sema

LAS VEGAS--Scosche has been manufacturing car stereo dashboard mounting kits, wire harnesses, and installation accessories for so many years, but it has never offered a car stereo receiver of its own...until now.

At the 2012 SEMA Show, Scosche showed off the SCDBTA60 Car Stereo Receiver. This unit features an internal four-channel amplifier that outputs a maximum of 40 watts per channel and three preamp outputs for adding external amps. It's got a CD player and an SD card slot, and can connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth (HFP and A2DP), USB, or an auxiliary input. By itself, it'… Read more

If I were a betting man, I'd wager that the SEMA Show in Las Vegas is easily the largest aftermarket car show in the world. Hundreds of customized cars (dinged-up daily drivers, glossy show cars, battle-scarred race cars, and bench racing dyno queens) crowd the Las Vegas Convention Center every year. It's nearly impossible to see it all, but that doesn't stop us from trying. So after filling up an SD card with snapshots, we've sorted out the best of the first day for your enjoyment.

The Camaros, Corvettes, Sparks, and Sonics that populated Chevrolet's … Read more

The 2011 SEMA Show has come to a close, but I've still got an SD card full of photos of the hundreds of wild rides displayed there.

With that in mind, I've rounded up 130 photos of some of the hottest rides found on the floor of the SEMA Show. The cars have been split into four bite-size categories for quick navigation.

There were plenty of Asian imports to be found, with styles ranging from VIP to street tuner to race ready. This was the first year that I was able to check out the anime-inspired Itasha style … Read more

At the 2011 SEMA Show, Directus debuted an aftermarket infotainment system that uses MirrorLink technology to integrate smartphone social media and entertainment applications.

The Directus Prodigy One Pro is based on the Android platform and uses MirrorLink technology to bring in approved mobile applications from paired smartphones, such as iPhone and Android devices. Directus' Redfly app controls which applications can be mirrored on the Prodigy One Pro, so you'll probably be able to access Pandora or iHeartRadio with its touch screen, but don't expect to play Angry Birds. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--This week, tuners showed off their latest automotive creations, putting new body work, stereos, and engine mods in cars such as Civics and Velosters at the SEMA show in Las Vegas.

The Specialty Equipment Manufacturer Association (SEMA) held its annual show in Las Vegas this week, and CNET was on hand to see the latest outlandish car mods and new technology on display. SEMA is a show for stuff you can do to a car after it leaves the factory.

Here are a few highlights from the show: … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Hyundai's last few appearances at the SEMA Show have been so Genesis-heavy that I had to double-check I hadn't stumbled into Sega's booth.

Although the Genesis Coupe is still a large part of Hyundai's aftermarket strategy for the 2011 SEMA Show, the automaker's focus has been shifted to its new weapon of choice: the brand-new 2012 Veloster. Hyundai's booth was home to the unveiling of five custom Veloster models, including the ARK Performance Veloster that we saw previewed not too long ago.

The ARK Veloster features a laundry list of modifications that touch … Read more

LAS VEGAS--When a manufacturer of headlights and auxiliary lights shows you its newest products, it's probably not a good idear to look directly into the light.

Sylvania isn't shy about boasting that it is the leader in automotive lighting technology, but I'll admit that I wasn't expecting to be wowed by a bunch of light bulbs. I was, quite literally, dazzled.

Once the after-image had cleared from my vision, it was explained to me that the new Slyvania Silverstar zXe line of aftermarket replacement headlight bulbs attempts to mimic the ultra white light of HID headlamps … Read more

LAS VEGAS--A letter F on a report card is usually a bad thing. However, when Lexus slaps an F-badge on the back of one of its vehicles, you should know that the automaker means fast and not fail.

Actually, the F stands for finesse, but let's not split hairs. The GS 350 sedan with F Sport package that Lexus debuted at the 2011 SEMA Show is no mere appearance upgrade, it should also be faster than the standard model.

However, the extra performance comes in the form of suspension, aerodynamic, and chassis upgrades, as the GS 350's 3.… Read more

LAS VEGAS--Last year's SEMA Show may have been the year of the hybrid, but this year Honda is throwing its weight behind its original golden child, the Honda Civic.

The automaker has filled its booth here at the 2011 SEMA Show with a collection of high-performance and high-styled 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe and Sedan models.

Leading the high-performance charge is the Bisimoto Engineering 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe, which spins the dyno's rollers to the tune of 1,004 horsepower. That's no typo: one thousand and four ponies. More amazingly, Bisimoto does so with the Si'… Read more