SEMA News—January 2014
EVENTS
By Steve Campbell
The 2013 SEMA Award
The Hottest Vehicles of the 2013 SEMA Show
Each year, SEMA recognizes four vehicle models that specialty-equipment manufacturers believe are the best platforms for accessorization and that showcase the year’s coolest products. The awards are determined by counting the ’13–’14 model year vehicles chosen for display in exhibitor booths at the annual SEMA Show. The SEMA Award honors are presented in the categories of Hottest Car, Sport Compact, Truck, and 4x4-SUV.
“The SEMA Show has always been the annual event where the newest and most innovative products are seen first,” said Chris J. Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “The SEMA Award celebrates the industry’s unique ability to identify and set the trends that influence consumers worldwide. It also underscores the cooperative relationship between the automakers and SEMA-member companies.”
The 2013 SEMA Award was presented to the Ford Mustang as Hottest Car; the Scion FR-S as Hottest Sport Compact; the Ford F-Series as Hottest Truck; and the Jeep Wrangler as Hottest 4x4-SUV. We’ve compiled a brief photo album accompanied by commentaries from some of the exhibitors who chose to display these vehicles in their SEMA Show booths, providing a greater understanding of why the selections were made.
Ford F-Series, 2013 SEMA Show Hottest Truck
The focus and specialty of American Force Wheels for the last decade has been custom forged-aluminum wheels ranging from 20- to 26-in. sizes.
“The Ford F-Series—particularly the ’14 F-450 Platinum from Street Diesel Performance—is a prime representation of the American Force Wheels brand, which is also made in the U.S.A.,” said Nick Chin, marketing director for American Force Wheels. “Just like the Ford F-450 Platinum, we build strong yet refined products—all forged aluminum—offering cutting-edge designs that basically exemplify the overall high quality expected by the customer. Congratulations to Ford for being recognized for this distinguished award.”
The Street Diesel Performance ’14 F-450 Platinum displayed in the American Force Wheels booth was also equipped with a Rize Industries suspension lift and Rigid Industries lighting.
Dee Zee offers a full range of accessories for the Ford F-Series, including steps, toolboxes, tanks, guards, mats and racks. Dee Zee says that the F-Series’ style and design provide versatility and lend it to accessorization.
“Being the best-selling pickup in America, the Ford F-Series is a major focus of Dee Zee based on its popularity and potential accessory sales,” said Danny Kruzic, director of marketing for Dee Zee Inc. “It’s a very deserving vehicle, and our F-150 was a Ford project vehicle that was awarded to our company in 2012. This is the second year we have used this truck in our SEMA booth, and all of the accessories we plan for the future will have the Ford F-Series included.”
In addition to the offerings from Dee Zee, the Ford F-150 featured in the company’s SEMA Show booth was outfitted with American Racing wheels, Nitto tires and a Superlift suspension.
Cooper Tires offers several options for F-Series trucks, including the Discoverer A/T3, Discoverer CTS and WeatherMaster WSC. With emphasis on continuously reimagining current products to fill needs within the market, the company says that it’s only a matter of time before Cooper produces more light-truck products that will complement the F-Series and drivers’ ultimate needs. The Cooper booth truck was fitted with Discoverer A/T3s mounted on Dick Cepek wheels, provided by Mickey Thompson.
“Displaying the Ford F-Series in this year’s Cooper booth at the SEMA Show symbolizes Cooper’s positive relationship with Ford,” said Anne Roman, Cooper Tire vice president for communications and public affairs. “In addition to a long-standing partnership with Roush Mustang, Cooper announced in February that the Cooper Zeon RS3-A tire was selected as standard original equipment on the ’13 Ford Focus SE and Titanium models, marking Cooper’s first entry into the U.S. passenger-car OE market. Having the F-Series in our booth at the SEMA Show also illustrates Cooper’s commitment to positive dealer relationships, as the truck is the grand prize in a dealer incentive program underway as a lead-in to Cooper’s celebration of its 100th anniversary, which will be marked in 2014.”
