SEMA has packed up its bags for another year, but we’ve worked up a quick top 10 with the best cars from the show. What made the list? What didn’t? You’ll just have to watch the full feature to find out for yourself. Trust us when we say you won’t be disappointed. Don’t think our picks make muster? Drop us a line and let us know. Hop the jump for a look.

For the first time on American soil, Kia is going racing. The Korean automaker has decided to tackle the 2010 Koni Grand Am Challenge with a specially-built pair Forte Koups. The company’s keeping the car’s modifications to itself, but it’s clear this is a full race-spec car, complete with a rolle cage, dropped suspension and brake upgrades. Both cars will compete in the Street Tuner class and will be driven by Andy Lally and Nic Jonsson. Very cool, but how long until we can order up race-inspired parts for our front-wheel drive Fortes? [Source: Kia]

It looks like Hyundai is getting ready for this year’s SEMA show in a big way by partnering with the go-fast gods at Hennessey. The dynamic duo has worked up a carbon-fiber look Genesis Coupe, complete with 500 blistering horsepower. Hennessey’s tuning school worked up the coupe with a custom turbo system and an entire matte-carbon vinyl wrap. Supposedly torque sits in the lofty 465 lb-ft range. Neither Hennessey or Hyundai is saying whether those power numbers are from the turbo four-pot or the meatier six-cylinder, but odds are we’ll find out when the car debuts next week. Keep your peepers pealed, kiddies. [Source: Hyundai]

The buzz about Ford’s line of EcoBoost engines has fallen off somewhat since the announcement was made nearly all of the company’s products would carry the turbo’d motors. The Blue Oval is looking to rectify this situation by rolling out a hotrod based on a ’34 Ford Coupe. Under the hood is a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 good for around 400 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. Now, the really special news here is that this is the first time the EcoBoost sixer will be used in a rear-wheel drive configuration. The Ford Flex, Taurus SHO, Lincoln MKT and MKS all rock an all-wheel drive layout. So far there’s no word on what transmission the company has chosen for the deed, but that doesn’t stop us from hoping just a little harder for an EcoBoost Mustang sometime soon. [Source: Ford]

Of the three kings of muscle cardom, the Dodge Challenger lacks the performance guts to go toe to toe with its rivals, the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. That’s a damn shame given the car’s sexy design. SpeedFactory is looking to right that wrong with a new aluminum-hearted version of the car. The block gets reworked to 7.1 liters and filled with forged components for added strength. Up top, new Mopar CNC-ported heads handle breathing duties and a massive Vortec V3 blower helps power climb to a Blue Oval and Bow Tie embarrassing 700 horses. Behind that godly engine is a Mopar NAG 1 gearbox, and suspension tricks like adjustable coilovers, fat sway bars and beefy strut braces help keep the car on the road. Brembo provides the stopping power thanks to 15-inch rotors and six-pot calipers up front. Not too shabby. [Source: SpeedFactory]

When it comes to tweaking Lexus goodies, few do it as well as Fox Marketing. This year, the company has prepped an IS 350C for SEMA duty, and there’s more than a coat of wild green paint to this drop head. Under the hood, a supercharger bumps the 3.5-liter V6’s power up to 405 horsepower at just 6 psi. The company turned to Lexus for a few other performance upgrades, including sizeable 14-inch F-Sport rotors and six-piston calipers. The suspension also gets the F-Sport treatment in the form of adjustable coilovers. Something tells us this thing’s going to be snapping necks left and right when it reaches SEMA on November 3. Check out the gallery for a few extra shots of this topless beauty. [Source: FoxMarketing]

It’s quickly becoming clear the sky’s the limit when it come to tuning the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. The mad hatters at Hotchkis and Lingenfelter have slipped us a preview of one of the wonders the two companies will be showing off at this year’s SEMA show and it’s an absolute beast. Lingenfelter yanked the 6.2-liter LS3 V8 from the SS Camaro’s engine bay and swapped it with the LS7 monster from the Corvette Z06. Then they threw in a supercharger for good measure. The combined result is a knee-buckling 750 horsepower. A Hotchkis Total Vehicle System helps keep the Bow Tie planted, and a new body kit makes sure the car looks the part. We can’t wait to see this car in the flesh. [Source: Hotchkis]

