The 10 Most Absurd Custom Cars at the 2016 SEMA Show
Believe us, winnowing it down to that number wasn’t easy.
Each year, automakers, custom car builders, and aftermarket part manufacturers invade Las Vegas to show off their most outrageous and drool-worthy vehicles at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association's annual trade show in Las Vegas—better known to everyday people as SEMA. For a week, the automotive world gathers together to cast aside
Some of the case on display are beautiful; others offensive; still others, ugly enough send you scrambling to find bleach to throw into your own eyes. So we pulled together a list of 10 cars from all three of those categories to give you a sense of just how mad SEMA can be. But trust us—for every car on this list, there are three more almost just as worthy of your praise or damnation.
Engraved Subaru WRX STI With Widebody Kit
This custom STI on the SEMA show floor shows off a custom, metal-engraved widebody kit, built by Japanese company Corazon, which includes fender flares, a custom front spoiler, custom side skirts, a new rear diffuser, and a new front bumper. There's also a new titanium exhaust, third-party taillights, and an aftermarket spoiler. Those wheels that are fitted right under those massive flares were built by ACE Flowform. Oh, and it's right-hand drive, which makes it JDM A.F.
NASCAR-Engined Nissan 370Z Drift Car
It's one thing to stuff an LS motor into some random, non-General Motors car, but it's a whole other thing to use a 600-plus-horsepower NASCAR racing V8 engine in a drift car build. And this build isn't even done. Carscoops reports that when the owner is finished with this 370Z, the V8 will be pumping out 850 hp.
2,000-Horsepower Toyota Land Speed Cruiser
We at The Drive can't get enough of this 2,000-horsepower Toyota Land Cruiser concept. As we told you before, this mind-numbing SUV has a top speed of 220 miles per hour. Why? We couldn't tell you. There's no legitamate reason why anyone should ever need to drive that fast in a truck like this. Then again...sometimes the only reason to build something is because you can.
Kuhl Racing Gold Engraved Nissan GT-R
Before we even knew about the engraved STI, this GT-R, customized by Kuhl Racing, was strutting its aftermarket engraved gold body panels at the Tokyo Auto Show. Now it's at SEMA to show America what's up.
Dodge Challenger Shakedown
Dodge
Somehow, the maniacs over at Dodge managed to stuff the heart of a modern Challenger into a lowered, 1971 Challenger body. That means it has a 485-horsepower 6.4-liter V8; it also borrowed a six-speed manual from the Viper. And yet, it still looks almost identical to a 40-year-old muscle car. It's wild.
Ram ProMaster Pit Stop
The Ram ProMaster Pit Stop is the ultimate tailgating vehicle. No cooler-equipped pickup could ever deliver anywhere near the parking lot, beer-sharing, barbecuing experience that this van can. There are built-in kegs and a tap system, a convenient sunshade, and some sick wall-mounted neon lights.
Ryan Tuerck's Ferrari-Engined Toyota GT86 Drift Car
After the build was finished, Ryan Tuerck's GT86 drift missile was brought to SEMA so it could achieve appropriate levels of gawking. Though we don't have any official drool stats or gawking numbers, we've assured ourselves that this highly-customized, Ferrari 458-engined Japanese sports car was well-received at the custom car show. Because why wouldn't it be? It's amazing.
Chevrolet Camaro SS Slammer
The Slammer concept is GM's best attempt at stance. Its 22-inch wheels front and rear ride beneath an air suspension system, and the whole thing is pushed around by a 455-horsepower 6.2-liter LT1 V8 engine. Useless? Maybe.
Dazer Off-Road Toyota Prius
We found this hot piece of ridiculousness while scavenging SEMA social media posts. Though details on the build are slim, it appears we have found a Prius that's modified by a Japanese company called Dazer. The hybrid (assuming it's still a hybrid) looks to be lifted, have METHOD race wheels, a push bar, all-terrain wheels, fender flares, and a new front bumper.
1,000-Horsepower 1965 Ford Mustang
Take a 1965 Ford Mustang, add nine months of track-readying treatment by Timeless Kustoms in California, and you wind up with a maniacal 1,000-horsepower customized ponycar. Absolutely everything from the roof to the motor appears to have been replaced—and all for the better. From the inside, you can't even tell you're still in a Mustang. Especially not one that was born more than 50 years ago.