Truck Covers USA supplies a variety of covers and racks for the Ford F-Series. The company also constantly researches and develops new products, with the F-Series at the top of its innovations list.
“We chose the F-Series Raptor because it is one of the most exciting trucks of our time,” said Nils Forssman, president of Truck Covers USA. “It lends itself to our accessories, which are tough and built to last, and it complements our revolutionary products. The F-Series is the perfect backdrop to showcase and to market our merchandise to consumers. All in all, it is an awesome truck and the type of vehicle that grabs people’s attention. Congratulations to Ford. The award was well deserved, and the F-Series is our number-one seller.”
The Raptor in the Truck Covers USA booth at the 2013 SEMA Show was augmented with Magnaflow exhaust, Toyo tires, BMF wheels, Rigid Industries LED lightbars, a Line-X liner, a BullyDog tuner, Hi-Lift jack and accessories and an Airaid intake.
Extang offers a wide range of tonneau styles for the F-Series, including soft or hard folding covers and traditional roll-ups as well as toolbox applications. The company also plans to expand its line in the future.
“As everyone knows, the F-Series is America’s number-one-selling vehicle,” said Steve Kelley, vice president of sales for Extang. “Our customers like to see our products represented on the trucks they drive, and we think the pickup’s best attributes are the combination of style, quality and reliability that Ford is known for. The range of bed choices offers a good platform for our products, and it’s no surprise that the F-Series was the most popular truck at the SEMA Show. We always try to represent Ford at the Show, since both of our companies are home-based in Michigan”
The Extang booth pickup was also outfitted with General tires on BMF wheels, Iron Cross bumpers, KAO window tint, a BedTred by BedRug, Gibson exhaust and a Ground Force leveling kit.
Innovative Creations Inc. (ICI) manufactures several upgrades for F-Series trucks, including front and rear replacement bumpers, OE LED light solutions for the factory bumper, factory-bumper winch mounts and a full line of side bars. ICI’s rocker panels come in three styles, including a new black rocker armor that was one of the company’s best-received new products at the 2013 SEMA Show.
“The exterior design of the F-150 we chose for our booth complements the ICI line of exterior accessories, including our magnum bumpers, rocker armor black rocker panels and our line of side bars,” said Mike Stanifer, ICI’s director of sales and marketing. “The F-150 Raptor has many attributes and improvements, but the exterior styling and upgraded suspension stand out. Congratulations to Ford on a job well done. It is a great truck.”
The Raptor in the ICI booth also featured Vision X lights, a Bull Dog winch, a TonnoPro tonneau cover, a BedTred liner, a Bully Dog programmer, an Airaid intake, a MagnaFlow exhaust and an Odyssey battery. The build was facilitated by San Tan Ford in Gilbert, Arizona.
The entire product line for Truck Accessories Group (TAG) brands is available for Ford’s F-Series pickups. The brands include Leer, Pace Edwards, Century and Raider.
“Consumers value the styling and fuel efficiency of Ford’s F-Series trucks, and the F-Series has been at the top of truck sales for the better part of three decades,” said Patricia Stewart, senior marketing specialist for TAG. “We displayed two Ford Raptors in our booth this year, one built by Kelderman and the other by Jim Lewis and Promotorsports. Both presented outstanding opportunities to display our products within our booth space, including the Raider Phantom and the Pace Edwards Switchblade.”
The TAG booth vehicles also featured products from Diamond Eye Performance, SCT, Old Town Canoes & Kayaks, Thule Racks, Bedslide, AMP Research, K&N, Air Lift, Billet Badges, Tire Gate, Magnum Bumpers and General Tire.
Spyder Auto carries LED taillights, LED headlights and CCFL headlights for many models of the F-Series. The company also carries off-road lights that can be mounted to the F-Series chassis in a variety of ways.
