It will be hard to miss Nexen Tire America Inc. at the 2018 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show. Among its displays will be the debut of a custom Purple Heart 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T. The car will be given to a U.S. military member who was awarded the Purple Heart Medal. The Purple Heart Challenger — a custom 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T 392 Scat Pack — is for what's been dubbed the American Muscle for American Heroes campaign. Nexen partnered with The Purple Heart Foundation and Zero to 60 Designs to create the custom car. It will be presented to a member of the foundation. The car will be on display in the Silver Lot in booth No. 61012. (That's one of the company's three booths at the SEMA Show.)
“We have a variety of vehicles this year that truly showcase the brand, but the Purple Heart Dodge Challenger is the one vehicle that is very special to Nexen Tire," says Kyle Roberts, senior director of marketing for Nexen. "This vehicle is about those that have served and continue to serve our country. We are bringing attention to the needs of our veterans through the development of this special car that will be given away in December. We want SEMA attendees to see how we as a tire brand are bringing vets together with cars."
Several top tier aftermarket companies have joined Nexen to make the vehicle come to life. The vehicle features:
- Nexen Roadian HP Street Sport All-Season radial tires;
- VIS Racing carbon fiber hood, front bumper, deck lid and splitters;
- PPG Custom paint job;
- Eibach front and rear sway bars;
- ST Suspensions coilover kit;
- Magnaflow cat-back exhaust system;
- ORACLE Lighting custom headlights;
- SolarGard window tint;
- StopTech big brake kit; and
- SAVINI wheels.
Nexen's mud-terrain tire, the Roadian MTX, will appear on several vehicles at the SEMA Show, including:
- a Zero to 60 Designs’ Ford F-350 ‘Nighthawk’ custom-luxury SUV,
- a classic 1975 Ford Bronco,
- Nexen Tire’s Mercedes-Benz Unimog and Animal Rescue Rigs’ 2018 Nissan TITAN Pro-4x XD ‘PAWS ONE.’
A focus on motorsports
The Nexen motorsports team ended the Formula DRIFT season Oct. 13, and Fredric Aasbo, driver of the Rockstar Energy / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla hatchback, finished in second place in the final race. He also took second place in the overall driver standings, just four points shy of the overall victory for the season.
“We couldn’t have asked for anything more from the Nexen Tire Motorsports team this year,” says Paul Jho, motorsports senior manager at Nexen. “Our motorsports team continues to put up a solid performance in professional drifting, and we are honored to provide them with the support they need which includes supplying our N’Fera SUR4G street-legal race tires. The passion that each driver on the team shares for this sport is immeasurable, and we can’t wait to channel that energy and dominate the season next year.”
At the SEMA Show
Roberts says it "was no easy task" for Nexen to choose which vehicles to showcase at the 2018 SEMA Show. "When all was said and done, we selected an exclusive handful which we believe embodies the Nexen brand and lifestyle. That’s what Nexen is all about — living the lifestyle — and we believe these vehicles truly embrace that.”
Here's a rundown of all the places to find Nexen at the show:
Inside the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, Booth No. 40081
In the Silver Lot, Booth No. 61012
In the Silver Lot, Booth No. 62123.
For more information, visit www.nexentireusa.com.
