I was invited and hosted by SEMA to attend this year’s show. It is my tenth SEMA Show, even having my own vehicle builds on display three times in the past.
With about 160,000 attendees, 2,100 vendors, and a few thousand vehicles in attendance, it was a monster of a show. Not only is it one of the largest trade shows in the world, but it is also the largest car show in the world. It is specifically a trade show for the automotive aftermarket. But, that is slowly changing to also include lots of public interaction around the automotive aftermarket industry, like this year’s SEMA Fest.
As per usual, I walked nearly every inch of the show to find you the most interesting adventure vehicles on display. Let’s dive into what I uncovered!
Be sure to also check out my GearJunkie Best in Show product picks for SEMA 2023.
Top 11: The SEMA Show 2023 Adventure Vehicles
The Road Chose Me Refuge II Jeep Camper
Dan Grec (The Road Chose Me) has traveled the globe for many, many years in a variety of Jeeps. His latest build, to “explore a new part of the world he’s never been to before,” is based on a 2021 Wrangler Rubicon EcoDiesel.
What really sets it apart from other overland Jeeps out there is the custom composite Refuge II camper on the back. The camper features Arctic Tern (windows, hatches, and a door), Renogy solar, a diesel heater, and a brand-new custom Goose Gear cabinet system. It will be getting a full pop-top and elevated bed system soon.
The Jeep is also fitted with a full host of AEV parts, Yokohama 35-inch tires, a Warn winch, Lightforce lights, and a RhinoRack Platform roof rack.
RRE Global 4×4 Sprinter Chassis-Cab Camper
RRE Global bought a 5-ton super single cab-chassis Mercedes Sprinter in the U.S. and shipped it to Germany. There it got the full Iglhaut-Allrad treatment, which includes a proper two-speed 4×4 system and three lockers. The vehicle now rolls on 34-inch tires and was fitted with a custom Boxmanufaktur composite camper with loads of high-end equipment.
Think of this vehicle as more of a yacht on wheels than a camper van. If you wanted to recreate this build it would cost you around $450,000.
Elevation Off Grid Megatron F550 Supertramp Camper
While there are lots of campers out there on the Ford F550 chassis, few are as compact and capable as the new Megatron build from Supertramp Campers and Elevation Off Grid. Massive tires and Liquid Springs suspension are just the start of the off-road capability upgrades.
This hard-sided camper is about 4 feet shorter than most campers in this category, which gives it a much better departure angle. The lines of the camper were designed to mimic and complement those of the truck, and I think it does a good job. The camper body is made with a six-piece mold using the vacuum infusion process and finished off with glass windows.
The Megatron deliveries are expected to start in Q2 of 2024, with pricing right around $500,000.
74 Weld/RockSlide Engineering Tacoma
This 2023 Toyota Tacoma build features a host of new RockSlide Engineering products — front bumper, slider/step, rear step, bed rack, etc. — and 74 Weld portal axles. The electric moto in the bed allows the fun to keep rolling when the trail gets too tight for the truck.
Fox Factory KOH Bronco
Jason Scheerer, King of Hammers racer, helped build and tune a full package for the Ford Bronco alongside the Fox Factory team. Now, this fully upfitted creation — 37s, full skids, tube bumpers, winch, etc. — is available at your local Ford Dealer with a full factory warranty and is ready to tackle some serious terrain. It’s called the Fox Factory KOH Bronco and has a sticker price of about $130,000.
AEV GMC Sierra Grande Concept
American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) showed up to The SEMA Show 2023 with a concept vehicle that showcases a full host of new parts they’ve made for the GMC and Chevrolet heavy-duty (HD) pickups. It might look familiar, as it is basically the GMC version of what AEV has done with the RAM HD before.
The concept is called the AEV GMC Sierra Grande and is based on a 2024 GMC Sierra HD AT4X single cab with 6.6L Duramax diesel. It has front, IFS, and transfer skid plates for protection, along with a massive prototype brushguard winch bumper.
Speaking of winches, it has one up front and one in the rear, under the custom 8-foot aluminum tray bed. Brand-new 40-inch BFG tires are wrapped around AEV Salta XD wheels and tucked under AEV HighMark fender flares. The build is finished off with an AEV snorkel.
While just a concept, AEV could easily bring the Sierra Grande to market in limited quantities, like it has in the past with single cab, tray bed, RAM builds. Either way, expect to see most of the parts on this concept truck at your local AEV dealer in 2024.
Vanderhall Brawley
The Vanderhall Brawley is an all-electric two-door, four-seat UTV. It has everything from heated seats, a heated and airconditioned cab, and four-wheel-steering, to 404 horsepower, 480 pound-feet of torque, and up to a 200-mile range.
The Brawley has been in development for over 2 years and is coming to market in early 2024. Production is in Provo, Utah. Pricing starts around $47,000. As shown at SEMA, it is about $52,000, including aftermarket wheels and tires (37s).
Toyota FJ Bruiser
This monster of a Land Cruiser was shown in the Toyota booth at The SEMA Show 2023, and is called the FJ Bruiser. It is a full tube-chassis rock-crawling race truck with a 725 horsepower, TRD NASCAR Cup 358-cubic-inch V8 under the hood. The list of custom parts is extensive. It is no doubt a capable machine, rolling on 42s, but you’d have to be mad to chance dinging up the beautiful and classic 1966 FJ45 pickup body.
A crazy feature of this build that had people talking is the rubber tracks under the truck, instead of solid skid plates. This CAMSO track system is actually powered and remote-operated from the cab, so the truck can be powered off high-centered situations. Slick!
Forsberg Racing Nismo Off Road NORRA 500 Frontier Race Truck
The Forsberg Racing Nismo Off Road NORRA 500 Frontier Race Truck — say that five times fast — was sitting on The SEMA Show floor still covered in Baja dust. It just won its class in the NORRA 500, and maybe more impressively, drove there and back again on the roads — not trailered like most race vehicles.
This Frontier is covered in Nismo Off Road parts that you can buy and bolt on from your local Nissan dealer. Add a roll cage, harnesses, tools, spares, and a radio system and you too can go racing in your Frontier pickup.
Sierra Cars Echo
Sierra Cars debuted its full lineup of electric vehicles, called Sierra Echo, coming to market in spring 2024. Pricing starts at $39,000. Three models will be on offer at launch: base, R, and Block Edition (with extra safety features, special livery, and extra wheels and tires).
These EV models are already outperforming the gas models Sierra Cars has been developing and selling for a few years now. Think crazy lightweight, big power, and racing parts. These cars are meant to go fast and have fun, over a wide range of terrain. They’re even street-legal in a few states!
2024 Lexus GX 550+ Overtrail
This 2024 GX55O Overtrail caught my eye in the Lexus booth at The SEMA Show 2024. It is covered in high-quality aftermarket parts, which will be available from Lexus dealers in early 2024 through the new AAP program. All of the parts are financeable with the purchase of the vehicle and allow the vehicle to retain the factory warranty.