“The F-Series is significant for us as a company not only because we provide a vast number of products for it, but also because it’s an extremely popular vehicle,” said Robert Theys, media coordinator and sales associate for Spyder Auto. “Our products can be mounted on a variety of F-Series models and can help bring a bigger audience to our brand. The line that we produce for the F-Series epitomizes who we are as a company and the type of audience we would like to reach. Functionality and style with attention to details provide the customer with an aesthetic upgrade as well as an upgrade in performance.”
The Spyder Auto booth vehicle also had contributions from AEM, N-Fab, Fiberwerx, King, BDS, Ikon and BMF.
“We are thankful and honored to be part of the reason that the F-Series won its award,” said Theys. “The F-Series will continue to be a mainstay in our future products.”
Ford Mustang, 2013 SEMA Show Hottest Car
Addco Manufacturing offers multiple products for the Ford Mustang, including maintenance-free bushings, front and rear sway bars and new Series 3 hardware that includes carbon-fiber end links and billet-aluminum mounting brackets.
“The Mustang is an extremely versatile car that allows consumers to complete all of the personal modifications they choose and ultimately have a car that can rival an expensive European model,” said Ed DeMarcellus, president of Addco. “While the Mustang was the most displayed car at the 2013 SEMA Show, each one was different from the others. The car’s versatility and the ability to add as much to the Mustang as you desire or leave it totally stock gives owners an amazing vehicle that they can be proud to drive on a daily basis.”
The Addco Manufacturing booth Mustang included a wealth of specialty equipment, including products from Procharger, Wilwood, Vossen Wheels, BMR Suspension, Whiteline Suspension, JBA/Pertronix, Toyo Tires, Ford Racing, Roush Performance Products, Jarhead Bob and Max, Kicker/Stillwater, S&H Performance, Avery Dennison, Intelum, Classic Design Concepts, Katzkin, Schroth Racing, APR Performance, Cervini, Whistler Group, QA1 Performance, AEM Performance, Braille, California Pony Parts, Metra and Croftgate USA. The installations were performed by J2 Speed and Custom of Omaha, Nebraska; Auto Trim Design of Omaha, Nebraska; and LSX Automotive and Performance of Lincoln, Nebraska.
Exedy Globalparts Corp. supplies clutches for the Ford Mustang, with multiple options based on year and engine size. The company also offers two stages of automatic transmission wet friction performance kits for the 6R80 gearbox.
“The Mustang that we included in our booth is owned by Vaughn Gittin Jr.,” said Jennifer Sinclair, marketing/promotions coordinator for Exedy Globalparts Corp. “It is his signature version of the Mustang RTR edition. Vaughn is the face of the Mustang in the drifting world and is also one of Exedy’s sponsored drivers. He is a world drifting champion, and his Mustang is outfitted with our ET04XD strap drive type, twin-plate clutch with six cerametallic sprung hub discs. It has a clamp load of 2,922 lbs. and is rated up to 847 lb.-ft. of torque at the wheels, assuming a 20% driveline loss. All of this is needed when Vaughn is kick-clutching it while drifting.”
Gittin’s Mustang also features Air Lift Performance air suspension, Rotiform “BLQ” wheels, Nitto tires, RTR sway bars, Magnaflow mufflers, a Ford Racing Torsen differential and Recaro seats.
Merced A/C Equipment Service Inc. will soon be releasing cold charge induction systems for the ’10–’14 and ’05–’09 GT500 Mustang. Merced says that the systems cool the fuel and air intake to deliver a dense charge to the engine, promoting sustained power gains, improved fuel economy and reduced greenhouse emissions. Merced is also currently developing a high-efficiency, liquid-to-air intercooler for turbocharged Mustang applications.
“We specifically engineered our revolutionary cold charge induction system for the new GT500 Mustang, as it boasts the biggest power that American muscle has ever seen,” said Fred Burke, senior project engineer for Fire On Ice by Merced A/C Equipment Service. “The new GT500 Mustang’s nostalgic style fused with its futuristic aesthetics also literally grabs most automotive enthusiast’s attention, and the car was certainly instrumental in making our SEMA Show a huge success. The 5.8 Coyote engine has exponentially raised the technological bar. Out of the box, it’s a 200-mph machine capable of supporting more than 1,000 hp, if one were so inclined.”
