Bowtie Brand Previews 2013 SEMA Roster

With just a few days remaining before the launch of the 2013 SEMA Show—set for November 5-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center—Chevrolet has joined the preview party with a roster that’s sharply focused on its car family. Which only makes sense, according to Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing: “Chevrolet’s 2014 passenger car lineup is the strongest and most competitive in the brand’s history, offering customers a wide range of great-looking, great-driving and well-connected choices. A five-year plan to completely remake Chevy’s car lineup is resonating with customers, who are finding value in the performance, quality and technologies that complement their lifestyles.”

And it’s to ensure those owners also find a steady stream of fresh aftermarket accessories that Chevrolet puts so much effort into its SEMA projects, like three cherry-picked for previews here. That’s because, although the show is closed to the public, it’s an important test bed for the brand’s latest custom-style upgrades, and potential new ones, and gives Chevy a chance to gauge reactions from industry experts from around the world.

For example, this year’s Chevy showcase will feature a team of 2014 Chevy Sonics, spotlighted by the All-Activity Concept designed to honor the multitalented motorsports expert Ricky Carmichael.

Like Carmichael, whose resume includes an X Games gold medal, an American Motorcycle Association championship and a number of competitive runs on the NASCAR circuit, the All-Activity Sonic is an all-around athlete enhanced by:

• Chevrolet Performance goodies like a turbo stage kit, high-flow exhaust, cold-air induction, lowered suspension, brake package, and 18-inch wheel/tire combo
• Race-inspired exterior graphics that accent a satin-black finish with pearl blue highlights, capped off by a THULE roof rack
• FOX Racing seat inserts in a dark-green-and-black interior, with black leather trim and lime-green piping, as well as a Chevy Accessories pedal kit, flat-bottomed racing-style steering wheel, and premium audio

2013 SEMA Preview: 2014 “Urban Cool” Chevy Impala

The redesigned 2014 Chevrolet Impala has certainly gotten the attention of customers and critics alike, as the former drove up retail sales by 64 percent last month and the latter, led by experts like those at Consumer Reports, have consistently delivered high praise for the new flagship sedan. At SEMA, the Urban Cool Impala goes even further upscale with a lowered suspension that’s set off by a prototype ground-effects kit and 20-inch wheels from Chevrolet Accessories.

The cabin of the Urban Cool Impala gets some SEMA love as well, in the form of a sophisticated black-on-black color palette with Sky Cool Gray seat inserts and orange accent stitching, while the soundtrack comes courtesy of the same 11-speaker Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound System already offered to retail customers of the new Impala.

2013 SEMA Preview: 2014 Chevy Spark EV Tech Performance Concept

Perhaps better known for its EPA-certified 82-mile EV driving range and highly affordable net ownership cost of under $20,000, the 2014 Chevy Spark happens to pack an incredible 400 lb.-ft. of instant electric torque. As a result, not only can the zero-emissions Spark achieve 119 MPGe in combined driving, it also can outrun a 1969 Chevy Camaro SS by dashing from 0-60 in 7.5 seconds.

The SEMA-fied electrified Spark gets juiced up even further with some nifty software enhancements, as well as more robust axles to handle the increased power, then gets adorned with an eye-catching backlit bow-tie logo for the grille, billet-aluminum wheels, a flip-up “activation switch” to start the vehicle, and sill plates, floor mats and pedal covers from Chevrolet Accessory.