In past years, I've never had the time to check out all the things SEMA has to offer. I'm constantly on the go, trying to find the newest and craziest aftermarket vehicles on the showroom floor. This year, I spotted several trucks that didn't fit in with the show, and if I hadn't slowed down, I would've overlooked these rare gems.
EDAG Inc. had its much talked about Edag LUV on display. The LUV made its international debut at the Geneva motor show in March 2007.
As per EDAG Inc.:
The design concept of the "LUV" is based on a luxury-class SUV and incorporates a maritime look from bow to stern: oiled teakwood on the hood, as the flooring on the interior, and on the elegant cargo area conveys a maritime flair. But the "EDAG LUV" is a real eye-catcher in other respects as well -- the cargo area, behind the two rows of seats with plenty of room for five passengers, has been outfitted with teakwood and distinctly resembles a quarterdeck -- in keeping with the maritime look of the concept car.
Outside the main hall of the convention center I found this 2007 Holden SS UTE. It's based on the Pontiac CTO platform and is available only in Australia and New Zealand. This is the first one I've seen stateside. I wonder if GM has plans to bring in more.
On the main truck and SUV floor, I was a dumbfounded when I saw this white Toyota Hilux tucked way in a booth for bed covers. I went to snap interior shots of the truck, but quickly realized the cab was being used as storage space for the company. The Hilux is Toyota's second best-selling vehicle worldwide and was designed to sell in over 140 countries. Unfortunately, the U.S. isn't on that list.
Not all my finds were imports, however. Phoenix Motor Cars produces this electric double-cab SUT right from sunny California. The SUT is powered by an Altairnano NanoSafe battery pack that produces zero emissions and can cruise on the freeway at up to 95 mph while carrying five passengers and a full payload. The Phoenix SUT is targeted toward California buyers and is the only viable all-electric vehicle that meets California CARB specifications.