Kia’s big news at the 2009 SEMA Show was the announcement of the brands foray into motorsports, but the track-ready Forte Koup wasn’t the only car on display at the Kia Motors booth. In fact, three more traditional SEMA vehicles were on display. Competing in the youth-oriented box-car segment, the Soul is a hit with younger buyers and so it’s no surprise to see three tricked-out models at SEMA.

The first of the Soul Xpression trio is the Black “Sinister” Soul featuring matte-black paint with blacked out headlights and taillights. Even the rims (20-inchers no less) are black and the car has a meaner look to it thanks to a lowered suspension. Inside, the theme is the same with black seats and some gray detailing. Other highlights include a 1,300-watt 11-speaker audio system.

Next up is the baby-blue Soul built by the folks at Antenna Magazine. Outside the car features highlights like a matte-brown roof and baby blue brake calipers. Inside, the brown and blue theme continues with an ornately decorated cockpit featuring “chocolate” brown leather and actual denim. The car also features a “pop out” display of trendy clothing from brands like Huff and Etnies.

The final car of the group is the Kia Soul Safety Car. Its not overly wild with a special aero kit, black wheels and appropriate “safety” lighting, but it will serve as the safety car in several US Touring Car Championship races, where Kia hopes to build up grassroots support for its motorsports program.

GALLERY: Black “Sinister” Soul

GALLERY: Antenna Denim Kia Soul

GALLERY: Kia Soul Safety Car

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Modified Nissan GT-Rs are surprisingly few at the 2009 SEMA Show, but the ones that are in attendance are impressive machines. With the GT-R’s impressive Nürburgring lap time it was only time before tuners and race shops got started on tuning the GT-R to fulfill its motorsports calling.

The car features modifications including shocks by JRZ, aerodynamics by GT:R Fabrication and engine tuning by AMS and Cobb tuning. Power is a reasonable 550-hp, although the GOTO Racing team is reportedly working on upping the output to closer to the 650-hp mark.

Driver Brian Lock pilots the GT-R in both the Super Lap Battle and Redline Time Attack.

GALLERY: GOTO:Racing/Dell Equallogic GT-R

As a brand, Hummer’s time in the spotlight is pretty much over, although if there is something that can save the brand it might be a core group of enthusiasts and a strong motorsports background. While Hummers are best known for being excessive street machines, unlike a lot of SUVs, they are actually incredibly capable off-roaders.

And so despite the brand’s near disappearance for the marketplace over the past year, Hummer was in attendance at the 2009 SEMA Show displaying two special edition street machines and two off-road racing trucks – including the incredible Robby Gordon Off-Road Dakar Hummer.

Gordon has raced a Hummer in off-road events since 2008, and last year places third overall in the grueling Dakar Rally. This year, the Hummer team and Gordon have their sights set on first and it looks like they have the truck to do it.

Hummer claims the race-truck is based on an H3, but with what appears to be an entirely carbon fiber vehicle, we’re not sure there’s much of the factory car left. It’s a tube-chassis vehicle and while it is built for serious off-roading, Gordon will be comfortable inside thanks to a fully enclosed cockpit with air conditioning. As for the engine, Hummer will only say that it is based on a production GM V8.

The 2010 Dakar Rally starts January 1st and we’ll be sure to check in on how Gordon and his crazy carbon Hummer are doing.

GALLERY: Robby Gordon Off-Road Dakar Hummer

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After numerous spy photos of a modified BMW M3 running the Nürburgring were captured, BMW has now divulged just exactly what the higher performance M3 is. No, it’s not the CSL, but it might as well be as it follows the same light weight, high performance theme. This car, however, is called the M3 GTS.

Weighing just 3,300 lbs, the M3 GTS features carbon fiber for the center console and door linings, a titanium exhaust system and reduced insulation. What it doesn’t have are rear seats, air conditioning or an audio system. Inside there are also mounts for six point harness seat belts and a roll cage. The M3 GTS, after all, is designed specifically for club racing and track days.

Under the hood, the 4.0-liter V8 gets an increase in displacement to 4.4-liters and a bump in power to 450-hp – up from 416. The seven-speed dual clutch transmission also gets more aggressive settings for quicker shifting.  Other race-ready components include six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear calipers with a more performance oriented DSC setup and a set of 19-inch M aluminum rims.

Outside, there’s a new carbon fiber front splitter and adjustable rear spoiler, while inside, along with the carbon fiber goodies, there’s plenty of Alcantara and an M sport steering wheel.

Unfortunately, BMW as no plans to offer this model in North America.

GALLERY: BMW M3 GTS

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Situated right across the isle from Honda’s official SEMA Show booth we found a modified Honda Insight at the ENEOS Oil booth. Owned by Insightcentral.net member Xtremeview, the car features a custom aero kit and a lowered suspension.

Other modifications include a set of Rays wheels with Yokohama Parada tires, a Tanabe exhaust and some Bride racing seats. The car also features a new audio system with light weight components that are also designed to use less power.

The project is based on the idea of blending high performance with efficiency. As cool as it may look, we have to admit, considering the reputation the Insight has earned, we’re not sure it’s the poster boy for either.

GALLERY: ENEOS Honda Insight

Over the past year or so Steve Saleen’s new project, SMS Supercars has released high performance versions of the Camaro, Mustang and Challenger. This week at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) Show, SMS announces the introduction of SMS Superparts, a division of the company that will sell the parts individually through a distribution network.

