SEMA is all about the vast automotive aftermarket, from the tallest donk to the lowest drift machine. One category that has been notably absent is the Japanese nostalgic car, but things are moving in the right direction. One of the pioneers of bringing old school flavor to the biggest car show in the world is Enkei Wheels.
As we previewed yesterday, this year Enkei displayed Sebastian Hill‘s mean yellow Datsun 510 to show off the lastest wheel in the Classic Series, the Enkei Apache II. These are 15 x 7 +38 fitment in black, but they also come in a sexy 15 x 8 +0 with a silver finish.
Just a few booths away at XXR Wheels was Jeff Rodriguez‘s sinister Toyota Celica Liftback. It was wearing a brand new design that has yet to be named. All we were told is that it would come in 15 x 8 +0 and 16 x 8 +0.
This car turned tons of heads, thanks to the sleek gray color job by SoCal paint legend PJ Bonifacio.
Spec Clutches had the Ranz Mazda RX-4 at their booth. Because it was completely debadged and had an Lexus IS 300 drivetrain, no one knew what it was. Opel? Escort? Vega? Only about three people got it right.
At the Falken Tires booth was one of two Rauh Welt 911s at the show. The Japanese Porsche tuner’s American debut got a lot of attention. Turaichi shakotan stance, bolt-on fender flares, and insane wing-on-wing action give this ass-engined Nazi slot car some far east flair.
Next to the green Porsche was Toyota‘s Lexus LFA supercar in a shade of dark red we’ve yet to see. Makes us wonder how a 2000GT would look in this shade. Hmmm…. we’ll stick to Pegasus White.
Last and very least, there was this abomination. We did say SEMA had all types of aftermarket parts, right?
Photos by Dan Hsu
That last thing is a S10 right?
*an
Also, the 510 looks really nice. I’m usually not too excited by them. It’s probably that paint and the duckbill.
Yup! Yellow S10, yellow 510 — quite a remarkable lot of difference there, for just one mirrored digit/letter.
I cant believe JNC is promoting those junk nock off wheels!
Disappointed
Which wheels are you talking about? The XXR?
What are they a knockoff off? I’ll admit the bear a passing resemblance to the old SSR Mk2, but I don’t think they made that in a 5-spoke version, did they?
probably refering to ALL the Rotas, which are all knock-offs
I’d say he meant the Rotas. And the Enkeis might be commissioned by the same company, but I’m guessing they come out of an Advanti facility and they’re one-piece-cast fake three piece , which is a whole different story to the original welded 3 piece construction sub 14″ wheels they’re ‘paying homage’ to; IMO, Rota ‘pay homage’ in almost the same way…
we can’t all be rich enough for the real deal in the perfect offset.
If you’re talking about the Rotas, letting readers know what’s out there is reporting, not promoting. 😉
If you’re talking about the XXRs, we weren’t about to let the Celica go unmentioned just because of its wheels. And as John pointed out it’s not really a knockoff.
Woot +0 offset!
hey, the XXR booth says no photos.. whoops! 😀
I risk it all for JNC =P
That Celica is dead sexy! I love the flared wheel arches, never been a fan of the huge bolt ons. Simple is always better!
XXR 532
http://www.nlmotoring.com/XXR-532-Wheels-s/1675.htm
wish they werent dual pattern
1.) I will admit that because of the head-on view of the RX-4, my first thought was “Buick Opel Isuzu.” It’s the stripe! They all had that stripe!
2.) “ass-engined Nazi slot car” That’s a P.J. O’Rourke line from Car and Driver magazine, back around 1980 or so. Me and a buddy of mine just about died reading that line back in the day, and still call Porsches “ass-engined Nazi slot cars” to this day.
3. The abomination. The SEMA show is great for abominations. I always find it fascinating just how ugly someone can make a car who has a lot of fabrication skills but zero taste or artistic sense.
Any coverage of the Victory 50 booth?
Wow, can’t say I’m surprised to see Rota has already knocked off the new Work CR01’s. Thieves. Big props to Enkei though for bringing the goods.
Was SSR there at all? I walked about in circles looking for them, but no luck.
That yellow 510 in the Enkei booth was a beaut! 😀
SSR is under Tanabe, which wasn’t there this year
Totally wish I could have gone. Awesome way to start a post. Was this the only 510?? Any other Datsuns? (sorry if I sound bias haha) I love that RAUH-Welt 911. The fatlace crew really made a push to get RWB here in the US. Beautiful monsters.
Please dump more photos. All photos, good, bad, ugly, fake’n da funk, I want to see it all.
DAMN! Those XXRs are too good. With they came in 15×7 though… 8 is a bit radical for a daily driver… not to mention the cost of tires… but DAMN those would look good on my RA21.
more sema pics
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Progressive-Autosports/162798422240