Trufiber offers carbon-fiber and fiberglass hoods and accessories for Mustang interiors, exteriors and engine bays, and the company is constantly coming out with new products for the Ford pony car.
“Mustang has always been our platform,” said Phil Truong, the company’s vice president for marketing and sales. “It’s the best-looking musclecar in the market, and it’s accessory friendly. It’s not surprising to us that Mustang won the SEMA Award.”
The Mustang in the Trufiber booth at the 2013 SEMA Show was outfitted with Airlift suspension, a NXT Generation hood-lift kit, a Classic Design Concepts lightbar, Falken tires, Interlum sill plates, a JLT oil separator and cold-air intake, KAR Motorsports paint and pinstriping, Magnaflow exhaust, Katzkin seat covers, Mothers polish and wax, MRR Design wheels, a Paxton supercharger, Radiant LED headlights, R1 Concept rotors, Scott Drake accessories and a Whiteline suspension. The original rendering was done by Bernal Auto Style.
RAV Ravaglioli is an Italian manufacturer of garage equipment, such as wheel aligners, tire changers, wheel balancers, alignment scissor lifts, double scissor lifts, two-post and four-post lifts.
“We were looking to have the American dream car fit on our Italian products for our 2013 SEMA Show booth,” said Alessandro Zennaro, area manager for RAV Ravaglioli.
“The Mustang is recognized worldwide. Our products are universal in nature, but while we don’t have specific products only for the Mustang at the moment, we may in the future, depending on new applications.”
STS Turbo Inc. manufactures complete single- and twin-turbocharger systems for V6 and V8 Mustangs. Company president Mike Langford said that STS Turbo selected its Boss 302 project as its booth vehicle because of its ability to handle extra horsepower.
“Mustangs are a lot like Harleys in that everyone wants to customize and personalize them to be their own,” Langford said.
“The aftermarket has responded with hundreds of add-ons to make that possible. It feels good helping people reach their performance goals and doing it in a way that not only delivers more power but also makes the car run cleaner and get better fuel economy.”
The Boss 302 in the STS Turbo booth at the 2013 SEMA Show also featured components from Comp Turbo, Wilwood Brakes, Whiteline, KW Suspension, Toyo Tires, Speed Hut, HD Wheels, Turbosmart and Deatsch Werks.
Scion FR-S, 2013 SEMA Show Hottest Sport Compact
BASF’s automotive refinish paint systems—BASF Glasurit, R-M and Limco—are among the finest coatings available for body shops, restoration facilities, customizers and commercial transportation. The Scion FR-S build featured in the BASF booth at the 2013 SEMA Show represented an official beginning to the West Coast Customs (WCC) legacy being carried on to the next generation, with WCC CEO Ryan Friedlinghaus and son Lil Ryan working together for the first time on a vehicle.
“I chose the Scion FR-S because it has the look and feel of a Ferrari without the price,” said Lil Ryan. “Anyone could afford this car.”
The WCC FR-S also featured Giovanna wheels, Tein suspension, Continental tires, Custom Roadwire and Ultrasuede interior, BASF R-M “WCC WhiteGold” paint, a Five-Ad five-piece lip kit, Magnaflow exhaust and an ABT brake system.
Cusco USA supplies engine parts, suspension coil-overs, suspension arms and links, chassis bracing, rollcages, limited-slip differentials, exterior body components and accessories and racing seats as well as FIA professional rally racing components for the Scion FR-S.
“With our close affiliation with Toyota and Subaru in Japan, everyone knew that this model was going to be a special one and was going to change the industry,” said Kenji Inoue, director of U.S. operations for Cusco USA. “There was a certain ’80s sport-compact FR vehicle called the AE86 that our company was best known for modifying and racing in their early years. The Scion FR-S being the successor of this model, we absolutely had to pay homage and develop a wide array of new products, just as we did for the AE86.”
