NEW Products & Accessories From SEMA 2022

The SEMA Show has grown significantly since its humble beginnings a half century ago. What started as a group of hot rodders looking to bolster their fledgling industry is now a 4-day extravaganza of aftermarket enthusiasm, representing all the varied flavors of car culture. The show takes over the entire Las Vegas Convention Center, and if SEMA organizers’ future plans pan out, it might just take over all of Vegas someday.

Despite the expansion, though, the show remains rooted in aftermarket craftsmanship. Connecting manufacturers and their innovative new products to the folks buying, selling, and ultimately installing these items onto beautiful rides is pretty much the point of the whole exercise.

So, in the spirit of tradition, let’s check out some of the exciting things spotted on the show floor this year.

Bronco Goodies

With a good chunk of the SEMA Show’s 1.2 million net square feet of exhibit space dedicated to this category, it simply isn’t possible to do it justice in a quick product roundup.

Instead, we’re going to limit our focus to some of the cool accessories dedicated to the new Ford Bronco. Selling like hotcakes before it even officially hit the market, this capable 4×4 is quickly becoming an aftermarket darling to rival the Jeep Wrangler.

First up is TrailFX. The plucky off-road brand took home a category award for its new Bronco Angled Fender Flares. Providing additional clearance for larger wheel and tire packages as well as protection from road or trail hazards, these bolt-on angled tube-style fender flares also add some rugged style points. You can’t go wrong with the sleek matte-black finish, and we’re big fans of the simple no-drill installation.

Bestop also brought some stellar fender flares to the SEMA show, opting for a more retro-inspired design. Offering a subtle, yet unmistakable upgrade over stock styling, this accessory features a flexible and shatter-proof construction, easy DIY installation, and a striking matte-black finish that can be painted to match your treasured 4×4.

Other Bronco accessories that caught our eye:

• New rear speaker pods from Metra Electronics that upgrade factory equipment from 4″ to 6.5″ or 6.75″ speakers.

• ORACLE’s Flush Style LED Taillights, which look good from every angle, and the brand’s Illuminated LED Letter Badges which let every rearview mirror know what’s coming.

• The very sharp-looking AlphaRex NOVA-Series LED Projector Headlights which feature a customizable, LED DRL with sequential switch-back turn signal with activation sequence.

• ARB’s stylish and durable frame-mounted rock sliders. In addition to sporting an attractive Bronco-specific design, these heavy-duty sliders also feature an incorporated jack point for recovery.

• The “ultimate taillight” innovation from MACH BUILT, that turns a simple rear light into an additional mounting point capable of holding tables, gears, cupholders, and – yes, even your body weight to access rooftop cargo.

• Westin’s rugged MESA roof rack, which mounts to all factory locations and allows you to remove the front and rear roof panels without sacrificing top-side storage. Also features a stylish recessed pocket at the front for lighting upgrades.

• The heavy-duty, tube-style Baja Forged Crawler Bumper featured on the all-women SEMA build.Designed for those with plenty of winching on the off-road agenda, this bumper features a front bash bar, two tow hooks, and full-size winch housing in a compact design made for clearing trail obstacles.

Powersports Fun

The UTV market continues to swell, especially after COVID lockdowns poured accelerant on outdoor recreation. SEMA showed that aftermarket support is expanding right alongside the segment, with new products displaying customizable upgrades for performance, styling, recovery, cargo management, and more.

OPTIMA Batteries snagged an award for its new ORANGETOP HYPERCORE Lithium – the brand’s first-ever lithium-ion 12-volt battery. Available in six sizes, it covers over 95% of available powersports applications. Users enjoy easy battery management through the patented POWERLINK system, which also controls OPTIMA CPR – a new feature that monitors parasitic energy draws to prevent dead batteries.

Also drawing our attention in this arena were Bilstein’s new Black Hawk UTV Shocks. The bolt-on upgrade features position sensitive damping paired with a patented, externally adjustable two stage Zone Control jounce cutoff system. The company says it delivers a unique “bottomless” ride feel that’s comfortable, controlled, and race-ready.

Tender Loving (Car) Care

While ceramic cleaners and coatings have been popular with professional detailers and installers for well over a decade, they’re still a little new to the DIY car care market. However, SEMA showed that big-name brands are making access easier, with Mother’s, Meguiar’s, Griot’s Garage, Stoner Car Care, 303, and Adam’s Polishes all debuting some very cool ceramic-oriented products to the refinishing and restyling arena.

