Was the 2021 SEMA Show worth the Wait?

November 2021 • Video by Nestor Cabrera • Photos Nestor Cabrera

It’s hard to believe that the last SEMA Show we attended was over two years ago! Two years without the SEMA crunch, the long lines of people waiting for autographs, and without all the feature vehicles filling up the convention center.

Since its inception, the SEMA Show has become the premiere automotive event in the world. With the Covid-19 pandemic forcing the cancelation of the 2020 edition—among many other automotive events—the question around the industry was whether we still needed to have the SEMA Show.

SEMA was originally conceived as an automotive trade show where manufacturers could display their latest products to potential customers. Isn’t that what trade shows are really about? In the mid 2000s, however, something happened that fundamentally changed SEMA. It was still and industry-only trade show but a small movement within the industry started to change the Show’s scope. I call it the Fast and Furious effect since this movie is credited with rejuvenating the car culture. As F&F-related brands started to rely on celebrities to endorse their products more mainstream media were attracted to the show.

You still had the b2b portion of SEMA but if you wanted to be noticed then you needed more than cool parts in your display. If you didn’t have a cool car or some celebrity signing autographs, then why show up? Consequently, SEMA budgets grew astronomically as did the cost of vehicle builds. SEMA always being in the know started to produce its own TV shows and then its own competition, The Battle of the Builders—that were never part of the original trade show concept.

When Covid-19 hit and forced the world to a virtual landscape SEMA, which relied on its live event also had to shift gears. In 2020, they launched a virtual show. From those we’ve spoken to, not many participated. This shift to virtual also sparked the conversation of whether the SEMA show had run its course. Did brands need to spend so much money to lure new clients? Many companies experienced record sales without the show, so why spend so much money on one show when you could use it for many other ventures?

As the 2021 SEMA show got closer, we heard rumors of companies dropping out, people saying they would not attend due to various reasons. With all these rumors our expectations where not high. The Las Vegas Convention Center had just opened its new West Hall located in the grounds of the Gold Lot. So with more display space and less vendors would it even be worth attending?

We would have to say the show did exceed our expectations, granted they were low to begin with but overall it was a pretty good show. If a manufacturer was missing, we did not miss them and it still took four days to see half the show—I doubt anyone can see or experience the entire show in four days.

So, what was different? One obvious movement is the electrification of cars and trucks. From electric-powered cars to an old-school Ford Bronco, the electric movement was present thought the show.  To offset all the clean energy, we did spot some American muscle like the GM ZZ632/1000 crate engine, which like the name implies makes over 1000hp.

Before you start talking down electric cars, we got a chance to a ride along in the Mach E 1400: Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Ford’s all-wheel drive, all-electric track terror. It was one of the wildest rides we have ever been in. It felt like a rollercoaster ride and the lack of engine noise did not take away from the experience. We still love gas-powered cars, but we have a new appreciation for the torque these new breeds of machines can make.

In conclusion, was the SEMA Show worth it?  Well let’s just say I still have mixed feelings. If you see SEMA as a place to do business then no; if you see it as a place to network, catch up with old friends, lose or win some money and enjoy the car culture with a few thousand like-minded people then yes it was worth the wait.