The Cusco USA Scion FR-S was also modified with Enkei wheels, Yokohama tires, Winmax brakes, Bride seats, Five Axis Design products and an OEM Audio+ sound system.
“We would like to thank everyone for the continued support,” Inoue said. “The enthusiasm and passion of the industry is what keeps us pushing the development and progression of this chassis.”
Specialty Products Co. produces suspension components for the Scion FR-S, including front eccentric camber bolts, camber-adjustable rear control arms and adjustable rear toe links. Vickie Wheeler, advertising and graphics manager for the company, said that the Scion is appealing because it is an entry-level car that can be easily modified.
“We have been focusing some of our engineering efforts specifically toward this platform for a couple of years,” she said, “We wanted to showcase that effort with the placement of the car in our 2013 SEMA Show booth.”
The Specialty Products FR-S was further enhanced with an Airaid intake system, an Innovate Motorsports supercharger, a Delicious Tuning ECU tune, a Borla UEL header and cat-back exhaust, Yoshihara Designs 18-in. wheels from Discount Tire Direct, KW V3 coil-overs, Baer Pro+ big brakes, a Ground Control strut bar and camber plates, a Rev Ink wrap, an Odyssey battery, a Carsmo rear spoiler and a sound system by The Speakerbox and Memphis Car Audio.
Sprintex is an Australia-based designer and manufacturer of twin-screw superchargers and supercharger systems, with an assembly operation in Oklahoma, a manufacturing facility in Malaysia and an OEM office in Detroit. The company supplies twin-screw supercharger systems and optional intercooler systems for the Scion FR-S.
“We chose to display an FR-S with our system because we felt that it is currently a popular and high-profile vehicle within the SEMA segment of our business,” said Jay Upton, chief technology officer of Sprintex Limited. “The car was provided by Innovate Motorsports, our U.S. distributor, allowing us to promote both the Sprintex supercharger system installed on the car and to support our key distributor for that product in the North American market.
“The FR-S addresses the true spirit of the SEMA market. It is designed and built to embrace a vibrant aftermarket. It maintains the underlying premise of a performance car but also addresses the continual push to smaller-engined vehicles. The car appeals to a younger market, which is important to us all for the future of our collective SEMA businesses. It is a blank canvas for all facets of the industry to show what we can bring to a new generation of car enthusiasts.”
The Innovate Motorsports Scion that Sprintex displayed was equipped with Rays Engineering Gram Lights wheels, AP Racing brakes, KW suspension, Sparco seats, Borla exhaust and an APR rear wing.
Vortech Engineering manufactures a complete supercharging system as well as a tuner kit for the Scion FR-S. The company also supplies an H/D oil-fed system for dedicated race applications and a Maxflow race blow-off valve upgrade for the system.
“The Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ are exciting cars, to say the least,” said Brian Ellis, sales/marketing/social media for Vortech Engineering. “The FR-S is a lightweight, nimble, rear-wheel-drive car, and it is a perfect starting point for a Vortech supercharged upgrade. It is nearly universally agreed that the FR-S could use some additional power, and that is always a great attribute as far as we are concerned—because making more power is what we do!”
The FR-S in the Vortech Engineering booth at the 2013 SEMA Show was additionally equipped with Baer brakes, Rotiform wheels, Falken tires and Status seats. The car also featured a Rocket Bunny Version 1 body kit and rode on AirRex struts with AccuAir air management. Phantasy Kolors painted the car in a bright green that grabbed all the attention.
Spyder Auto’s 2013 SEMA Show booth housed a Scion FR-S in addition to its F-Series pickup, also a SEMA Award winner. The company’s FR-S offerings include a set of full LED taillights as well as CFFL halo projector headlights that were debuted at the SEMA Show. Spyder Auto also has a set of fog lights and a brake/reverse LED system in the works for the FR-S.
“The Scion FR-S was an obvious booth choice for us,” said Robert Theys, Spyder Auto’s media coordinator and sales associate. “It’s the hottest coupe on the market, and we have dedicated a huge amount of resources and marketing to push our products for the vehicle. The FR-S is marketed to our main demographic as well as to an untapped market for us: the import drift scene.”
