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The start of the 2008 Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association, or SEMA, Show will be remembered as much for what didn't happen as what did. With the economy effectively in the shitter, there appeared to be a few more no-shows (as evidenced by empty booth spaces) than your average SEMA. Media types on the tuner end of the biz were abuzz over signs of the decline, namely that outfits like Source Interlink Media (publishers of Super Street and Import Tuner) and RiceBoyTV had fallen on hard times. All this was happening as a historic presidential election was taking place to determine whether the first black man or the oldest man ever nominated would take the highest office in the land.
Amid the heady developments, it was nice to walk the Las Vegas Convention Center and just preoccupy ourselves with car life - even if we did have to drag our hungover asses to the Hyundai press conference at 9:40 a.m. (yup, we're slackers - what of it?) The payoff was worth it, though - the Korean automaker displayed its three completed Genesis Coupe projects that we've been hyping over the past six weeks.
Red Bull drifter Rhys Millen popped in to close out the press conference with an intro to the Rhys Millen Racing Genesis Coupe. Its 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine was upgraded with a Turbonetics turbocharger, wastegate and blow-off valve, while a heavy-duty HKS sequential transmission and a KW coilover suspension put any additional power to the ground. The coupe rocks a silver and blue paint scheme and a RMR dry carbon-fiber wide-body kit, functional hood scoop and an APR GTC-500 carbon-fiber wing. RMR also added SSR Type-F competition lightweight wheels, Bridgestone Potenza racing slicks, a Sparco steering wheel and seat, eight-point roll cage and a RMR carbon fiber dash.
Shawn Williams from Street Concepts delivered a modified Genesis two-door outfitted in black camouflage, a custom grille design, tinted taillights and an APR rear wing. The SC coupe additionally showcases Volk 19-inch racing wheels, Pirelli performance tires, a modified suspension and Brembo brakes. A Magnaflow cat-back exhaust and K&N cold air intake system enhance the performance of the 3.8-liter V6 engine, and interior modifications include a custom Infinity audio system, Recaro Sportster Topline seats and black suede accents.
Finally, the HKS Genesis Coupe includes a HKS GT2835R Turbo upgrade, HKS stainless tubular manifold, HKS intercooler, HKS super sequential blow-off valve, HKS performance stainless cat-back exhaust, HKS carbon fiber air box and intake duct, HKS Super Fire spark plugs and HKS Hipermax III fully-adjustable suspension. The HKS Genesis also showcases functional aero by Ken Style and an interior that emphasizes driver comfort and control, with HKS electronics including CAMP2 that monitors up to 24 data signals from the Genesis OBD2 and programmable calculations for fuel costs, average fuel consumption and fuel efficiency in real time.
We hustled over to the Honda booth after Hyundai to catch their conference, which was admittedly a minor blip on our radar this year, but a blip nonetheless. The company intro'ed a 2009 Fit equipped with MUGEN accessories, much like its limited-edition Civic Si variant, with the announcement that beginning next spring Honda will make a complete new line of MUGEN accessories available for the 2009 Fit on an a-la-carte basis through authorized Honda dealers. MUGEN grip will include 16-inch alloy wheels, aluminum oil filler cap, front sports grille, front under spoiler, side spoiler, rear under spoiler, sports silencer, rear emblem, quick shifter, shift knob, sports pedals (for manual cars only), sports floor mats and a mirror cover.
Honda also revealed a Civic Honda Factory Performance (HFP) Concept sedan that boldly represents a new approach on performance improvement. Honda Access America, Honda's accessory development company, took on the challenge to come up with a green-ified hot rod Civic, and through aerodynamic improvements to the next gen. HFP body kit, super-light alloy wheels with aerodynamic covers, a lighter HFP exhaust system and an upgraded HFP suspension, the concept offers the possibility of improving both fuel economy and performance. The mods are supposedly a very similar package to the duds that have proven their worth on the race tracks of Japan on a Civic Type R race car that campaigned the Super Taikyu Series.
Lastly, Honda announced that it will continue to support competitors driving the Civic Si in the 2009 Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series through a contingency program and parts support. The move represents Honda division's primary production-based motorsports support, and the Civic Si has already proven itself a capable racer in August with a 2008 series-first win by Fenton Motorsports at the New Jersey Motorsports Park. Race metal on display in addition to the Fenton machine included the Compass 360 Racing Civic Si Sedan and Danica Patrick's Motorola-backed IndyCar open-wheel racer.
After Honda, the next couple hours were spent soaking up Lexus hospitality as we checked out its collection of built IS Fs and the Five Axis GS (more cars that we have been teasing up to now: click here).
As outlined previously, the Five Axis Project GS 460 rocks a widebody conversion, custom PPG color, FIVE: AD ONYX R5:F rims, and a host of other tweaks; the Five Axis Project IS F, which went back to the shop for a makeover in the engine compartment this time in the form of almost a liter of additional displacement; the Fox Marketing and Artisan Performance IS F, which involved numerous bodywork changes and a full twin-turbo treatment from Artisan; the Import Tuner Magazine and TEIN suspension F, which went the route of handling preeminence thanks to weight reduction, added chassis stiffness, and special suspension, plus a comprehensive nitrous system; the 0-60 Magazine IS F, which rocks a blower, tons of carbon fiber, roll cage, and beefy brakes; and finally the MotorworldHype.com IS F, which also employs lots of carbon to reduce some unwanted mass and a well-rounded package of suspension, brake, engine and cosmetic changes.
The day closed with Ultra-High Performance rubber announcements from Yokohama, which plugged its ADVAN Neova AD08 street sport tire, and Continental, which promoted its ContiExtremeContact all-season ultra-high performance tire. As we floated through the convention center, we also spied R35, Evo X, and STI builds aplenty that we know we're gonna have to come back to check out (and our photogs already did check out). For now, though, peruse the gallery and wish that you were here - we're heading back to the hotel to shower up for another night of debauchery.
www.hyundaiusa.com
www.honda.com
www.lexus.com
www.yokohamatire.com
www.conti-online.com
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SEMA Day 1
