It is almost time for the Special Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas. To promote its own range of parts and accessories Chrysler has built four cars for the event. There is a street legal, drag strip ready, Dodge Challenger, a luxury Dodge Ram pickup, a Jeep Wrangler mobile campsite and a Jeep Wrangler with 40-inch tyres.

The Dodge Challenger 1320 takes its name from the 1,320 feet in a quarter-mile drag strip. Based on the 'Drag Pack' Challenger - a special, lightweight, competition only version of the car - it features a number of high-performance parts. The engine is a 426 HEMI (that's 7.2-litres) crate motor - a brand new example of the classic high-performance engine of the 1960s. The motor gets a host of aesthetic and performance parts to deliver 548bhp and 540lb.ft. The exhaust system features a bypass system that gives the choice between silenced exhausts for the street or side-pipes at the drag strip.

Other performance parts fitted to the Challenger include a six-speed manual transmission, selectable locking differential and adjustable coil-over suspension. There are also Mopar police wheels, with the rear rims widened, and Mickey Thompson street legal drag racing tyres. The car is finished in acid yellow with matt black details and has a carbon-fibre bonnet with air scoop. To save weight the rear seat, centre console and radio have been removed

Next up is the Dodge Ram Bianco, a luxury pick-up truck. It started out as a Ram 1500 Sport but has been fitted with various accessories. Arctic Ice Pearl White paint and 22-inch wheels help the truck stand out, while a body kit, wheelarch flares and lowered suspension alter the truck's stance. There is a tonneau over the load area and under the cover is a bed rug - a carpet that is plush and washable.

The interior is trimmed in white and black 'Katzkin' leather on the seats and door trims with piano black and arctic ice inserts 'to add to the luxurious theme'. A Kicker audio system is fitted for when the driver doesn't want to listen to the sounds of the Mopar performance exhaust.

Would be explorers should like the Jeep Wrangler Overland, described as a 'self-contained campsite'. A two-person, roof mounted tent is fitted and an awning can be extended from the Jeep's roof. To increase carrying capacity the rear seats have been removed while the interior features water resistant materials on the seats and floor.

For off-road driving the suspension features a three-inch lift, which allows room for 35-inch tyres on 17-inch wheels. There is also a heat-reduction bonnet and snorkel kit, additional lighting and a winch.

Also on the off-road theme is the Jeep Lower Forty with astonishing 40 x 13.5-inch tyres. These are fitted to forged, 20-inch alloy wheels and have been installed without a suspension-lift. To make room significant bodywork modifications were required, including reshaped wheel arches. The windscreen has also been restyled; it's three inches lower and raked back ten degrees.

Under the custom 'Red Eye No.3' paint there is a 5.7-litre HEMI V8, six-speed manual transmission, locking front and rear differentials and Bilstein dampers. Other accessories include a roll cage, linked to the Jeep's structure, a rear luggage rack and colour coded interior.

The SEMA Show is a trade-only event that runs from 3rd to 6th November.

John Lambert - 19 Oct 2009