The poor Dodge Challenger has found itself behind the rest of the neo-muscle bruisers out there. While damn attractive, the car lacks the grunt to go up against the likes of the 2010 Ford Mustang and the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. Well, it did. The mad wrenches at Mopar have cooked up this wild thing – a car they’re calling the Challenger 1320. If you’ve spent any time around the quarter mile, you know 1,320 is the exact number of feet from the Christmas tree to the checkered flag. Under the hood, Dodge has wedged a 556 horsepower, 426 cubic-inch crate motor. A set of low-key police wheels and coilovers and full-tube headers give this thing some serious performance cred. Even cooler? Dodge has worked in electric cut outs for the exhaust system. Hot. [Source: Dodge]

Anyone interested in vintage cars needs to pay attention right now. There are things going on in Washington that have dire implications on the classic car hobby that you need to be aware of. I made my argument against the Cash for Clunkers plan in my previous post and attempted to shed light on the actions being taken by some politicians that shall be named! Although the plan has not yet passed, it is gaining some ground and before anything happens you need to be informed. Hit the jump.

Under a new plan introduced by California Senator Dianne Feinstein, Maine Senator Susan Collins and New York Senator Charles Schumer, a bill is being proposed that would offer cash incentives for those that crush their older and fuel inefficient cars. The plan calls for government vouchers of $4,500 dollars for every car that qualifies to be given to the owner towards a new car purchase in hopes of reducing emissions and boosting sagging car sales. Any late model car that gets less than 18 miles per gallon qualifies for the program.

Arguably the plan has good intentions but fails to take several things into account. Firstly, car parts makers are upset at this proposal as it would effectively remove more than half a million potential aftermarket customers. Many proponents cite the success of a similar green program in Germany that has indeed removed thousands of older vehicles. But what they don’t tell you is that after factoring the amount of CO2 it takes to crush the old cars and produce the new ones, the environment’s not much better off. Likewise, politicians on Capitol Hill argue that the scope of the proposed “Accelerated Retirement of Inefficient Vehicles Act of 2009″ is far too narrow and public participation will be next to nothing. Critics go further in saying that the estimated 575,000 cars that would be taken off of the road each year is too high and program participation will be more limited. For the sake of the aftermarket and the classic car hobby I hope this bill fails because it could be your dream car that winds up crushed into a 2-ton steel paper weight. Check out the SEMA site for some more information on how you can help. [source: MSNBC]

It was only a matter of time before the wave of reform that is sweeping across the nation decided to target the only things that I truly love in this world. That’s right folks, Congress and the government are in the middle of crafting legislation to crush old cars in hopes that this will help reduce pollution and stimulate auto sales. Hit the jump for more on this abomination.

When I picked up this month’s issue of my favorite publication, Muscle Car Review, I was astounded when I read the editorial section. In an attempt to scapegoat older cars as symbols of dependency on foreign oil and polluters, Congress is proposing legislation that would offer cash incentives for bringing older cars to junkyards to be crushed. Why is this a terrible idea? Well the obvious reason in my mind (especially seeing as I will be looking for a project car soon) is that if all the non-running or clunker old cars are taken to the scrap heap, there will be none left for people like myself to restore in the near future. The saying that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure applies perfectly in this instance seeing as that old car sitting in the driveway somewhere waiting to be restored to its former glory may never get that chance if that legislation is passed.

The “Cash for Clunker” bill is not the only action taken by federal and state governments to target vintage cars. A quick look at the SEMA Action Network website provides a look at what is really going on in the minds of lawmakers. For example, the bill that would eliminate aftermarket exhaust systems on cars and trucks in Pennsylvania is absolutely ridiculous but I don’t want to stray too far from the original topic here. Back on point, what can you do to voice your opinion on this issue? First and foremost, join the SEMA Action Network as it is free and will keep you posted on impending legislation as it becomes public. They will also give you access to ways in which you can contact your congressman to voice your opinion should anything come too close to home. Should a bill like the one being proposed come into law, look for one extremely pissed off automotive enthusiast in yours truly.

*Note: Muscle Car of the Week is now being moved to every Wednesday so don’t forget to keep your eyes open!*