Mad Mods in Sin City

Slideshow:

Ten Hot Trends in Car Customization

Flame paintjobs are back in a big way.

view slideshow >

That’s what makes Sin City the perfect venue for the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, where automakers and parts manufacturers put insane modifications like these on display for industry insiders and the media.

Aftermarket auto parts, accessories and customization bring in $250 billion annually, according to the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association. And they get more extreme every year.

For example, wheels that are 20 inches in diameter seem to be the upper limit for most automakers at the moment. But many aftermarket wheel manufacturers are beating that by at least 10 inches. One company even introduced a massive 42-inch diameter wheel at this year's SEMA show — these wheels are so big, there aren't even tires available for them yet!

New high-tech car gadgets are just as mind-blowing. How about an electronic dipstick that sends up-to-the-second info about your car’s oil level to a cell phone? The IntelliStick has you covered.

Then there are wireless Bluetooth devices that sync iPods and other equipment to a car’s original stereo system. They could save many do-it-yourself audiophiles from ripping their dashboards out in an effort to upgrade.

Even as a new era of American muscle cars emerges, eco-friendly mods are starting to flourish. These and other trends are among the top 10 that our colleagues at CarDomain.com compiled after scouring this year’s SEMA show, which ran from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2.

In Pictures: Ten Hot Trends in Car Customization