SEMA 2008, Las Vegas, NV: The KW automotive North America team storms SEMA 2008! ( 11.15.2008 )
This year the team at KW automotive North America focused all of the attention on launching the two flagship brands for 2009, KW Suspensions and Belltech Sport Trucks, in a display of sights and sounds worthy of the Las Vegas Strip.
In a bold move inspired by Elvis himself, SEMA goers were enticed into the KW Booth by extreme ice white carpet that accentuated the two feature vehicles, a Jet Black ACR Viper at the front and the Blood Red Belltech Silverado at the back of the booth, flanked by six Stonehengeesque display pods aligned like six dots on a pair of dice.
On each corner onlookers stood in awe staring at the dual 52inch HD Sony monitors playing hard core in-car racing footage of KW Competition Suspension Equipped vehicles and their drivers assaulting the worlds toughest track. Known to some as The Green Hell, and to the rest of us as the Nürburgring, the footage took the crowds of viewers along for a 13 mile long rollercoaster ride in various vehicles, ranging from BMW Z4s to Mitsubishi Evos and of course the consecutive 3-time 24h Winners, the KW Equipped Manthey Racing Porsche 997 GT3-RSR.
Motortrend.com contributing writer Edward Loh sums it up best in his SEMA 2008 blog stating – It was amazing to watch the German cars pull slightly ahead at each straight, only to be reeled in and sometimes passed in the corners. When the (Jürgen Wohlfarth – CEO KW Germany driven) Evo passed one of the Porsches on the outside at Bergwerk, I actually found myself clapping like an idiot.
You were not the only one Ed!
The monitor to the right of the ACR Viper (with Factory Equipped KW Race Coilovers!) featured a special video built by the Viper Club of America documenting the record 7 minute 22.1 second record lap of the Nürburgring. This record lap driven by Tom Coronel in August 2008 stands as the Fastest lap by a Production Vehicle, giving the KW Equipped ACR Viper the title of King of the Ring, besting the Z06 Corvette by over 4 seconds. In his closing remarks, Coronel threw down the gauntlet to Chevy and all other comers – Eat My Dust! -
On the 52inch monitors on the opposite side of these front pods, KW automotive Staff demonstrated the new online Product Finder that allows our customers and dealers to quickly and easily find all the KW automotive products for a vehicle with a simple Year Make Model selection process. This technology is currently being integrated into all of the websites for the four brands of KW automotive, KW Suspensions, Belltech Sport Trucks, LSD Doors, and ST Suspensions.
Next, the center pods featured fully merchandised product walls displaying the quality and technical details of each of the products within each brand. Utilizing newly developed hangers and hooks designed for Belltech and KW product, our retailers will be able to create effective displays on their own classic slat wall display systems. Between these two pods, KW automotive Staff demonstrated the new HLS (or Hydraulic Lift System) on the interactive display to enthusiastic shop owners and technicians, creating great interest in this innovative product.
And of course what would SEMA be without models and posters! This year each brand has its own poster and model on hand for personal signings. Model Tiffany Toth looked great posing for the classic Belltech Sport Trucks poster, and model Elizabeth Ashley added a few extra curves and the royal attitude for the KW King of the Ring ACR Viper poster. Demand for these incredible posters was off the hook, with over 4000 posters signed in only 3 days, with our models running out of posters (and arm strength!) by the end of the day on Thursday!
