functions staged by Hard Rock and Nascar,” he said.
A “motorsports entertainment company”, Uncle Tod’s other creations include a Rolls Royce with a blown-out Hemi 572 engine that makes about 1,350hp.
Ariel Atom 3
IT has a supercharged 300hp Honda K20 engine and an ultra-light 626kg exoskeletal chassis. It has no doors, roof or unnecessary accessories. This is why the Atom 3 is only 0.1 second slower than the Zonda R in the 0-100kph race (2.8 seconds) and costs about 35 times less at US$65,000 (RM227,500).
“This car is all about a pure and exhilarating motorsports experience. Although it can be ‘streetable’, and is legal in 30 states, the Atom 3 lives for weekend track days. It is fast, compact, light and nimble. Think about turning a corner and you are already doing it,” said Franz Forman from Forman Motorsports.
Ariel Atom 3
“We also sell Lamborghinis and Porsches but nothing quite matches up to lapping a track in an Atom 3, not even a 911 GT3. There are no driving aids – no traction control, no ABS, no EBS. Out there in an Atom 3, it is all you, and you feel everything,” he said.
CRC Corvette
THE CRC (Classic Reflection Coachworks) Corvette looks like a classic 1962 C1, but it is not a car from the golden age of American automotive styling.
“The bodywork is similar to a C1 but everything else is from the current C6 model – the chassis, engine, electronics and safety features,” said Marty Graf from CRC.
Although “new-old Corvettes” are not everyone’s cup of tea, CRC has converted more than 90 Corvette C5s (1997 to 2004) for clients in the past six years.
CRC Corvette
“My dad, Doug, owned a 1961 Corvette and a 1962 Corvette. He was inspired to create the CRC Corvette because he liked the timeless C1 styling combined with better performance, reliability and safety,” Graf said.
Employing aeronautics-grade computer-aided scanning and design technology, CRC was able to create a precise carbon fibre body design that fit the C5 chassis exactly. Some modifications were necessary for the C6 chassis. Money-wise, it costs about US$130,000 (RM455,000) for a CRC C6 Corvette (using a new donor car) or US$80,000 (RM280,000) for a CRC C5 Corvette (using a used C5 donor car).
Time Attack Toyota Scion tC
WORLD Racing’s show car was not the prettiest, loudest nor the most exotic. It simply stood out because it had not one, but two wings.
Time Attack Toyota Scion tC
“The front wing is not for show, it is for aerodynamics. It is set up to generate 45kg of down force at 130kph. This helps when you have a turbocharged front-wheel drive car that makes 1,000hp and 1,218.85Nm of torque,” said Rob Cardona, the sales/product development manager for World Motorsports.
“Yeah, initially some guys laughed. They are not laughing now. Driven by Christian Rado, this car participated in six races in the Red Line Unlimited Time Attack Championship 2009. We recorded six wins and set six track records, including a 1:22 lap time for Willow Springs. We are the points leader,” he said.
All the engine and chassis parts (including the front spoiler) from Christian Rado’s car are available from the Descendant Racing brand. Just bring along a Scion and US$175,000 (RM612,500).
Branew Nissan GT-R R35
STRAIGHT from the factory, GT-R is already beautiful to look at. It takes a good artistic eye and great skill to customise this supercar to look even more spectacular without compromising the lines and the trademark stance.
Branew Nissan
Branew from Japan made it look easy. Their GT-R looked classier, sleeker, with a finish that was silky smooth. They even managed to pull off a signature koi motif on the bonnet that, strangely, did not look out of place.
“The koi motif will be a feature of all Branew show cars in 2010. It is reflective of Japanese culture, of our commitment to elegance and refinement,” said Shinya Matsuyama, the company’s overseas division sales manager.
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