The 23 best cars from the world’s craziest car show

3. Ford Bronco Frostwarden

Ford’s big announcement at SEMA was the introduction of the ‘Megazilla 2.0’ crate engine for racers and other custom-vehicle builders. Newly supercharged with a 3.0-litre Whipple blower, the 7.3-litre V8 can deliver more than 1200bhp – almost double that of the most powerful, normally aspirated Megazilla – and more than 1000lb ft of torque. Showcased in a modified Bronco Frostwarden – an Arctic search-and-rescue concept – on Ford’s SEMA stand, the new motor will be available from Ford Racing Parts from the spring of 2027.

4. 1966 Ford Thunderbird Custom

Renowned Illinois hot rod shop Rad Rides by Troy spent over four years building this elegant 1966 Ford Thunderbird for owner Jim Bridgewater. Highlights include an upgraded, ground and polished 428 motor with Holley fuel injection; custom ‘Bridgewater Brown’ paint; nickel-plated brightwork; a full custom interior trimmed in Italian leather; LED sequential tail-lights; and rebuilt original gauges. After competing on the show circuit, Bridgewater plans to drive the car regularly, rather than treat it as a show queen. For ease of use, it’s fitted with an automatic transmission and cruise control.

5. Jeep Scrambler SRT Concept

Jeep brought a new Scrambler to SEMA, looking to gauge reaction to a Hemi V8-powered two-door aimed at fast, off-road use. The Wrangler-based concept is notable for its independent front suspension – designed by off-road racer Casey Currie – and reversible, removable seating in the load bed, which is as long as the load area in a full-size Ram pick-up. If reaction is favourable and the concept is greenlit for production, it could be on sale by 2030.

6. Gas Monkey Garage Ferrari F6

The SEMA Show is known for its wild customs, and this six-wheeled Ferrari Testarossa, first revealed this summer by Gas Monkey Garage, is no exception. A Katech-built Chevrolet 'LT4' V8 delivers 1200 supercharged horses to the rear four wheels. The car is about a metre longer than standard and also features a rear wing, new suspension, larger wheels and Michelin tyres.

7. Chevrolet El Camino SS ‘Mr Yuk’

Kings Kustomizing created this ‘Toxic Green’ Chevrolet El Camino atop a Schwartz Performance chassis. Power comes from an astonishing 10.5-litre big-block V8 with an 'ATI 4L85E' four-speed transmission built to handle more than 1000bhp. The name 'Mr Yuk' comes from a poison-prevention character who, like the truck, dates from 1971.

8. Idemitsu Honda Prelude Type R

Honda has no public plans to put the Civic Type R powertrain in the attractive new Prelude coupé shell, but that hasn't stopped lubricant supplier Idemitsu from finding out how it measures up. At the heart of things is the 'K20C' 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four, with a rev-matching six-speed manual gearbox. Body mods include a larger grille for better cooling, a deeper front splitter and a rear wing.

9. Hoffman Badger

It doesn’t look like it, but this Badger prototype is a rebodied Tesla Model 3. Hoffman Manufacturing has been around for decades, fabricating metal, wood and latterly DeLorean EV conversions. Now owner Geoffrey Hoffman – who was at the SEMA Show to gauge reaction to the idea – sees an opportunity to build more modern vehicles using salvaged Teslas. The Badger would be certified as an 11-seat bus, which would smooth the path to market, but he envisages many different body permutations. Hefty chassis-side extrusions are said to offer improved impact protection for the carryover battery pack.

10. 1971 Ford Capri

Ontario-based JH Restorations is a SEMA Show regular. Its latest build is a 1971 Mk1 Ford Capri with a 5.7-litre Ford Racing V8 under the bonnet, complete with a distinctive, Borla eight-stack intake. The body lines benefit from extensive tweaking, including skilfully incorporated wheel-arch extensions to house wide American Racing wheels. UK suppliers to this SEMA Battle of the Builders Top 12 finalist include GAZ (suspension) and D-Class Automotive (custom interior).

11. Mitsubishi Outlander Diamond Trail Edition

Mitsubishi is refreshing its all-SUV North American line-up as part of its ‘Momentum 2030’ mid-term business plan. The next new model will be the Diamond Trail Edition of the conventionally powered Outlander, which will arrive as a 2028 model. Reprofiled bumpers increase the approach and departure angles, all-terrain tyres deal with slippery surfaces, a new seating material is easier to clean and redesigned roof rails can support a much heavier load, such as a rooftop tent.

