Nichola Beckford/Contributor

The 2022 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show opened strong on Tuesday (November 1) at the Las Vegas Convention Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Why should you care? Because SEMA is the iconic trade show that features the companies and people that design aftermarket parts and deliver services to the automotive community at large. Wheels, tyres, pops and bangs for your BMW, it all starts at SEMA every year. This makes it the epicentre of automotive trends, trends, and culture.

That Probox slammed to the ground, rocking tyres stretched over insanely wide rims – SEMA. That European sedan sounding like a Jamaica Defence Force military exercise – blame SEMA.

The annual trade event – sorry, no public – draws thousands of exhibitors and tens of thousands of buyers to Las Vegas to look at the newest aftermarket automotive products and services that could define the automotive market in the years to come. For the first time in the show’s history, it was cancelled due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but was held in quarantine conditions in 2021, limiting its scope. This year there are a mind-boggling 1,900 exhibitors and nearly 65,000 buyers on hand to traverse four halls massive halls of the Las Vegas Convention Centre.

Over a four-day period, attendees can browse the products and services on display from innovative start-ups, iconic brands from across the world, enjoy interactive experiences, see product demonstrations and celebrities in and out of the automotive space, all while networking to develop new business opportunities.

“The SEMA show provides exhibitors a superior opportunity to connect and develop relationships with partners, buyers, distributors, and more, not just on the show floor, but also through activations, industry receptions, banquets, and awards presentations,” said Tom Gattuso, vice president of events – SEMA.

The focus may be on the aftermarket, but original equipment managers (OEMs) haven’t ignored the fact that automobile owners like to modify their vehicles, no matter how mild or wild.

Though the 2022 show has seen some fallout from the current supply chain issues affecting new car manufacturers, that still that hasn’t stopped OEMs participation as Toyota, Stellantis, and Volkswagen have expanded their presence at the event on the knowledge that aftermarket support is a key element to attract buyers. Many offering up dealer approved and sold aftermarket parts themselves.

Where the OEMs go, the aftermarket follows, leading to showcases like SEMA Electrified, which highlights products designed to modify electric vehicles or convert internal combustion engine automobiles to electric power. SEMA Overland Experience features adventure-focused modifications for popular off-roaders.

For those who just want to enjoy cars at their rawest and silliest, there is the eBay Motors Experience, featuring drift ride-alongs and the automotive mayhem associated with YouTubers Hoonigan.

With the specialty equipment industry worth US$50.9 billion, there’s plenty of business to be done.

However, that’s not what makes the SEMA show popular with the average man. What SEMA is famous for is its outrageous builds.

The size and scope of the show means every exhibitor is not only looking for creative ways to display their products, but catch the limited attention of attendees during the hustle and bustle of each event day.

These display vehicles range from subtle and intricate, to outrageous. OEMs get in on the action, working with aftermarket companies to generate eye catching machinery or use SEMA to unveil creations from their own design studios. Others may dip into their extensive back catalogue to bring old or never-before-seen-in-public vehicles to bless their booths. Whatever the booth car is, as media content flows to the public, the attention expands to the wider enthusiast market.

This element elevates SEMA to the automotive Mecca it has become, concurrently leading the future while respecting the past of cars it proudly celebrates. The show ends tomorrow (November 4), with the SEMA Ignited and SEMA Cruise. Ignited invites the public for a glimpse of the event, using a more relaxed afterparty vibe, at which point the streets of Las Vegas see many of the display vehicles, under their own power, on parade.