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This story happened to be lost in the Dubspeed Driven story vault for a while, but dug it up over the weekend. This is another fun read by the great storyteller, Donald Bond, who shares his first ever SEMA experience with us. - Zerin

Story by Donald W. Bond
Photos by Donald W. Bond & Mike Staley

When I was originally asked to be a part of the Dubspeed Media Team, I had no idea where it might one day take me. A short time later, I found myself in the middle of Las Vegas, attending the largest automotive extravaganza on the planet – SEMA . I’d always read about the SEMA Show in popular rags like Truckin’ or Hot Rod, but reading about it and experiencing it in all of its glory is another thing entirely. Read the rest of this entry »

Since the large majority of our reader base is the European crowd, there is one particular news item from the SEMA show that you Volkswagen guys will be very excited about. 2005 marked Volkswagen’s first official entry into the SEMA show, and spoke very confidently of Volkswagen’s future with the SEMA show. Basically it was stated that they are commited to the Volkswagen crowd of tuners, and are commited to giving the Volkswagen crowd what they want. This was followed up with a reiteration of what models are headed to the US by 2007 (Such as the new GTI, the EOS, etc..), as well as a “2+2 sport coupe that hearkens to the heyday of the Scirocco.” According to Volkswagen, this coupe could be shown as early as next year’s SEMA show. Could Volkswagen really be turning the tide here and listening to the thousands upon thousands of enthusiasts that have been crying for a real sports coupe? Lets hope so.

Quote from press release:

VW’s current technical strengths and enriched model lines are simply one wave of a torrent of new models, including a new Passat with a larger, more powerful V6, the next GTI, the Eos hardtop convertible, and, further down the line, a 2+2 sport coupe that hearkens to the heyday of the Scirocco. Look for more exciting Volkswagens at next year’s SEMA Show.

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Last but not least, we bring you the beautiful women and girls of the 2005 SEMA Show, all wrapped up into one easy to view gallery. Enjoy.

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Our 2005 SEMA Show Day 3 gallery is up! Sadly, this was our last day at the show and was spent photographing several cars we weren’t able to previously, as well as reshooting a few cars you might see in our first two days of coverage.

Oh, and don’t think this is it for our galleries…. we have a couple of great stories in the works for you, as well as a seperate gallery full of the girls of the SEMA show coming tomorrow! For now, enjoy!

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My 2005 SEMA Show Day 2 Photo Gallery is Up! Day 2 of SEMA was another exciting but very tiring day. I don’t think anyone can understand just how big this show is until you actually try to walk all 1,000,000 square feet of floor space just to make sure you don’t miss anything. Matt Chow is walking the show with me and he’ll have his photos up later this weekend. If I didn’t catch something, he did, and I don’t mean from the hookers everywhere either. Anyway, enjoy our day 2 gallery and come back tomorrow for day 3 photos! Read the rest of this entry »

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The Honda Sport Concept Civic Si, unveiled at the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show today, is an extensively modified version of the all-new 2006 Civic Si with aggressive exterior and interior styling and a track-tuned suspension.

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The wide-body Sport Concept Civic Si (+50 mm) features aerodynamically styled front and rear bumpers with lightweight carbon fiber construction and sleek door styling. Low, aggressive carbon side skirts along with a rear carbon diffuser and a center exhaust outlet accent its ultra-low profile. To enhance high-speed downforce, the Sport Concept Civic Si utilizes an adjustable, two-piece carbon wing spoiler. The vehicle is painted Anniversary White Pearl in celebration of the Civic Si’s 20th anniversary.

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LAS VEGAS, Nov. 1, 2005 – Volkswagen of America Inc. today hosted its first display in the 42-year history of the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s (SEMA) annual exhibition of automotive parts and accessories, presenting a trio of ultra-high-performance dream vehicles, two new accessorized sport sedans, plus a glimpse into the future with a race-winning robotic SUV.

Volkswagen has been a familiar marque at the SEMA Show since the first Beetle was transformed into a dune buggy, but never before has Volkswagen of America exhibited at the automotive aftermarket’s most important gathering. In addition to the three project vehicles built in cooperation with HPA Motorsports, the display features two of Volkswagen’s newest production cars, the Jetta 2.0T and Passat 2.0T, each adorned with a comprehensive array of Genuine Volkswagen Accessories, from body kits to sport suspension springs to uniquely styled interior accoutrements.

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Well most of the Day 1 gallery anyway. We’re still waiting for Matt Chow to find his way back from the various entertainment on the strip so we can steal his compact flash card. For now, here are 400 photos from the first day. Enjoy!

Las Vegas, Nevada (November 1, 2005) – Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (VCNA) announced pricing of the all-new 2006 Volvo C70 today at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada. With a base price of $38,710, the all-new Volvo C70 is priced 2.9 percent lower than the previous generation C70. The warm desert breezes and glittering lights of The Strip set the perfect backdrop to announce the aggressive pricing strategy for Volvo’s newest model.

“The pricing of the all-new Volvo C70 is as exciting as the car itself,” commented Anne Belec, President and CEO of VCNA. “With its unique three-piece retractable hardtop, true seating for four adults, door mounted inflatable curtain and a starting price below $39,000, the C70 offers something for everyone.” Priced nearly three percent lower than the previous generation Volvo C70, the all-new C70 is the most recent Volvo vehicle to offer tremendous value, innovative safety solutions and stunning design. The base MSRP includes a host of convenience features such as front 8-way power seats, automatically locking storage in all four seating positions, power windows, cruise control and an eight speaker stereo system with a six-disc in-dash CD player. A wide range of option packages let the new C70 buyer equip their car for luxury or sporting athleticism. Read the rest of this entry »