by Matthew Konkle
Executive Editor
LAS VEGAS — SEMA week is here, and our coverage starts before the show floor opens. Travel day gets us to Las Vegas, gives us time to settle in, and offers a first look at the products and vehicles likely to define the week.
As we did last year, we're bringing back the SEMA Three: one thing we've experienced, one new product worth a closer look, and one vehicle that catches our attention. For this first installment of SEMA 3.0, we're starting with TSA PreCheck, checking out the new WARN EVO Series Winch, and looking at a Jeep concept that takes the familiar Scrambler name in a different direction.
One: TSA PreCheck
Let's start with something unrelated to horsepower, suspension travel, or tire size but important to any SEMA trip: getting through airport security.
If you've traveled to a major event, you know the routine. Get to the airport, check your bags, find your gate, and prepare to stand in line. During a busy travel week, that process can be frustrating when all you want to do is start the trip.
That's where TSA PreCheck helps. Eligible travelers can typically keep their shoes, belts, and light jackets on, leave laptops in their bags, and avoid some of the unpacking required during standard screening. Procedures vary, but the goal is simple: spend less time at security and more time getting where you're going.
It may not be the most exciting part of a Las Vegas trip, but anything that simplifies travel day is worth appreciating. With plenty of walking, networking, and convention-center exploring ahead, starting with one less travel headache is a good first step.
Two: New WARN EVO Series Winch
When outfitting a Jeep for serious off-road use, a winch is one accessory you hope never to need but will appreciate when the trail goes wrong.
That's why the WARN EVO Series Winch caught our attention. Building on the company's VR EVO lineup, the new series gives Jeep and 4x4 owners three pulling capacities: 8,000, 10,000, and 12,000 pounds. That range accommodates properly equipped Wranglers, Gladiators, trucks, and other compatible four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Buyers can choose between steel cable and synthetic rope. Steel cable offers durability and abrasion resistance, while synthetic rope weighs less and is easier to handle during recovery. WARN includes a wired remote, fairlead, rope and hook, hook strap, and installation hardware.
A winch is only part of a responsible recovery setup. Proper mounting, suitable recovery points, the right accessories, and safe operating practices are essential. For Jeep owners adding recovery capability to their builds, the EVO Series offers a new option from one of the industry's best-known names.
Three: Jeep Wrangler Scrambler SRT Concept
If there's one thing that can pull a crowd at SEMA, it's a Jeep concept that challenges expectations. This year's Jeep Wrangler Scrambler SRT Concept certainly qualifies.
Unveiled ahead of the show, the concept revives a familiar Jeep name with a different mission. The original CJ-8 Scrambler, produced from 1981 through 1986, paired a longer wheelbase with a small pickup bed. This modern interpretation keeps that basic idea but gives it a much more aggressive personality.
Finished in Punk'n Orange with bronze-painted beadlock wheels, the Wrangler Scrambler SRT Concept features a pickup bed, elongated two-door body, removable roof sections, and a 6.4-liter 392 HEMI V-8 paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Its modular bed-mounted jump seats can face backward, fold flat, or be removed, allowing the space to carry passengers or gear.
The biggest conversation starter may be underneath. Instead of the solid front axle associated with traditional Wranglers, the Scrambler uses a bespoke, high-travel independent front suspension designed for high-speed desert performance. The setup draws inspiration from Casey Currie's Jeep Gladiator Striker race truck, while a heavy-duty, trophy-truck-inspired rear axle supports the concept's desert-running ambitions. Whether Jeep produces it remains unknown, but its two-door pickup layout, V-8 power, and independent front suspension make it one of the company's most unconventional concepts.
That's a Wrap on Travel Day
Once the doors open at the Las Vegas Convention Center Tuesday morning, we'll be looking for products, technology, and vehicle builds worth a closer look. With thousands of exhibitors and more to see than anyone can fit into one visit, that's part of what makes SEMA so much fun.
Keep us bookmarked as we make our way through the 2026 SEMA show. We'll be back with another SEMA Three soon, highlighting the experiences, products, and Jeeps that stand out from the crowd.
