The car enthusiasts over at 0 – 60 magazine are at SEMA again with a new Scion xD-based rally-inspired car. It is in stark contrast to the Lexus IS F they presented at the 2008 show. The publication partnered with Sparco to create this off-road concept.

It features some of the following equipment from Sparco: mud flaps, Pro-ADV race seats, a communications unit, a Safari Race steering wheel, race pedals and a 6-point harness.

Other bits include an FIA-spec rally cage, front aluminium skid plate, a universal light pod, front bumper pod mounts, Greddy gauges and exhaust system, a carbon bonnet, B&G Custom RS2 coilovers and springs and Volk TE-37 15 x 6.5 wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich rally tyres.

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This is the ‘mobile kitchen’ from Scion and MV Designs that will take SEMA further into the realms of ridiculousness or genius – depending on your take. Paying homage to the Los Angeles roaming Kogi Korean BBQ truck famous both for its combination of Korean with Mexican food, the show car spares very little in fitting all the required equipment for beers and a barbeque into every nook and cranny of a Scion Kogi xD. Scion and MV Designs aren’t that forthcoming on the details of how such a show car came about; in fact they’re probably asking themselves the very same question.

Rear seats are ditched in favour of a fridge incorporated into the left rear door and an ice chest and sink fitted to the right rear door. At the rear, the griddle allows for the usual culinary culprits – burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, sweetcorn, etc. – cooked in front of a 10-inch monitor with utensils pinched from the left tail light and finished off by condiments stored in the right.

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Country music duo Brooks & Dunn will break up in 2010 after 20 years of making music together. For over three years they were sponsored by the Tundra and so Toyota called on The B.A.D. Company to build this special one-of-a-kind Midnight Rider Tundra Tailgater as a celebration of their upcoming farewell tour.

The pair has a large following with truck fans and therefore the V8 Tundra became the best base for a modified SEMA 2009 show car. The tailgate is where most of the action takes places. It features a pull-out Grill N Chill with cooking space, a beverage tap, an ice chest and infrared barbeque. A bed-installed 42-inch flat screen TV and a Kicker sound system with dual subwoofer and separate amplifier make for great outdoor party accessories.

The exterior features silver western-engraved door handle surrounds, a Brooks & Dunn custom license plate, 20-inch Mickey Thompson “Classic Lock” polished aluminium wheels, a three-inch suspension lift and custom black leather trim seats.

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Suzuki is bringing a host of vehicles to the SEMA Show being held in Las Vegas next month.  Amongst the cars will be four different Suzuki Kizashi models, and a tuned version of the Equator pickup truck.

One of the versions was crafted by Road Race Motorsport.  Their Platinium Edition Kizashi has a black roof, custom graphics, new springs, and sway bars.  Also present is the Westside Auto Group’s model, the Kizashi Soleil.  It features a two-tone paint job, and new fenders, grille, and fascia.

Other companies involved are Delta Tech Engineering, Import Tuner, and ICON Vehicle Dynamics.  You can read about each car in the press release below.

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In 2008 Fox Marketing showed a 600hp-plus Lexus IS-F at the SEMA show. This year the tuner has gone for a topless IS350C and gave it a whole new personality. The 3.5-litre V6 was fitted with a ProCharger supercharger system pushing 6 PSI, a Yonaka Intercooler, 2.5 inch stainless intercooler piping, couplers and silicone hoses. The exhaust is from partner F-Sport. Power thus increased from a standard 225kW (306hp) to 298kW (405hp) which is not far off a factory IS-F’s 310kW (421hp).

Fox fitted iForged wheels sized 20×9 inches up front and 20×11.5 inches at the rear, cloaked in 245/30/20 and 305/30/20 Toyo T1R tyres. The suspension features Yonaka SPECII 36-way adjustable coilovers and a rear brace from TunedParts. Brakes utilised are 14-inch discs with 6 piston calipers.

Exterior work includes BASF R-M Foxy Green paint, a lip molded front spoiler, black headlight housings, 3-prong LED indicators, IS-F side fenders and side skirts, a carbon fibre rear wing and black grille inserts. The interior is coloured cream and features some black painted parts and a Classic Design Concepts light bar.

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California-based tuning outfit Rhys Millen Racing will be bringing their adapted mid-engined V8 Hyundai Genesis Coupe to Las Vegas next month for the SEMA Show.  The company built their RM460 Genesis Coupe with the Genesis sedan’s 4.6-liter Tau V8 engine modified to produce 500 horsepower.

“We’ve enhanced the original performance features and created a rear hatch for complete engine access and viewing pleasure,” wrote company head Rhys Millen in a press release.  “Placing the Tau V8 in the middle of the Genesis Coupe’s architecture will improve vehicle handling, acceleration and braking and enhance the already dynamic driving experience.”

