One area that often gets lost in the shuffle for automakers is their aftermarket business. However, each year they all converge on Las Vegas for the annual SEMA show to showcase what consumers can buy to make their vehicles go faster, be louder, ride higher or go more places.
SEMA is opening its doors to the public for the first time ever this year.
This year, the show — once the domain of manufacturers and buyers — will open its doors to the general public for just one night. They can wander around the 2.5 million-square-foot Las Vegas Convention Center and get a closer look at new crate engines, specialized lugnut covers, roof tents, and more from over 2,400 automakers and aftermarket vendors.
While tinkering with your own vehicle has been part of the fabric of America, automakers have been diligently working to find ways to make it easier to customize your vehicle. The average truck owner spends about $2,000 on their vehicles getting them just right.
However, automakers offer up plenty of “inspiration” through the concept vehicles they bring to the show each season. Let’s check out some of the offerings.
Ford’s rough and ready
The automaker shows off its new Customer Garage kits with a big one and a small one: the Bronco While Fund Project Vehicle and the Bronco Sport Wild Fund Project vehicle. Each is inspired by the Bronco Wild Fund’s mission, starting with the Bronco Big Bend 4-door with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine that pays “homage to Ford’s mission to keep our planet’s trails clean, green, and beautiful for generations to come.”
The automaker shows off its new Customer Garage kits, starting with the Bronco Wild Fund concept.
Created by Ford Performance Parts and Accessories, this concept Ford Custom Garage kit features 7-Spoke wheels in a concept green color, a Bilstein tuned by Ford Performance 2-inch Leveling-Kit, and custom Katzkin Leather Seats ready for Bronco’s rugged style. The Ford Performance Parts Tube Doors and Power Soft-Top offer the ability to embrace the great-outdoors so you can experience nature as it was meant to be.
The Bronco Sport version rides on 17-inch Free Wheeling wheels in a concept green color and a Ford Performance Leveling Kit. Custom graphics and Katzkin seat covers that complement the outdoor theme.
The automaker brought a few pickups as well, starting with the F-150 ORV Project vehicle. Starting with a 2024 F-150 XLT FX4 with a 5.0-liter V8, the company added a Bilstein 2-inch leveling kit, underbody armor, auxiliary upfit switches, RIGID Industries off-road lighting and special graphics that signal you’d rather be off-roading.
Ford also brought two other pickups: the F-150 FP700S, which is a performance beast anchored by a Whipple Supercharger that tweaks the V8 to 700 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque; and the Solomon Lunger Custom 1969 F-100 “Clyde.” The one-of-a-kind fully custom-built 1969 Ford F-100 features a high-performance 5.2-liter V8 Ford Performance Raptor R Crate Engine paired with a 3.8-liter Whipple supercharger with a total projected power output of more than 900 hp and more than 700 lb-ft of torque.
Nissan’s nervy navigators
The Frontier TARMAC concept is a one-off street truck, a collaboration between Nissan Motorsports, Nissan Design America and Forsberg Racing.
The automaker makes the trek to SEMA with concepts based off the new 2025 Nissan Frontier midsize pickup and the all-new 2025 Nissan Kicks compact crossover. Also making its debut is the Nissan Z Legend accessory package concept, inspired by the popular Z Heritage Edition, which adds another layer of thrill to Nissan’s SEMA presence.
Nissan brought two versions of the Frontier that sit at opposite ends of the fun spectrum. The Frontier TARMAC concept is a one-off street truck, a collaboration between Nissan Motorsports, Nissan Design America and Forsberg Racing.
The TARMAC concept receives a healthy injection of performance thanks to the addition of a Roots-style supercharger, prototype NISMO cold air intake and custom NISMO exhaust system to Frontier’s standard 3.8-liter V6 engine. The result is 400 hp. Keeping that added performance in check is a high-performance big brake kit featuring custom 15-inch floating two-piece rotors and mounts, utilizing the powerful brake calipers from the Nissan Z NISMO.
If solitude is more important than speed, then Project Tailgater is the vehicle for you. It was built in partnership with PowerNation TV’s “Music City Trucks.” It is based on a 2025 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X and was revealed to media and content creators in October, before making its public debut at SEMA. Look out for the three-part series of how the truck was built on the PowerNation channel.
If solitude is more important than speed, then Project Tailgater is the vehicle for you. It was built in partnership with PowerNation TV’s “Music City Trucks.”
“The build begins with NISMO Off Road accessories, including a lift kit and high-performance suspension, bed rack, cargo cases, off-road lighting and 17-inch beadlock capable wheels,” the company notes.
“In addition, Project Trailgater adds almost everything you might need for camping and tailgating outdoors, including two 43-inch weatherproof TVs, powered coolers, grille and even the proverbial kitchen sink.”
Getting some Kicks
The all-new Kicks gets two chances to highlight its all-new look with the Beach Patrol Concept and the Urban shadow concept. The Beach Patrol concept draws inspiration from the rescue trucks used to patrol beaches. Introduced earlier this year, Kicks offers Intelligent All-Wheel Drive for the first time and features best-in-class standard ground clearance, priming it for adventures beyond the parking lot.
The Kicks Beach Patrol concept builds upon that sure-footed capability with a custom suspension lift, 18-inch NISMO Off Road Ascend wheels wrapped in Yokohama GEOLANDAR off-road tires and additional equipment for a day in the sun, like a shower kit and coolers.
The Beach Patrol concept draws inspiration from the rescue trucks used to patrol beaches.
Meanwhile, the Kicks Urban Shadow concept takes inspiration from tuner culture, with graphics, wheels, and suspension modifications that promote on-road excitement. It shows the potential to modify their vehicles by using prototype NISMO parts. Highlights include 18-inch NISMO LM-RS6 wheels, custom coilover suspension enabling a lowered ride height and a NISMO cat-back exhaust system.
Long history
Founded in 1963, the Specialty Equipment Market Association represents the vast majority of automotive aftermarket suppliers.
The trade group’s collective revenues have surged sharply in recent years, jumping from $37.18 billion in 2014 to $46.20 billion five years later. All told, its members are expected to generate a record $53.4 billion in revenue this year, said events chief Tom Gattuso.
That’s a 15% increase from 2019 and while COVID forced the trade group to cancel the 2020 SEMA show, the pandemic actually gave a big nudge to the automotive aftermarket, he said during an interview.
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