Compiled by Cristian Gonzalez
A new band of builders is readying their project vehicles to take the stage at the 2025 SEMA Show in Las Vegas for the ultimate car-building competition: Battle of the Builders (BOTB) Presented by Mothers Polish. The annual competition sets out to find the most well-built and innovative vehicles in the automotive aftermarket across four unique categories: 4 Wheel Drive & Off-Road; Hot Rod & Hot Rod Truck; Sport Compact, Import Performance, Luxury & Exotic; and BF Goodrich Young Guns (contestants 29 and under).
Editor's Note: Applications are open for the 2025 SEMA Battle of the Builders Presented by Mothers Polish at semabotb.com. All builders with a vehicle displayed at the 2025 SEMA Show may enter the competition at semabotb.com before the deadline on October 17, 2025.
In the short period leading up to the SEMA Show, a four-judge panel comprised of industry leaders will narrow the field from hundreds of vehicles to 40--10 from each category--which will be announced on the first day of Show Week at the BOTB stage in North Hall (booth #10168). As the week progresses, the contenders are further winnowed as the competition intensifies.
BOTB is an exciting outlet that showcases the creativity, ingenuity and style driving the current state of the aftermarket. Winners walk away with unmatched bragging rights, along with new marketing and networking opportunities. What makes BOTB especially unique is that once the final four builds are selected--one from each category--the builders themselves come together to decide who among them deserves the top honor.
What follows is a sneak peek at a small handful of contending cars, trucks, hot-rods and more, and what about their construction makes them unique. (Additional SEMA News coverage of 2025 contests can be found here and here). Keep an eye on SEMA News for more Battle of the Builders vehicle previews, and visit SEMAShow.com for event scheduling. Can't make it to Vegas this November? Be sure to follow along on SEMA Live, the SEMA Show's live virtual broadcast, which captures all key moments of BOTB and the biggest activations happening during Show Week.
NICK SOPRANO
'15 SENSUALE
Category: Sport Compact, Import Performance, Luxury & Exotic
Inspired by the legendary cars from the golden age of motorsports, Nick Soprano designed and engineered a vehicle invoking the spirit of '60s Italian design. Harnessing the essence of that era, it's powered by a '60s vintage alloy 4.4L Ferrari V12 engine partnered to a five-speed transaxle through a torque tube. Chrome-moly oval tubing makes up the chassis and is supported by fully adjustable Heim jointed suspension on gas coil-over shocks. With a custom interior featuring vintage-racing-inspired leather seats inside and out, this car has earned the name Sensuale.
SAM COLLINS
'68 PORSCHE 911
Category: BFGOODRICH YOUNG GUNS
Sam Collins made a gutsy move, throwing an American motor into this classic Porsche. Collins squeezed an LS1 into the engine bay and paired it with a six-speed gearbox from a '98 911. The rear suspension has been converted to a coilover setup, complementing the original front suspension with billet adjustable ball joints and Bilstein shocks. Inside, billet pedals and shifter accentuate a fully finished interior guarded by a half cage. Morimoto LED lighting illuminates the darkest roads for this yellow Porsche. At the same time, it rolls on BBS e50 wheels enveloped in Mickey Thompson tires.
RYNO LIEBERMAN
'55 CHEVROLET BEL AIR
Category: HOT ROD & HOT ROD TRUCK
Cruising with vintage style and modern flair, this '55 Chevrolet Bel Air features a fully worked body set atop a custom air ride chassis. A channeled 1.75-in. custom sheetmetal floor braces the firewall to the trunk, while shaved trim accents complement the fabrication throughout. Lieberman fitted the Bel Air with a Fi-Tech port-injected 383 small-block Chevy from Blueprint Engines, which sits in a shaved-down engine bay and is paired with a Bowler 700 transmission. Quick Performance 9- and 14-in. brakes bring 18-in. Billet Specialists wheels to a quick stop. A full custom audio system is enveloped by the shaved dashboard and custom interior further complemented by the built-out trunk space.
JEFFREY BOAZ McHADDAD
'58 CHEVROLET APACHE
Category: BFGOODRICH YOUNG GUNS
Jeffrey McHaddad crafted one intimidating race truck--the kind that makes inexperienced drivers think twice before getting behind the wheel. The Apache is an interesting amalgamation of three car models. The bed comes from a '64 Chevy C10, boasts a '19 Mustang widebody kit and features a '04 Tahoe chassis in front but a complete tube chassis in the rear. "I took the best parts from other vehicles and put them together to create this masterpiece," says McHaddad. Powering this machine is a 6.7L triple-turbo Cummins engine cranking well over 1,000 hp with a full-manual valve body transmission ready to hold up against anything that motor throws at it.
Image courtesy of Bart Cepek Photography.
NOEL MARTINEZ
'06 NISSAN 350Z
Category: SPORT COMPACT, IMPORT PERFORMANCE, LUXURY & EXOTIC
A Japanese body with an American spirit, this '06 Nissan is powered by a Gen 3 Hemi and supercharged with a Magnuson 2650--all married to the factory transmission and ready to handle that American powerhouse. Rather than throwing on a carbon-fiber wrap, Noel Martinez opted for a complete carbon-fiber construction, cutting its overall weight. The Holley Terminator X Max system manages the Mopar motor and reportedly makes more than 800 hp at the wheels on low boost. GKTech full-lock system with BC Racing coilovers lends it that aggressive handling stance, making it ready for any motorsport you throw it in.
Attendee registration for the 2025 SEMA Show, November 4-7 in Las Vegas, is now available online here. Online registration for qualified professional attendees is $100 per person, with badge pickup on site on the SEMA Show campus. A SEMA Show badge includes access to both the SEMA Show and AAPEX.
For updates on SEMA Fest, the one-day musical and motorsports festival on Friday, November 7, or to purchase "SEMA Show Friday – Open to the Public" tickets, visit semafest.com.
