SEMA or the Specialty Equipment Market Association show is the largest trade-only event for the American aftermarket and specialty equipment industry. Last held in 2019 a few months before the Covid-19 global pandemic, some 161,000 visitors including 71,000 buyers, 2,400 exhibiting companies, and 3,300 journalists joined the 4-day event in Las Vegas Convention Center.
For over 50 years, this event has been the showcase of some of the best customized vehicles in the planet, and in more recent years, it became the platform for car manufacturers to highlight their specialty performance sub-brands including Toyota and Nissan who want to show its owners the best ways to tune and modify their vehicles.
This year, Nissan revealed its newest range of new NISMO performance-focused accessories for the Nissan Z and Frontier. “Launching a new range of performance-oriented NISMO parts demonstrates our commitment to supporting enthusiasts, who have long been passionate about personalizing and modifying their Nissan vehicles,” said Kim Less, vice president, Aftersales, Nissan U.S. “Covering these parts with our Nissan warranty provides added peace of mind for our valued fans.”
Modifying brand-new vehicles can have certain warranty issues if parts used were aftermarket brands. But for Nissan USA, it says that if these NISMO parts are installed on a newly purchased vehicle, the parts will be covered by the standard Nissan new-vehicle warranty of 3 years/36,000 miles. Parts installed on the vehicle after purchase will receive the balance of the factory warranty or 12-month/12,000-mile coverage, whichever is higher. Parts installed on vehicles outside of the factory warranty period receive a 12-month/12,000-mile warranty.
For the Nissan Z, the components include new NISMO LM-RS1 forged wheels, a NISMO coilover suspension kit with a twin-tube design featuring a linear race spring system, rebound damping adjustability and ride height adjustment; a NISMO cold air intake; and a NISMO performance heat exchanger with increased volume to help reduce charge air temperatures and maintain performance on hot days and track events. For its latest-generation Frontier, the range of new parts includes NISMO Off Road Axis 18 x 9 inch wheels, prototype NISMO Off Road rock rails, a prototype NISMO Off Road front bumper, among other parts and accessories.
Toyota’s all-new 86 wins SEMA Award
Toyota on the other hand, says that its showcase is bigger than ever this year, showing its growing commitment to service its expanding on- and off-road performance parts market. Unveiled last November 1st, it showcases the GR Corolla Rally Concept, the Supra 10-Second Twins, GR86 Daily Drifter, the X Overland Simba Sequoia and Orion Tundra, the Sequoia TRD Pro Adventurer by Wescott Designsk, the Ultimate Overlanding Sequoia TRD Off-Road plus the Toyota GR86 Cup Car and GR Corolla Official NASA Pace Car. Toyota’s SUVs and pickup trucks have always been a very popular choice for off-roaders and this aligns with the brand’s expanding commitment to enthusiasts of the off-the-beaten-path adventure, it added.
Toyota will display two special vehicles representing the GR8, the Toyota GR86 Cup Car, which will be the race car for its all-new single make Toyota GR Cup racing series to debut next year and the Toyota GR86 Daily Drifter, which was the work of photographer Larry Chen’s vision of a drift car that can be used as purpose-built race cars in pro series like the Formula Drift. On the same event, Toyota’s GR86 won the 2022 SEMA Sport Compact of the Year. Last year, its GR Supra won the same award and its Tacoma truck won the 2021 SEMA Mid-Size Truck of the Year awards.
“SEMA congratulates Toyota on having the GR86 selected by SEMA Show exhibitors to win the Sport Compact of the Year Award,” said Mike Spagnola, SEMA president and CEO. “This year’s recognition and last year’s Toyota Supra and Tacoma awards validate Toyota’s reputation for quality performance vehicles and its commitment to the specialty market, once again proving Toyota’s collaboration with the aftermarket continues to create more options for consumers.”
“We are honored to receive this significant SEMA Award, and it’s a great testament to not only our thrilling GR86 sports car but also the thousands of Toyota employees who work hard every day to deliver GR86s to our loyal customers,” said Lisa Materazzo, group vice president – Toyota Division Marketing. “It’s wonderful to earn back-to-back SEMA awards. Our relationship with SEMA and its member companies remains strong.”
“At Toyota, ‘Let’s Go Places’ isn’t just a tagline. It’s a driving force behind everything we do,” said Lisa Materazzo, group vice president – Toyota Division Marketing. “Our cars, sports cars, trucks, SUVs and technologies not only help you get the most enjoyment from your vehicle, they also get you to the places and activities that bring joy.”
At the SEMA Show, Toyota also announced the world debut of its Trailhunter, a new grade that will soon be available on Toyota trucks and SUVs. Trailhunter vehicles will be outfitted with overland ready components, reinforcements and functionality straight from the factory.
