SEMA 2013: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
We each have a different view concerning what we found interesting, exciting or cool at this year's SEMA show. Similarly, there are things at the show each year that are not so good. Seen here are some of my selections for the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. I'll leave it up to you the reader to judge which are which.
SEMA 2013 certainly counts as a success for the automotive aftermarket industry with over 126,000 sets of credentials issued this year. This number is a new record and represents an increase in attendance of 7% from last year. During the peak of the economic downturn in 2009 industry sales were reported to be less than $28B as compared to $31.2B for 2012 and a number projected to be even higher in 2013. Anecdotally this is supported by the crowding I experienced at the show. If you see some random elbows or feet in my shots it's a reflection of that crowding as well as my own lack of skill/patience.
People were carting around posters and bags full of stickers and lanyards like it was their job. Who knows, maybe in some cases it was their job. I neglected to get a picture of any of these guys with their swag bags but here's a random picture of someone's haul. What's shown there is tame by comparison to most people I saw.
My two new most prized MotoIQ possessions: A team shirt and licence plate frame. While the team shirt is not available for purchase in the store the licence plate frame is. Do you have yours yet?
MotoIQ has a semi official/unofficial no girly picture stance so this is the closest we'll get. Note the Hankook girls' horde of admirers and how they have the girls turn so they can get pictures from all the right angles.
This 2012 Delahaye Bella Figura 57S coupe was awarded Best of Show not in the Show (technically it was in one of the hallways rather than in a show hall). The Bella Figura is intended as a fully modern homage to the original Bugatti Type 57S. The body is composed completely from carbon fiber and uses a V12 engine sourced from a BMW 850i.