Spyder Auto had a myriad of sponsors on board for its FR-S, including GReddy, Seibon, Evasive Motorsports, Project Mu, Toyo Tires, Optima and Sparco.
“The FR-S’s award for Hottest Sport Compact vindicates our decision to pour a lot of resources, man hours and marketing dollars into a vehicle that is a proven commodity,” Theys said. “The aftermarket scene for the Scion FR-S is going to continue to grow, and we are happy to be a part of such a passionate and innovative group of auto enthusiasts.”
Jeep Wrangler, 2013 SEMA Show Hottest 4x4-SUV
AnzoUSA products are SAE and DOT compliant to FMVSS No. 108. They are 100% street legal and manufactured in the company’s state-of-the-art ISO 9002 and QS 9000 quality-certified factory.
“We currently offer more than 25 Jeep-specific aftermarket projector headlights and LED taillights,” said Suzie Kirby, director of sales and marketing for AnzoUSA. “In addition, we have developed and introduced a line of high-output HID and LED off-road lights that the Jeep audience has tested and embraced. We recognized the Jeep Wrangler JK as the perfect test vehicle for both AnzoUSA products and the Jeep audience. As I’m sure you are already very much aware, Jeep is not just a vehicle; it’s a lifestyle! It is no surprise that the Jeep Wrangler was the most displayed 4x4-SUV at the 2013 SEMA Show. The new Wrangler JK is the perfect platform for the aftermarket-accessories industry to personalize and specialize products for the hardcore off-roader or weekend enthusiast.”
The AnzoUSA booth Wrangler also featured products from Body Armor, S Pod, Odyssey Battery, K&N, Teraflex, Replay, Superchips, Black Rhino, Magnaflow, Edge Products, AMP Research, Viair, RBP, Nitto Tires, TrailFX Winch, Katzkin and Monster Hooks.
Konig American produces a full line of on- and off-road wheels for the Jeep Wrangler under the company’s Mamba Offroad line. Marketing Director Scott Weiss said that the Wrangler’s strong and proven off-road history and capability are what make it so attractive.
“The Wrangler is an iconic off-road vehicle,” he said. “That is why it was the perfect choice to represent our Mamba Offroad wheel line at the 2013 SEMA Show. We were very lucky that we made a lot of wonderful relationships with some fantastic manufacturers on this vehicle.”
The Konig American Wrangler was equipped with Rugged Ridge exterior accessories and 4-in.-lift suspension, a Raceramps rock stand, Toyo tires, Grillcraft grille inserts, a Surco roof basket, a Vibe Audio sound system, Legit Accessories LED lightbars and LED products, Bushwacker flat-style fender flares and WetOkole seat covers. All of the building and labor was done through Projekt Cars and Southwest University.
Warehouse distributor Premier Performance carries the lines of more than 250 manufacturers that make parts for the Jeep Wrangler, and the company is continuously looking for innovative quality products for the vehicle.
“The Jeep JK platform is one of the largest-growing segments of the off-road industry,” said Holly Goulding, director of marketing for Premier Performance. “We felt that it was necessary to show everybody that not only do “We Speak Diesel” but that we speak Jeep and off-road also. The best thing about the new Jeep platform is that it attracts all sorts of buyers, from hardcore off-roaders to soccer moms. More people buying the Wrangler gives us more opportunity to sell aftermarket parts.”
Among the suppliers of components for the Premier Products booth Wrangler were Active Grafix, AEV, AFE, ARB, Currie, Dynatrac, EVO, Factor55, J.W. Speaker, King Shocks, Magnaflow, MOPAR, Motive Gear, Nitto, Poison Spyder, PSC, RCV, Rigid, SRM, sPod, Trail Ready, Truck-Lite and Warn.
Katzkin Leather supplies custom leather interiors for all automotive brands, and the Wrangler is one of its most popular and best selling. The interiors can be viewed on the company’s exclusive Interior Selector at its website.
