Concepts Aplenty at SEMA

As the sponsor of the recent Specialty Equipment Market Assn. show in Las Vegas, General Motors Corp. takes center stage by displaying more than 175 variously modified GM vehicles, including five Chevy Cavaliers, a twin-turbo Cadillac Escalade, a turbocharged Chevy Malibu and a supercharged Buick Rendezvous.

But other automakers have plenty to show as well.

DaimlerChrysler Corp. unveils a Woodie version of the Jeep Liberty, complete with a legendary Indian motorcycle. The Jeep Liberty Indian Woodie harkens back to an era of Grand Wagoneers and early Cherokees. DC also loads up the PT Cruiser with power to spare. The PT/10 features the Dodge Viper's OHV V-10 drivetrain, producing 500 hp. The passenger compartment also is chopped behind the front row of seats, with the resulting void turned into a covered cargo bed.

And well-known Corvette tuner Reeves Callaway works his magic on the Land Rover Freelander, a production model for sale in the U.S. as a 2002 model. The “Freelander Supercharged — Performance By Callaway” features, as the name suggests, a supercharged version of the stock Freelander's 2.5L DOHC CV-6, delivering 250 hp (a 76-hp jump over stock) and 260 lb.-ft. (353 Nm) of torque. For now, the Callaway and Land Rover camps call the vehicle a “concept” only.