12. 1946 Dodge Power Wagon

Another new build making the trip south from Canada was this stone-grey 1946 Power Wagon with a custom four-door crew cab. It rides on a Tisdale Coachworks chassis and has a 5.9-litre Cummins diesel engine under the bonnet. Classic custom touches include hidden hinges and a flush-fitting windscreen, while the bed is lined with satin-black 'Carbon Series' hardwood from BedWood.

13. Nissan Sentra Spec-V

The Spec-V taps into Nissan’s sport compact heritage – specifically the Sentra SE-R, which arrived in the US in 1991. Based on the current Sentra, the concept swaps the regular normally aspirated 2.0-litre four and CVT for a turbocharged unit with 300bhp and the six-speed manual from the Juke Nismo RS. The Brembo brakes and Recaro front seats come from the GT-R.

14. 1965 Pontiac GTO Convertible

Ringbrothers’ latest creation is ‘Billie’ (as in ‘GOAT’), a 1965 Pontiac GTO custom based on a Tempest Convertible. The finished body is five inches wider body than standard, with carbonfibre doors, reshaped front wings, widened rear wings and lengthened rocker panels. A supercharged Chevrolet 'LT4' from Wegner Motorsports provides the power, routed through a Bowler 10-speed automatic gearbox.

15. Jeep Recon Overwatch Concept

Silent running on the trail is touted as a virtue of the new Jeep Recon EV, which is given the SEMA custom treatment at this year’s show. The 670bhp Overwatch Concept gets a prototype 2in lift kit, destined for future availability through Jeep Performance Parts, and rides on 34in tires on JPP-designed beadlock wheels. The body, with removable doors and rear glass, is finished in muddy-white Ghost paint, while the interior gets pistachio-green leather seats.

16. AFE Subaru Outback Wilderness Custom

The petrol-powered Outback is gone from the UK market but lives on its seventh generation in North America. The factory Wilderness edition already ups the ruggedness factor, but this custom on the AFE booth takes things a step further with performance engine parts, a Warn winch, an AFE lift kit, a skidplate, an intercooler shield and Falken WildPeak all-terrain tyres.

17. 1962 Ford F-250

Brothers Tyler Waltz and Damien Bakke made the Battle of the Builders Young Guns Top 10 with this imaginative take on vintage ‘Good Humor’ ice cream vans. Named ‘Dirty Humor’, the roadster-style Ford F-250 rides on a new chassis and updated drivetrain. The ‘Strawberry Smoothie’ and ‘Mint Green’ powder-coating is a neat touch.

18. Toyota RAV4 Woodland Plug-in Hybrid Concept

Outdoor-friendly family SUVs are all the rage in North America, and Toyota is one of several manufacturers to establish a new name – Woodland – to denote the most rugged version of multiple model lines. For this year’s SEMA Show, its CALTY Design Research operation created a set of Woodland concepts, including this RAV4, with lift kits, chunky wheel-arch extensions, satin black wheels and all-terrain tyres. All are painted Horizon Blue, a shade inspired by a 1960s Toyota colour.

19. Urban Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II Widetrack

British customiser Urban Automotive has marked its expansion in North America by exhibiting at the SEMA Show for the first time. On its stand are two vehicles featuring its Widetrack styling programmes: a Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 and the Emparador Truffle-painted Cullinan shown here. All the original chrome detailing is replaced with dark trim, including a black Spirit of Ecstasy, while the build also includes sill extensions and carbonfibre for the front bumper, rear bumper, diffuser and wheel arches.

20. Honda Civic Type R HRC Concept

Due to be launched in the coming months, this higher-performance Civic Type R will be the first production car to wear the Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) badge since it merged with Honda Performance Development (HPD) in 2024. Precise details of its performance upgrades remain thin on the ground, but Honda has confirmed at the SEMA Show that the hottest Civic yet will be sold in North America.

21. 1928 Ford Model A ‘McLaren-Honda’

California-based customiser Tony Quinones, who appeared in the Netflix series Car Masters: Rust to Riches, has just finished this unique, McLaren-Honda-inspired build for Ayrton Senna fan Bill Cardoso of Scorpion EV. The 1928 Model A’s L-head motor is replaced by a mid-mounted 300bhp Honda 'K20C1' crate engine mated to a Porsche six-speed transaxle. Adjustable wings with built-in LEDs and a 3D-printed air intake help achieve the Formula 1 look.

22. Shelby GT500CR Carbon