Toyo Tires® Booth Vehicles Announced for 2008 SEMA Show

Toyo Tires Sema 2008

SEMA show attendees have come to expect the very best from Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. and 2008, in the Toyo Tires® booth, will be no different. From the ultra high performance Proxes® T1R™ to the race-ready Proxes® R888™ and the aggressive Open Country M/T®, the Toyo Tires line of products will be showcased on six customized vehicles. Built by some of the best in the business, the list includes a 2009 Nissan GT-R, a 1931 Studebaker and a rare, 800-horsepower Bentley from Japan. The Toyo Tires booth is located on the first floor of the South Hall, booth 43069.

Nissan's long awaited GT-R has received the full treatment by Bulletproof Automotive, including a set of brand new 20" Toyo Proxes R888 tires, the first of their kind by Toyo. Known as the GT-RR.com 2009 Nissan GT-R, this powerful all-wheel-drive sports car features Limited Edition BBS LM-DBK-P wheels shod with the Proxes R888 D.O.T.-approved competition tires in a 285/35ZR20 size up front and a 315/30ZR20 on the rear. The Nissan GT-R is also loaded with high-grade carbon fiber components, an Amuse Super Tough Titanium (STT) exhaust, and Endless monoblock six-piston front and rear brakes. The Proxes R888 is the Official Tire of SPEED World Challenge®, and is popular with both professional and amateur racers around the globe.

Old school street rodders can feast their eyes on a one-off 1931 Studebaker Model 54 4-door sedan, a creation of Toyo event manager, Adrian Puente. Puente's car was built by Choppin' Block Custom Fab of Fresno, California, and rides on Toyo Proxes® 4 tires, 235/40ZR18 in the front and 275/40ZR20 in the rear. The wild "Stude" has a chopped roof, entirely new frame, custom fabricated hood to cover a Zoops outfitted Chevy 350 with three deuces (two-barrel carburetors) and a retro-style fabricated sheet metal interior. A custom air bag suspension provides the "slammed" look while the car rides on the Proxes 4 tires and Centerline Smoothie wheels. The Proxes 4 is a popular all-season, ultra high performance tire for passenger cars, which comes in a broad range of sizes from 15 to 28 inches in diameter.

Another highly sought after Japanese performance car on display in the Toyo Tires booth is the latest, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. Constructed by Vivid Racing, this all-wheel drive car stays grounded with 265/35R18 Toyo Proxes® R1R™ extreme performance tires wrapped around 18x10-inch AME Tracer 02 wheels. This compact 2-liter Evo churns out a mind numbing 650-horsepower, has Valdi aero components and a show-stopping Porsche GT3 RS green paint job. The Proxes R1R extreme performance tire has won in several forms of competition including the street stock classes of SCCA® National Solo, Time Attack and the 2007 Formula DRIFT® championship.

This year, the popular ultra high performance Toyo Proxes T1R takes center stage on an 800-horsepower Bentley Continental-based Tetsu GTR. Built by ASI of Japan, and with only 29 planned for production, this Bentley is truly a rare and distinctive luxury car. ASI, which stands for accuracy, spirit and imagination, is a Japanese company that builds limited-edition luxury classics. Featuring a wide body to cover its 295/25R22 Proxes T1R tires, the car is clad with exotic Nakamura Tetsuei art both on the hood and interior, melding Japanese tradition with modern style.

Light truck enthusiasts will be impressed with a custom 2009 Toyota Tundra CrewMax SR5, featuring 37x13.50R20 Open Country M/T tires on 20x9-inch BMF S.O.T.A. wheels. Built by Two Brothers Custom Trucks with graphics by Eye Kandy Designs, this wild looking Tundra features a six inch Stage 2 lift. The Open Country M/T has won everything from the 2006 Baja 1000 to, short course off-road racing, to rock crawling competition. These versatile tires are known for their civilized on-road operation while delivering high traction and durability for enthusiasts who want to explore beyond the highway.

A sixth vehicle, soon to be announced, will be shod with Proxes® ST II™ tires, the newest high performance tire for sport trucks, SUVs and select crossovers from Toyo. The Proxes ST II combines Silent Wall™ and other cutting edge Toyo technologies for a high image product that delivers style, performance and ride comfort.

To learn more about the wide range of Toyo, log on to toyo.com. Toyo manufactures and distributes a complete line of replacement tires for high performance cars, luxury vehicles, light trucks and SUVs as well as tires for commercial trucks, buses and off-road and construction applications.

Toyo Tires Sema 2008

Toyo Tires Sema 2008

Source: Toyo