129 1303 09 It Happened In Vegas 2012 Sema Show 1944 Willys Special Service Jeep - Photo 42654337

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Over in the Off-Road Success Center presented by Omix-Ada and Rugged Ridge, this ’44 Willys Special Air Service (SAS) Jeep was holding down the carpet. This amazing machine is owned by Mark A. Smith of Jeep Jamboree USA fame. Used for nontraditional warfare, these vehicles were stripped of all excess metal to reduce its weight, which allowed for more cargo (and gun) carrying capacity.

One of the most talked about vehicles at the show was in the Optima booth. It’s an ICON ’65 Dodge D200 that’s sitting on an ’06 Dodge 3500 chassis. It’s part of ICON’s Reformer line, which are quality restorations on modern chassis engineering. The truck has a modified Cummins turbodiesel engine that is said to spew approximately 440 horsepower and a dyno-proven 975 lb-ft of torque. ICON’s Reformer line is built to be driven, and this truck will eventually end up in the hands of its new owner on a working Wyoming ranch.

Mopar trotted out the Jeep Wrangler Sand Trooper, and it was designed to showcase Mopar’s new portfolio of hardcore Jeep performance parts. Among other things, this rig is equipped with a 5.7L Hemi conversion kit, portal axles, prototype 8-lug beadlock wheels, prototype full-length underbody skidplate, and 42-inch tires. Do you hear it calling your name?

Power to the people. This is the Hemi-powered Power Ram as found at the Mopar booth. This Ram 1500-based machine has a 3-inch suspension lift, cold air intake, after-cat exhaust, tonneau cover, Bed Step, and a spray-in bedliner, among other things. Oh, and special graphics. But you probably already know that.

Yep, this’ll work. It was at the Falken Tire booth and it’s called the JK Recon. It was fitted with 37-inch Falken WildPeak A/T tires; a pair of ARB-locked, 5.38-geared, Dynatrac ProRock 60 axles; Off Road Evolution Double ThrowDown front suspension; Off Road Evolution Double ThrowDown EVOLever rear suspension; and a slew of cool bodywork.

Nineteen inches of 3rd Coast Suspension IFS lift was the first thing SEMA attendees saw when they exited the escalator to the upper South Hall. The truck is called Encore and it was built by Complete Customs from a concept by KEG Media.

Superwinch had this Lockheed Martin Squad Mission Support System (SMSS) vehicle at its booth. This 3,800-pound machine has a payload of 1,200 pounds and it’s the largest autonomous ground vehicle ever deployed with U.S. forces. Quite simply, it’s a giant remote-control vehicle. And it’s fitted with a Superwinch winch.

Mickey Thompson Tires displayed this X-Treme Toyz-built ’07 Wrangler that features Mickey Thompson’s new Mickey Metal Series wheels on new ATZ P3 tires. Among other things, the Jeep has a BDS long-arm suspension with Fox 2.0 shocks; Superior 5.13 gears; chromoly axleshafts; Off Road Evolution Dana 30 C-Gusset Reinforcement Kit; and DBA Survival slotted brake rotors.

Over in the Off-Road Success Center presented by Omix-Ada and Rugged Ridge, this ’44 Willys Special Air Service (SAS) Jeep was holding down the carpet. This amazing machine is owned by Mark A. Smith of Jeep Jamboree USA fame. Used for nontraditional warfare, these vehicles were stripped of all excess metal to reduce its weight, which allowed for more cargo (and gun) carrying capacity.

This wolf in sheep’s clothing was located in the BDS Suspension booth. The unassuming Lamborghini Reventon Matte Gray vinyl wrap is in direct contrast to the heavily modified 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel that makes 634 horsepower and 1,482 lb-ft of torque. On top of that (or under, technically) is a BDS 8-inch long-arm suspension with a trio of Fox 2.0 shocks up front and a duo of Fox 2.0 shocks out back.

Superlift Supension trotted out its newest creation and it features a 6.1L Hemi V-8 engine, Dynatrac axles with AxleTech portal ends, and a Superlift 4-inch suspension lift, among other things. In case you’re wondering, that’s PPG Viper Race Yellow paint.

This Toyota Hilux pickup made us giddy. It was parked in the South Hall and it’s powered by a 3.0L turbodiesel. This rolling coolness sports aftermarket parts from companies like Pro Comp and Smittybilt. SEMA says that more than 14 million Toyota HiLux pickups have been sold worldwide. Um, when does the U.S. get this truck?

Speaking of the Toyota Hilux, this is another turbodiesel-equipped truck that was at the Special Operations Vehicles booth. It may look mostly stock, but this machine has battle-ready mods like an armor package; run flat tires; and Command, Control, Computer, Communication (C4) integration. Drool.

VWerks displayed the cool Ram Baja KTS. Major components include a 14-inch-travel KORE Tactical Series suspension, 3-inch-diameter internal-bypass Fox shocks, high-angle forged tie rods, Race Series control arms, rebuildable high-angle ball joints, heavy-duty axle package with 10-inch ring gear, 4.56 gears, KTS Tactical front bumper, fiberglass KTS Baja fenders, and 35-inch BFG’s.

There’s usually nothing docile about the 4x4s in the Ford booth and this year was no exception. This Power Stroke-equipped ’12 F-250 has an adjustable 8 to 10-inch Kelderman air spring lift, Sway-A-Way remote-reservoir shocks, 40-inch Toyo Open Country M/T tires, and T.I.S. Monster Energy Edition 22-inch wheels.

Covered in Warrior Products’ accessories as well as a custom black and red digital camouflage vinyl wrap, this “Recoiled” YJ was on display at Warrior’s booth. The front coil spring conversion kit is a prototype. Round springs and square headlights anyone?

This delightfully basic, matte-finished GM truck was parked outside. Is it wrong to like this truck? If it is, we don’t want to be right.

Zombies after you? Whatever. This is the Survivor Truck and its sheer size will terrify them. The trucks features include an armored command center; water purification and storage capability; a solar power generator; 360-degree video, audio, and thermal imaging; a full communications network; and a sniper platform. Did we mention the sniper platform?

Have you been shot at lately? If so, you may want the Russian-built Kombat T-98. The manufacturer says that it’s the only armored SUV in the world that provides military grade protection while offering a top speed of 110 mph. It’s GM-based and available in several body styles with either 6.0L gasoline or 6.6L Duramax turbodiesel power. Base price, only $248,000.

This four-wheel drive, diesel-powered, Fuso Canter-based motorhome is designed for rugged international travel. This machine sleeps four and is a one-off made by All Terrain Warriors USA. It will go into production, but will be on a four-door Fuso chassis. Great for the Sahara, or your local KOA.

The new battery-powered Bigfoot 20 made its debut at the Odyssey Battery booth. This truck is powered by a hand-built DC motor that makes 800 lb-ft of direct drive torque. It’s fed by a 30-battery, 360-volt PowerPack System with variable speed programmable speed controller. Six batteries feed the electric steering and brake pump systems. During testing the truck ran for over 20 minutes without losing any power. Leave your earplugs at home.