Those seeking restoration innovations certainly found them at the Turtle Wax booth. The brand showed off a variety of new scratch fixes, stain removers, and headlight renewal kits.

As for tools, we really like this Barrel Blade Wheel Brush from AutoFiber. The bendy-but-firm blade wears a microfiber cover with snap-on closures, so you can easily get into the tight and awkward spaces when cleaning wheels, rims, and barrels. Griot’s portable micro polisher caught our eye as well. The adjustable pivoting head and compact, ergonomic design make this a great tool for anyone tackling difficult-to-reach spaces.

EV-Friendly

Look, we know this is an ICE crowd but there’s no avoiding electric vehicles at this point. The aftermarket certainly isn’t.

SEMA added a whole new product category this year dedicated to EV tech. And while some brands – like APP EV Systems and AEM Electronics – showcased battery kits and innovations designed to simplify the conversion process, others – like Borla – took a different approach. The upscale exhaust brand took home a SEMA award for its new Active Performance Sound for Electric Vehicles.

Aptly named, this exterior sound system puts some bark into your silent ride’s bite. (It also helps alert unsuspecting pedestrians to the presence of a moving vehicle.) “The system intensifies the sensation and excitement of EV driving,” says the company, “adding that ‘auditory connection’ drivers covet.”

See… er, listen… for yourself.

Overland-Bound

Another booming segment, overlanding grew its footprint at this year’s SEMA show – literally. The expanded exhibit had a 50% increase in vehicles from 2021!

It will likely take us until next year’s SEMA to catalog all the exciting gear on display, but here are a few worth highlighting right now.

The new Dometic inflatable tent series, released last year, swaps cumbersome aluminum poles for an ultra-durable air frame that inflates in minutes via either hand pump or air compressor. At SEMA, the brand showed off a rooftop configuration using the same technology, as well as a cube-like “HUB Shelter” that features a unique modular design for custom application. The best part? The whole thing packs down into a small duffel weighing about 30 pounds.

The new “Knockdown” Truck Cap from A.R.E. featuring an Elevate Overland Rack was another innovation that really had us marveling at how clever this segment can be. The truck rack serves as a base here, offering a high-strength 14-gauge steel substructure with accessory panels that you can attach all sorts of gear to.

The fiberglass cap comes in front, rear and side panels that can bolt onto the rack structure for additional customization. Essentially, owners get the endless potential of an exterior rack with the security of interior storage protection.

REDARC launched an all-new power management system aimed at smaller vehicles. The TVMS Rogue features 10 x 10A outputs for control of devices including lights, fridges, pumps, heaters, and fans. It interfaces with up to eight switch inputs, including toggle and push button switches enabling convenient control from anywhere around the vehicle, while also featuring light dimming and timer functions.

The best part? It’s 74% smaller and 78% lighter than its predecessor, TVMS Prime. That makes it an ideal addition when space is precious.

Hot Rod Heaven

It makes sense to end where we started. Hot rodding still carries a strong presence at the SEMA show. But much like the event itself, it too has evolved. Digital-age tech has wormed its way into our homes, workspaces, and yes, even our beautiful vintage rides. But some of the products below prove that this might not be such a bad thing…

Nabbing a SEMA award, the Gen IV Magnum Evaporator Kit with Heat, Cool & Defrost from Vintage Air brings modern, adjustable climate control to your classic car. A fully electronic microprocessor control system means no cables or vacuum controls, and separate high-capacity heat and cooling coils provide outstanding performance and instant temperature adjustments.

As for sound, we can’t get over these classic radio faces from Retro Manufacturing that hide Bluetooth connectivity, SiriusXM functionality, USB ports, and good ol’ fashioned AM/FM radio behind a period-correct bezel or faceplate.

Engine swaps are the lifeblood of hot rodding, and Hooker’s new cast iron small-block Chevy exhaust manifolds just made it easier to stuff modern performance gains into a classic package. The compact design makes fitment easier while the stellar construction ensures a smoother and cleaner appearance – plus more flow than factory.

What new products are you most excited to see hit the shelves of your local parts store? Let us know in the comments.