The theme
for the SEMA show this year was American Muscle, and the domestic manufacturers
delivered on the theme big time. Trucks from Chevrolet and Ford made a
big—and we mean big—impact, with the new GMT900 products on
stands everywhere and Ford fighting to retain dominance in the segment
with its F-Series trucks. Conspicuously absent were Dodge Ram pickups;
we only saw a few on the floor, and we spied only one new 2007 Tundra
at the Toyota booth, alongside a Tacoma in aftermarket dress. The new
Tundra will make more of an impact next year after it goes on sale, but
surprisingly, the Tundra was named the most accessory-friendly truck at
this year’s show…go figure. Nissan had only one off-road offering
as well in its booth. Here’s what we saw and liked for 2006.
GM commissioned
Orange County Choppers to do a one-off truck that looked as if it stepped
out of a Terminator movie. The Chevy Silverado was black on black with
custom chrome everything, including four chrome motorcycle engines in
the bed. Red tinted windows, motorcycle-inspired wheels, and a billet-aluminum
tailgate cutout made this truck the big attention-getter at the GM stand.
Although
the exterior mods are subtle, there’s nothing subtle about the performance
of the Silverado 427. Under the hood is a 505-horsepower LS7 engine matched
to a Tremec six-speed manual tranny. It features a custom-fabbed air intake
and other parts derived from the Corvette racing program, like a dry-sump
oiling system. Big 22-inch rims with Pirelli tires and a lowered suspension
give the 427 its menacing look. Six-puck Baer brake calipers and 16-inch-diameter
rotors mean business as well.
Dressed in
BASF Synergy Green Metallic Paint, the Silverado Rally Sport features
the 6.2-liter Vortec V-8 with 380 horsepower and 417 lb-ft of torque.
A Ground Force lowering kit dropped the front 2 inches, and Ground Force
rear springs lowered the back. The Chevy Accessories 22-inch wheels wear
Bridgestone Dueler Alenza tires. A catback exhaust, and hard tonneau cover
soon will be available from GM Accessories; the chrome mesh grille and
bedliner are available now.
For those
whose life is nothing but football, GMC has the truck for you. The GMC
Sierra NFL Crew Cab is outfitted with a 50-inch Panasonic plasma screen
and a portable barbecue, cutting board, and cooler on the pullout tailgate
system. NFL logos are placed throughout the interior, and custom PPG White
Diamond paint is complemented by custom NFL stripes in Tarnished Silver.
While the wheels and tires will be available from GMC Accessories, the
pullout grille, unfortunately, isn’t!