Engineers stripped out the rear seating, opting to place the V8 in its place.  The engine has a new management system, as well as upgraded pistons and throttle bodies.  With the engine compression ratio at 11.0:1, the tuners then mounted a five-speed sequential transmission from Mendeola.  Top speed is rated at 182 mph, but the driver can rein that power in with the StopTech performance brakes.

The RM460 comes with 20-inch wheels wrapped in Toyo T1R tires.  Carbon fiber was also used on the spoiler and rear hatch, which incorporates glass for viewing the engine.  Inside, the car features carbon fiber panels, and Alcantara and Chrono sports seats from Sparco.

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Japanese tuners Zele International have released details of their modified 2009 Nissan GT-R called the Zele R35 GT-R Complete Edition. The carbon fibre menace has been tweeked out with an aero kit, bumpers, front and rear spoilers, and side skirts. The air ducts, grille, and side mirrors have also been revisited. Carbon fibre is also used for a roof.

Unveiled today at the 2009 Tokyo AutoSalon, the production car is based on a prototype shown off at SEMA last year. Using carbon fibre for the body and titanium for the exhaust, the tuner has shaved weight from the car in almost every conceivable place.

But front and center is the engine tuning, which sees output increase to 550hp. Inside, Recaro seats covered in Alcantara have replaced the stock seats. The car itself sits on new 20-inch black alloys, which contain a large set of brake pads. An upgraded suspension is also included.

And if you do not want the bright orange colour choice, Zele says that is no problem. The company offers to create and mix any metallic or pearl colour their customers desire.

Only eight Zele R35 GT-R Complete Edition vehicles will be released. Pricing begins at 18,880,000 yen ($208,000). This is 3,130,000 yen ($34,500) more expensive than Nissan’s GT-R SpecV. Delivery of the Zele R35 will begin in March.

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The Toyota and Lexus modifying veterans at Five Axis have put together a seriously hot-rodded Lexus GS 460 for the SEMA show. Following up last year’s IS F concept, the Troy Sumitomo-designed super sedan was revealed on Tuesday. As the teaser illustrations hinted, the Five Axis GS 460 features a widebody kit housing massive 20-inch offset wheels, 8.5 inches up front and 10.5 at the rear. Custom-formatted PPG paint contrasts with the blackout wheel trim.

That striking bodywork is wrapped around a lowered and stiffened suspension, and Five Axis has added a big-brake kit and custom fabricated exhaust as well.

The GS 460 shares display floor space with last year’s IS F concept, which has returned with more power, as well as a range of F-branded Lexus modification products. Read the rest of this entry and check out more photos »

GM needs to seriously add some romance to its lineup if it is going to get out of the dire position it is in right now in the passenger car market. The Pontiac range is a good place to start and here GM has sexied up a few Pontiac models and delivered them as concept cars to SEMA, taking place in Las Vegas tomorrow.

The G8 GXP concept will feature a GM Performance Parts crate engine fetchingly named the LSX454 – a 7.4 liter engine with 638 hp and 813 Nm (600 lb-ft) of torque mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. This compares to the G8 GXP’s factory-issue 6.2 liter V8 with 415 hp and 562 Nm (415 lb-ft) of cranking power borrowed from the Corvette.

The G8 ST concept is the El Camino of 2008. If 70s retro is your thing, then you might enjoy this low-rider, transport bedded version of the G8 ST concept. You can check out the press release for details but there is nothing remarkable except for the optics which you can see in the photo.

Third comes the Solstice GXP Coupe concept, with the same 2.0 liter, 260 hp Ecotec engine found in the factory model which this SEMA version here boosts to 290 hp with the addition of an air-intake performance kit. Here GM engages in some tuner styling worthy of seeing the streets.

But, unfortunately, none of these concepts are slated for production, which leads one to deduce that this is pure eye-candy marketing on the part of GM and that it has no intention of delivering anything unique to consumers or true supercars, in the form of this G8 GXP concept, capable of competing with European models.

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Subaru has revealed today the Mountain Rescue Forester Concept vehicle which makes its debut for the SEMA show next week in Las Vegas.

Since 1974 Subaru has been a well known brand to skiers and ski communities thanks to the all-weather traction advantages of 4-wheel-drive. As a result, Subaru is honoring the men and women of Ski Patrol teams who risk their lives to rescue skiers and snowboarders by presenting the Mountain Rescue Forester Concept, the ultimate first responder vehicle equipped with trail-driving capability and essential rescue gear.

Co-developed with Detroit-based Specialized Vehicles the Mountain Rescue Forester Concept is based on the Forester 2.5XT turbo crossover and features 14 inches of ground clearance (8.9 in. standard) via an Air Lift custom adjustable ride height air suspension system. Increased traction is provided by Yokohama Geolandar MTS 30 x 9.5-in. tires on custom-reversed 15-in. Subaru steel wheels.

Other features include custom front and rear skid plates, grille guard, fender flares, lower door cladding, a rear gate guard and tail light guards, LED emergency lighting package, 9500-lb. winch, remote rear door openers and external quick-access utility compartments, Yakima ski carriers and rescue toboggan.