SEMA 2009: Camaro, this year's show queen (photos)

How can you miss it -- it's everywhere! In fact, dozens and dozens of variants can be spotted at SEMA, making the Chevrolet Camaro the uncontested show queen at this year’s event.


Of course, General Motors led the way with a total of 8 Camaros, all tuned to meet various needs.

Famous TV host and car collector Jay Leno himself bought a Camaro, a custom supercharged V6-powered model that cranks out 425 ponies and rides on Corvette ZR1 wheels.

The Chroma, Dusk and Synergy editions of the resurrected muscle car actually show what you can do with GM’s catalogue. They sport different wheels and relatively flashy colors (such as the Chroma’s bright green paint) for those who want a factory-tuned Camaro that stands out.

The Graphic edition, meanwhile, is the result of a contest among GM employees. They were asked to create a couple of unique models that would be submitted to a fan vote on Facebook. Four cars have been chosen to alternatively grace the automaker’s stand at SEMA.

Obviously, GM is not the only one to see the potential of the Camaro as a tuner’s car. Private individuals, tire companies and customization shops have taken SEMA by storm with their own unique renditions.

According to a SEMA spokesman, the success of the Camaro this year is such that it surpasses the one enjoyed by the Mustang over the years. And while the Hyundai Genesis Coupe seems to garner a lot of attention, it’s still a minority.

For Peter Tweeb, who drove his own 500-horsepower supercharged Camaro all the way from California, the stock car already has a custom look that’s easy to enhance. "The Camaro is one of the most aggressive cars on the market right now. All you need is a bit of work and some performance parts and you find yourself behind the wheel of a totally different monster that will never go unnoticed," he told us while pointing at the hand-painted 20-inch wheels on one of his creations.