“We are excited to launch our newest addition to the SMS Supercars family right here at SEMA, where it all happens,” said Steve Salleen. “To have a strictly SMS Superparts display was a conscious choice on my part. I wanted to underline the importance of the aftermarket business, the passion of the enthusiasts and the true Steve Saleen fans.”

Saleen also included a second announcement, the introduction of the SMS 296 supercharger for the 2005-10 Mustang. This new blower is expected to produce output of 475-hp, with higher output packages reaching all the way to 650-hp.

For photos of the new SMS 296 Supercharger installed on a 2010 Mustang, as well as a Sour Grape Green 2010 SMS 570X Challenger, check out the gallery below.

GALLERY: SMS Superparts Cars at SEMA

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One of just two vehicles worthy to flank the Mobil 1 booth at the 2009 SEMA Show is the Hennessey HPE700 LS9 Camaro. As the name suggests, under the hood there’s a supercharged LS9 motor lifted from a Corvete ZR1. The easy-to-remember HPE700 name isn’t entirely accurate, however, as the engine has been tuned somewhat to deliver closer to 725-hp. As for torque, it’s rated at 741 ft-lbs from just 3200 rpm.

Hennessey claims the ZR1-powered Camaro will scoot to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and run the quarter mile in 11.3 seconds at 126 mph.

Talking with John Hennessey he told us that the HPE700 is very much the theoretical love child of a Camaro and a Corvette ZR1, with that theme continuing to more places than just under the hood. The car also gets lots of carbon fiber parts, like a carbon rear lip spoiler, carbon side skirts and a carbon fiber front splitter. There’s even a ZR1-inspired hood with a glass section to view the powerful LS9.

GALLERY: Hennessey HPE700 Camaro

The Underground Racing Lamborghini Gallardo has it all. On display at the Mobil 1 booth, the Italian exotic not only sports a matte-black paint job, but it’s what’s under the glass engine cover out back that will really get your attention.

There you will find what Underground Racing has become famous for, a twin-turbo kit. The North Carolina tuner builds each twin-turbo application specifically to the needs wants of the customer, with output ranging from 1,000-hp to 1,500-hp. And don’t think it’s as simple as two big turbos and some shiny metal piping either, the team at UR will tear down and rebuild an engine to ensure maximum performance and longevity, with new cylinder heads, CP Race Pistons, Carrillo billet con rods and lots of other hard core parts.

The result, claims UR, is a 0-60 mph time of just 2.5 seconds, with a quarter mile pass taking just 9.1 seconds at 169 mph! The company also claims a speed of 241 mph in a mile, with a top speed of 257 mph.

Not only was the UR matte-black twin-turbo Gallardo getting respect with a huge draw at the Mobil 1 booth, but according to Jesse Poole at Mobil 1′s PR agency Theory PR, the car was also nominated in the Gran Turismo awards, where the Best of Show car gets digitized and immortalized in an upcoming Gran Turismo video game.

GALLERY: Underground Racing Lamborghini Gallardo

No, this isn’t a modified show car built specifically for the SEMA Show. It’s a factory stock Ford. Called the Focus RS, Ford offers this scalding hot hatch in Europe but has continually denied plans to offer the car in the U.S. But then why would Ford display the car at its booth at the SEMA Show? Are they teasing us, or trying to drum up interest to see if they can in fact sell the car in the U.S.?

We hope it’s the latter.

The front-drive Focus RS makes even cars like the MazdaSpeed3 look like toys, with a turbocharged 5-cylinder engine that makes 295-hp and 305 ft-lbs of torque. There’s also an impressive suspension setup, along with the obvious rally-inspired aerodynamics and a seriously sporty interior.

Again, Ford has continuously denied bringing a car like this to the U.S., but the last time we heard a denial, the worldwide economy was crumbling. Now that the recovery is well under way and Ford seems to be emerging as a bigger player on the automotive scene, perhaps it’s time they revisited the possibility.

GALLERY: Ford Focus RS

During Chrysler’s seven hour press conference explaining the direction of the company over the next few years, it became increasingly clear that the new Fiat ownership is planning to build up the Chrysler group of brands using Fiat products. Much of the news isn’t entirely new, but it has now been confirmed and the extent to which Fiat intends to wipe clean Chrysler’s slate of underperforming cars is clear.

Many of the initial changes will be in the Dodge brand and will occur in 2012-13, with a new compact car based on a Fiat platform to be introduced. No specifics were given, but it is likely that this new model would replace the Caliber. Another Fiat platform will replace the Avenger (and presumably the Chrysler Sebring). On top of that, a Fiat-based hatchback model will also be introduced in the sub-compact segment. It is not clear if this is the Fiat 500 or, considering that car’s diminutive size, if it will be a slightly larger vehicle to compete with cars like the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and the upcoming Chevy Spark and Ford Fiesta.

With the 500, Fiat/Chrysler will introduce two new engines aimed at meeting the strict CAFE standard of 35.5 mpg by 2016. The first is a 1.4-liter gasoline engine, while the second is a diesel offering.

On top of this, a new dodge crossover will enter the segment late in 2010 for the 2011 product year. It will be a large vehicle with seven-seat capability.

Sadly, the Dodge Viper will be eliminated at the end of next summer. The good news, however, is that Fiat does intend to bring a new sports car into the market by 2012.

From the press conference we also learned, contrary to reports, the Dodge will focus on branding its vehicles less on their performance characteristics.

As for the new Ram brand, much will stay the same with the current pickup quite new in the marketplace and the new heavy duty trucks having just been introduced this year. Impressively, Ram brand CEO Fred Diaz commented that Ram is looking at building a full-sized 18-wheeler rig.

[Source: Automotive News]