SEMA Show 2013: ILX Trip to Las Vegas

Odometer (Legend):  527,770

Odometer (ILX):  58,970

Some people are never content to leave well enough alone.  My brother Bentley is one of those.  I don’t think he had put more than 500 miles on his then-new 2008 Ford F-250 pickup before he had the entire thing in pieces, awaiting suspension upgrades.  “Stock” just wasn’t going to cut it.  That’s why Bentley is exactly the type of automotive enthusiast who fits in at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Vehicle upgrades & modifications are a big deal around there.

Products in this $27.8 billion-a-year industry include performance and racing components, cosmetic and functional accessories, wheels and tires, mobile electronics, safety products, restoration parts, handling equipment, drivetrain parts and more. The industry covers muscle cars, classics, luxury vehicles, sport compacts, street rods, light trucks (off-road and sport trucks) SUVs and recreational vehicles.

I took my Acura ILX to Sin City for the 2nd year in a row to see the latest.  Last year, I got up close & personal with the ILX Thunderhill racecar and also the “Street Build” ILX finished in Fathom Blue.  This year, the attractions were just as exciting.

Acura had 3 vehicles on display:

• 2014 RLX VIP Sedan
• 2014 RLX Urban Luxury Sedan
• 2014 ILX Street Performance

All 3 vehicles were very highly modified, but my focus was on the ILX.

MAD Industries put together this build.  You can’t miss this car – its matte copper metallic 3M Scotchprint film screams for attention.  Outside, the Acura OEM lip kit is paired with 19″ TSW Max wheels and high performance tires.  MAD achieved an aggressive stance by dropping the ILX on Tein Super Street coilovers.

The “go factor” was enhanced by a supercharger from CT Engineering and an ECU tune with Hondata’s FlashPro, with a Greddy exhaust rounding out the package.  This build is good for 250 wheel horsepower – an impressive gain over the stock 2.4 inline-4’s output.

Powertrain Modifications

• CT Engineering supercharger kit
• CT Engineering intake
• Hondata FlashPro
• Greddy SP Elite prototype exhaust
• K&N high performance air filter
• AMSOIL Dominator motor oil

Chassis/Suspension Modifications

• 19 x 8.5 TSW Max matte black wheels
• 245/35R-19 Nitto NT05 Max tires
• Tein Super Street coilovers
• Stoptech Big Brake kit
• MPG custom satin black caliper covers

Look at that aggressive stance!

Would love to see this copper film “pop” in the daylight.

The back end has been accented by a contrasting color.

Enjoy the rest of the photo gallery below for my trip experience.

The city that never sleeps:  Las Vegas is non-stop entertainment.

After catching some Z’s at the Mandalay Bay casino, I woke up to bright skies from the 18th floor.

My friends Rustin and Lance needed a lift to Planet Hollywood, but we swung past Excalibur for a quick picture.  I think Excalibur is my favorite casino for its exterior design.

The “Strip” was remarkably quiet at 8:00 in the morning.  Everyone who’d been out partying the night before was probably still in their hotel rooms crashed out.

I paid my $10 parking and walked a few blocks to the Las Vegas Convention Center on Paradise Road.

My identity, for today only, was that of my brother.  He hooked me up with a “Buyer” entry pass.  SEMA is open only to industry colleagues and not the public.

Here’s the entrance to one of 3 separate halls.  We’re talking about thousands upon thousands of square feet of display space.

Inside, it was a circus.

The cars just got a little more wild with every turn.  This Lexus IS is a highly modified 2014 model year car.

Tucked back into the Center Hall was the booth for Honda and Acura.

The booth was staffed by these fine folks from the company’s Torrance, California headquarters.  Left to right:  Tyson, Nina, Rey, John, and Randy.  Nina saw the name on my entry badge and her first comment was, “You’ve taken on a stage name so nobody knows who you are!”

Here’s a unique ride.  Anyone see the “Mean Mower” ad awhile back from Honda?  You’re looking at a lawnmower that’s capable of 133 miles per hour and a 0-60 mph time of about 4 seconds.  This is the type of rig that Tim Taylor from Home Improvement would be proud to own.  MORE POWER!

Among the exciting things in the Honda booth was the 2014 Civic Si with its newly-revised design.

This awesome 6-speed Accord Coupe was finely tuned with goodies from Honda Performance Development.

My friend Erik flew all the way out from Madison, Wisconsin for SEMA.  He runs the Project 130R website which is a great resource for Acura Legend owners and more.

The trio of Acuras lined the far wall in the convention hall but saw plenty of foot traffic throughout the day.

My favorite car on display was this stunning “VIP” Acura RLX.

Quad exhaust tips from an Evasive Motorsports exhaust system provide rumble to this refined luxury sedan.

21″ AVS Model F15 wheels and a Tein coilover suspension give this RLX a mean, custom look.

This is an extensive project, with even the brakes having been upgraded.  For more pictures, check out the gallery on Acura Connected.

Can I have the keys?

On my 5-hour return trip to Phoenix today, I took a moment to pit-stop in Boulder City, Nevada for a bite to eat with my good friend Jessie who’s driving a Chevy Sonic LTZ these days.

The ILX got me home safe and sound, and with amazing fuel economy to boot.  In the 615 miles since I filled up on my way to Las Vegas yesterday in Wickenburg, Arizona, it’s averaged 35.2 miles per gallon.

Thanks for coming along to the show!