2014 Ford Transit Connect Becomes Full-Size Hot Wheels at 2013 SEMA Show

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Chevrolet may have the Hot-Wheels edition Camaro, but Ford is joining in on the full-size toy car fun with a custom 2014 Transit Connect Hot Wheels concept. Debuting at the 2013 SEMA show, the one-off Transit Connect won't be the only new debut announcement today -- Gene Simmons and his wife Shannon Tweed are auctioning off a custom 1956 Ford F-100, and the automaker's 6.2-liter V-8 will now be offered to boaters.

2014 Ford Transit ConnectHot Wheels concept

There's more to this life-size Hot Wheels van than the wide body kit and the far more aggressive front grille. Open the gullwing doors to step inside the van -- which is four inches wider in front and six inches wider in back -- and you'll be greeted by full sleeping quarters, a 55-inch TV screen, and two 18-inch tablets. Of course, a built-in Hot Wheels drag strip is part of the package, as are slide-out drawers to store your best Hot Wheels cars.

The 2014 Transit Connect van has 20-inch Rotiform ROC wheels and Recaro seats yanked out of a Focus ST. If you're disappointed you can't experience the Transit Connect Hot Wheels concept for yourself, just wait until fall 2014 when a 1:64 scale version arrives in stores.

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Attention Boaters: Ford's 6.2L V-8 Now Available

Imagine the bragging rights some lucky boaters will have when they tell their friends the 6.2-liter V-8 powering their boat is similar to the engines under the hood of Ford F-Series Super Duty and F-150 SVT Raptor trucks. With help from Indmar Marine Engines, Ford will offer the V-8 engine to boaters.

"Our sport has evolved, and with heavier boats, bigger wakes and larger ballast and passenger capacity, the demand on the engine is even greater," said Chuck Rowe, president of Indmar Marine Engines. "We looked at the total market, and have spent a great deal of time, research and development dollars to find an engine that will best fit the demands of watersports."

If you'd prefer a GM V-8 under the hood of your boat, however, Indmar is happy to help: versions of the 6.2-liter LS3 V-8 and the outgoing Cadillac CTS-V's supercharged V-8 are also available.

Custom 1956 Ford F-100 From Gene Simmons, Shannon Tweed

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KISS' Gene Simmons and his wife Shannon Tweed are auctioning off a custom 1956 Ford F-100 debuting at the 2013 SEMA show. Powered by a supercharged 5.4-liter V-8, the F-100 called "Snakebit" will be auctioned off next year with proceeds benefitting a children's hospital in Tweed's hometown in Canada.

With about 550 hp, the truck has a six-speed manual transmission and a high-performance exhaust system. What might grab your attention, though, is the five-inch wheelbase stretch or the 18- and 20-inch wheels said to be inspired by Shelby Mustangs. The headlights and sequential taillights are custom-built, and the truck's leather bench seat was designed to look like a Shelby Mustang interior.

Ford also announced that Chip Ganassi Racing will start using an EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6 for racing in the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. The race version of the engine is said to share 70 percent of its components with the one under the hood of the 365-hp Taurus SHO.

For more on Ford at the 2013 SEMA show, check out the automaker's custom Focus ST, Fusion, Transit Connect, F-Series, and Mustang show cars.

For all the latest news, photos, videos, and much more direct from the2013 SEMA auto show floor, don't forget toCLICK OVER to our 2013 SEMA show coverage page.

Source: Ford, Indmar