by Matt Konkle
Torque Editor-in-Chief
LAS VEGAS - The crowds may have been a bit lighter than normal and the overall vendor turnout less than usual, but this year's Specialty Equipment Market Association trade show still offered a great roadmap for new factory and aftermarket Jeep products, as well as a host of severely built-up vehicles all over the Las Vegas Convention Center grounds.
This year's 54th edition of the show featured 1,300 exhibitors and the organization estimated more than 50,000 people attended the nearly week-long event November 2-5 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Those numbers, SEMA said, were enough to designate the annual trade show as the largest automotive event in the country this year.
Last year's show moved to a virtual format, called SEMA 360, and marked the first time SEMA did not have an in-person event. And while health and safety concerns still are on the minds of many, causing some long-time attendees to either scale back on their event footprint or remain home this year, organizers did their best to stress the importance of following Nevada's indoor mask policy. The addition of the new West Hall also allowed a more spread-out format with wider aisles and airy display booths so everyone could maintain social distancing for the most part.
“There is a lot of pent-up demand to reconnect in person,” said SEMA VP of Events Tom Gattuso. “Buyers are excited to see what’s new in the industry, and manufacturers are anxious to showcase what they’ve been working on for the past two years. The energy and passion on the Show floor is tremendous.”
For those not in the know, the SEMA show is normally a little like Christmas, the Super Bowl, World Cup Soccer and whatever else large and flashy you want to quantify it with for automotive enthusiasts. The glitz and glamor were perhaps turned down a notch or two this year, but still featured plenty of engine roaring and tire squealing outside the convention center buildings as attendees could take drifting rides in high powered vehicles, in between checking out dozens of built out Wranglers and Gladiators adoring convention center sidewalks.
With the addition of a West Hall this year, the LVCC now boasts four buildings with a total of over 2.6-million square feet of exhibit space and 225 meeting rooms — more than enough room as future SEMA shows ramp back up to pre-Covid attendance levels for both vendors and buyers.
Overlanding continued to be a hot theme for SEMA in the off-road section of the event — now in the newly built West Hall — and the organization once again dedicated a special space specifically devoted to the category. Numerous Wranglers, Gladiators and other 'influencer-type' overlanding vehicles from those heavy into the category displayed various types of campsite setups, as well as various products like rooftop tents, cooking systems, fridge freezers, solar power systems and slide-out bed and cargo boards.
Another growing segment on display at the show this year was the presence of numerous electrified and hybrid vehicles, and some older machines that were retrofitted with electrification. Jeep parent Stellantis has made electrification a priority over the past year and expects to have at least one all-electric vehicle in each of its brands over the coming years. At the show this year, the automaker brought along two of its 4xe Wrangler hybrid-electric models, including one concept that displayed plenty of Jeep Performance Products. Both vehicles were also housed under the company's solar-powered charging system, which Stellantis wants to install at various trailheads throughout the country as that electrification footprint grows.
For buyers across the automotive spectrum, and especially in the off-road and 4x4 market, SEMA is the perfect place to discover what manufacturers throughout the industry are planning to unveil in the coming months. This year, some of the items that caught our eye were plenty of security and storage options for Wrangler and Gladiator from Truck Hero and Warn, new JL fender flares from Icon and Bushwacker, audio and camera solutions from Stinger Offroad and Sony, JL Wrangler E-Lockers from Eaton, recovery products from Factor 55 and Warn, a Hi-Lift Jack mounting option from Strattec, a new tire option from Mickey Thompson and plenty of LED lighting from Hella, Oracle and Quake.
Quadratec was also a first-time exhibitor at the show and unveiled several new house brands including Lynx Suspension and Wheel products, Res-Q recovery items, Brute Strength Gladiator side protection, Rubicon Xtreme Fender Flares for the JL Wrangler and Wrangler JK Inner Fender Liners.
Besides all the products, builds and wild concept vehicles, SEMA is also very passionate about helping the automotive industry. It first started back in 1963 thanks to people who loved cars and trucks, and wanted to turn that passion into a career. And these days, the organization performs many services for its members and for the industry as a whole. More importantly, SEMA strives to protect consumers’ rights to drive accessorized, customized and vintage vehicles, and keeps close tabs on legislators around the country. All so its members and anyone who loves cars and trucks can protest pending legislation that might harm those hobbies, or endorse legislation that is good for the industry.
SEMA has also helped numerous consumers interact with car dealers, who sometimes try to get away with charging for repairs on a modified vehicle by wrongly claiming that specialty accessories have voided its warranty.
The 2022 SEMA Show is set for November 1-4.
