October 11, 2010 at 1:26 PM

SEMA is sort of like Christmas in the automotive marketplace; it only comes around once a year. And the best of the best come eager to impress us with their bag of toys. On display is the latest in customization optimization, the most innovative tuning skills, and trendy new gizmos and gadgets that we hope to find under the tree this year.

Upon arrival, in the south lot, DUB Magazine was on location with what they call ‘The Dub Show Tour Live’ which was more like a party than an automobile showcase with DJs and girls in tow. Both the beautiful and outrageous were on display which included cars with bizarre paint jobs and some stunning exotics from Platinum Motorsports. There was something for everyone in terms of vehicles and they were fitted on wheels from Forgiato, Savini, and Giovanna among others. Numerous celebrities showed up to mingle with the crowd and pay homage to what has matured from just a magazine to a lifestyle trend.

Over in the north hall, Ford made a big appearance securing them as the American Car Powerhouse.  The 2011 Mustang got more than its 15 minutes of fame with nine different examples of its pony car, showing a wide range of customization options. The real show stealer from Ford was a stripped down steel Mercury Hot Rod that in my opinion will begin a new movement of shiny naked steel to perhaps rival the matte paint and wrap trend that some of us have seen enough of. Another uber smart ploy by Ford was their (Video: SEMA Drift )Formula Drift exhibition which featured both Ken Block and Von Gitten Jr. unleashed on a drift track in a Ford Fiesta and Mustang.

Also making a breakaway appearance in the north hall was Hyundai. That’s right, I said it: Hyundai. There are plenty of luxury automakers who are scared of Hyundai; some have admitted it and some can’t come to terms with it because it is perplexing. While I am not sure what their end goal is, they have my attention. Hyundai partnered with six different tuners as well as DUB Magazine for styling cues and the one that is really impressive is the ARK Track Time Attack Genesis Coupe. This is a Hyundai that is good for 585 hp. Seriously? Besides the superformance coupe, walking around their booth you saw some real cutting edge styling that to me, rivals Lexus and Audi among others. Time will tell if Hyundai’s flame will die out, but for now they are one to watch.

Now every car, no matter what it is, needs wheels. And there was an abundance of wheel makers in the south hall this year and all of them brought flashy exotics to show off the goods. While the Ferrari 458 was well represented, there were some other exceptional cars on display which included a Lexus LFA and Fisker Karma both on display by CEC Wheels. Savini also in good measure brought a Rolls Royce Ghost and a Lamborghini Murcielago which sat on white carbon fiber trimmed wheels. But the real show stopper was Giovanna and the traffic inside and outside their booth was a tell tale sign that it is the era of Giovanna. They brought plenty to look at and filled up a massive space to fit their three Rolls Royce, Mercedes SLS, multiple Ferrari 458s, Panamera, Lamborghini Superleggera LP570-4 and the real show stealer: A pearl white Ferrari 599 GTO. Not only did they bring the cream of the crop in exotics but they also went for a divine individuality via an all white booth design which included a world class DJ and models outfitted in lingerie and angel wings.

The best part of SEMA for me, was to see enthusiasm and excitement among exhbitors, attendees and media/press. With technology and style at an all time high the possibilities are endless when it comes to what's going to be the next biggest-baddest thing in automotive culture.

Stay Tuned,

Nicole

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