Super Rare Japanese Cars Shine at SEMA Show with 2,400 Companies
The "SEMA SHOW" is a large-scale event dealing with "aftermarket products" such as modified car parts and repair supplies. Kumiko Kato, an automotive journalist who has been covering the show for 30 years since 1993, reports on the excitement of this year's show from the show site.
200,000 people attended at a venue the same size as Tokyo DisneySea.
The SEMA SHOW is a massive aftermarket trade show organized by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) in the United States. The first event was held in 1967, and this year marked its 58th edition, with 2,395 exhibitors and over 200,000 attendees during the event. For comparison, the Tokyo Auto Salon and the Essen Motor Show, both considered part of the world’s top three modified car shows, had 378 and about 500 exhibitors, respectively, highlighting the scale of the SEMA SHOW.
This year’s event took place from November 6th to 9th, Japan time. The Las Vegas Convention Center, where the event was held, is also vast. The indoor exhibition space totals approximately 290,000 square meters, with display areas extending to every corner of the outdoor parking lot. Additionally, events like drift races were held nearby, bringing the total area to over 500,000 square meters, roughly the size of Tokyo DisneySea.
The transportation method connecting the sprawling venue is also impressive. Attendees use the free shuttle service VEGAS LOOP, which was completed in 2021. Operated by Elon Musk’s Boring Company, it features a network of large underground tunnels, where attendees ride in Tesla cars. While it is planned to become fully autonomous in the near future, this year, drivers were still at the wheel.
Among the many exhibits, Toyota stood out with exceptional attention. Their booth was positioned at the entrance of the main center hall, indicating their popularity. Toyota dominates the U.S. market with the Camry (the best-selling passenger car with 254,832 units) and the RAV4 (the top-selling SUV with 389,718 units), enjoying overwhelming support in the country.
In addition, custom models based on 4×4 vehicles such as the Land Cruiser (Land Cruiser 250 in Japan), Tundra, Tacoma, Sequoia, and 4Runner, which were eagerly awaited this year, made their grand debut. The booth was always packed with people, creating an electrifying atmosphere.
