High Xpectations Builds 2012 Caddy CTS For the 2012 SEMA Show

Scott Lowe's 2012 SEMA show vehicle of choice was a matte black Cadillac CTS
Scott Lowe's 2012 SEMA show vehicle of choice was a matte black Cadillac CTS
Scott D Lowe, president and founder of High Xpectations, is no stranger to SEMA, as he attended his first event in 1999, and was obviously bitten by the bug. In fact Lowe and his restyling company recently built a 2012 Cadillac CTS with the 2012 show in mind.

“We have been building rides for SEMA for about ten years now,” explained Lowe, “and even won the award for Best Interior Design, presented by Chevrolet at the 2000 Light Truck and Tire Expo held in Detroit, Michigan.”

Referring to the theme behind the build, he continued, “The vision, initial color rendering, and the final product is exactly what it should be. Matte black exterior with touches of machine and chrome finishes set off with big red brakes on a lower suspension. I really like the matte look, and adding matte black wheels to the car really helps the other details pop out at you.”

One would be right in suspecting that hours of thought went into the project before the first wrench was turned. With all of his ducks in a row, Lowe first focused on providing a little extra "umph" to the Caddy’s overall performance. The Luxury CTS came off of the showroom floor with a single outlet exhaust. Opting to upgrade the exhaust, Lowe turned to MagnaFlow, who provided a dual stainless cat-back system.

This 2012 Cadillac CTS was not Scott Lowe's first SEMA show vehicle
This 2012 Cadillac CTS was not Scott Lowe's first SEMA show vehicle
Although satisfied with the stock JE5 brakes, the owner chose to powder coat the rotors matte black to improve aesthetics. Adding a little more punch to the looks, he added MGP caliper covers in a red finish with silver Cadillac CTS accents.

An E&G Classics, two-piece mesh grill fit perfectly into the theme. Lowering the stance of the ride with Road Magnet performance lowering springs lent to the specific look he was after.

This 2012 Cadillac CTS was wrapped and ready to show just in time for SEMA 2012
This 2012 Cadillac CTS was wrapped and ready to show just in time for SEMA 2012
Of course, the appearance, overall feel and performance of any ride can be swayed by tires and wheels. That in mind, Lowe opted to go with Advanti Racing 15th anniversary 20X8.5‘ wheels. Their matte black finish, with a machined undercut, complimented the chrome package on the car and accentuated every detail.

The final modification of the car’s exterior was as important as any other change the vehicle had undergone, if not more so. Lowe opted to wrap the entire vehicle in a black matte 3M vinyl.

Confident that attendees of SEMA 2012 would find the car’s exterior stunning, he then focused on sprucing up the interior. Once setting his sights to the inside of the vehicle, Lowe turned to VizuaLogic to rig the vehicle with the latest innovations in electronics.

The wheels are on this 2012 CTS complete a show car look worthy of the SEMA Show 2012
The wheels are on this 2012 CTS complete a show car look worthy of the SEMA Show 2012
Although the Cadillac CTS already sported a classy interior, the owner could still include a few more touches to the build that would separate it from the rest. In fact, he added a one-off floor mat set from Auto Custom Carpet. The new rug added punch to the remainder of the build - a silver mink loop material, with the Cadillac logo in black scriptwriting.

With the interior and exterior of the vehicle meeting Scott D. Lowe’s standards, it was time to crawl under the hood. Lowe opted to install a Triple Threat Ny-Trex wet full nitrous system by Design Engineering Incorporated.

That extra boost of power was welcomed by the owner, but he also understood that no modification was more important than keeping the internal components of his engine contaminant free. That in mind, he finished the build off with a bang by installing K&N oil and air filters.

“Adding K&N to the car was a no-brainer. When thinking of upgrading our air system, the first name that came to mind was K&N,” recalled Lowe. “I began using products on our first project car back in 1998. We noticed performance benefits, as well as fuel cost savings. Basically, the overall drivability of our vehicles has improved.”

Much preparation went into this 2012 Cadillac CTS for the 2012 SEMA Show
Much preparation went into this 2012 Cadillac CTS for the 2012 SEMA Show
With SEMA 2012 behind them, Scott D. Lowe and High Xpectations are already looking forward to the future. “I am already looking forward to the new C7 2014 Corvette in January, as well as the newly redesigned Silverado,” he explained. “I am hoping to add both of these vehicles to our stable for entrance in SEMA 2013.”

In closing, Lowe said, “I would like to thank my wife, Jean, for all of her love and support. We were just married in June, and she has been very understanding during the build. I would also like to thank the unbelievably talented High Xpectations Graphics designer, Mark Cisney. Without him, I would have a vision in my head, and no design on paper.”

Also check out these related Cadillac news articles articles:

Performance Upgrades for Cadillac CTS
Land Speed Cadillac XLR

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