“The Wrangler is the ultimate freedom vehicle in terms of go anywhere and vehicle self-expression,” said David O’Connell, chief designer for Katzkin Leather. “It’s the kind of vehicle that inspires people to get up and go drive ‘somewhere,’ and the adventure starts in the driveway, not at the destination. The Wrangler is the perfect blank canvas to create an expressive, individualized and exciting design statement. With removable doors, it really shows off the interior, which is what Katzkin Leather is all about.”
The Katzkin booth Wrangler included products from Chrysler and MOPAR as well as Enkei wheels and Toyo tires, and the graphics were supplied by Big City Wraps in Los Angeles.
Magnuson Products builds supercharger kits for ’07–’11 3.8L and ’12-plus 3.6L Pentastar Jeep Wranglers, and the company plans to add kits as the Jeep JK/Wrangler platform evolves.
“The Jeep Wrangler is one of the most modified vehicles on the market,” said Matt Hately, Magnuson’s executive vice president of marketing and sales. “Jeep owners spend $2,000 on average, but we see $50,000–$100,000 build-outs at the top end. When you customize a Jeep, often you are adding bigger tires and a lot of weight, so adding power is a must. There’s no better way than a supercharger to add 100 hp of reliable power with OEM-level drivability and—most importantly for off-roading—low-end and mid-range torque. We believe there is a lot of potential for us in the Jeep market.”
The Magnuson booth Jeep was also equipped with components and systems from Rock Krawler Suspension, Borla Exhaust, Rugged Ridge, Eaton, Optima Batteries, Smittybilt, sPod, AEM, Falken Tire, Powertank, Rigid Industries, G2 Axle & Gear, Truck Lite and RotoPax.
Omix-ADA/Rugged Ridge offers products covering just about every aspect of the Wrangler: tops, bumpers, hoods, fender flares, wheels, interior and exterior accessories. The company also offers a number of performance products as well as repair and replacement parts, and its nine-person engineering team is constantly developing products for the Wrangler, such as the new ExoTop, which combines a roof rack and soft top into one product.
“Jeep and the Wrangler have been our specialty for the past two decades,” said Henk van Dongen, the company’s director of marketing. “Immediately following the introduction of the JK Wrangler in 2007, our main focus shifted to parts and accessories for that model. Currently, more than 50% of our business is generated just from parts and accessories for ’07–’14 JK Wranglers. As long as Jeep keeps producing vehicles with the enthusiast in mind, the Wrangler will continue to have a strong community of vehicle owners who are passionate about customizing their vehicles.”
The Wrangler in the Omix-ADA/Rugged Ridge booth was also equipped with Mickey Thompson tires, Truck-Lite LED headlights and military lights, Bubba Rope synthetic rope, Kicker audio speakers, ISEE Systems military rear lights and an SCT Performance engine tuner.
ReadyLIFT Suspension offers adjustable leveling kits, mild lift and new Off Road systems for the Jeep Wrangler. The company says that its new Off Road line retains full OEM comfort and handling on the road but is designed for maximum suspension use and articulation when off the road. ReadyLIFT is also due to launch its SST9000 performance shock line and an even more aggressive suspension system within the next year.
“For ReadyLIFT, displaying Nicole Johnson’s 6.4L Hemi-powered Jeep JK Wrangler Unlimited was so important that we put the vehicle in the center of our booth to garner the most attention,” said Brian McCormick, media and marketing director. “The flexed stance of the Jeep allowed us to better demonstrate the suspension capabilities of our new line of products.”
Johnson’s Jeep was also equipped with Walker Evans wheels, Nitto tires, Currie Enterprises axles, an ARB air locker, Rigid Industries LED lighting, Spider Web Shade trail mess cover, a Kicker sound system, Nemesis fenders, an AEV hood, a Rock Hard Sport Cage rollcage, a Power Tank air tank, a Knuckles rear bumper and tire carrier, a Warn front bumper and winch, Rock Slide Engineering step sliders, Rugged Ridge half doors, ASFIR skid plates and a PSC steering ram.