Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
The BMW 4 Series has set itself apart from the more commonplace 3 Series with its swoopy hatchback-like styling. As a gasoline vehicle, it is good and performs similarly to the 3 Series. But what if you take the car and electrify it? Out goes the gasoline engine, and it is replaced with an electric motor and battery pack. Will it still work? Or do you get something that is even Read more
Since its first model was produced in 2008, no automaker has come close to Tesla’s capabilities when it comes to performance. Legacy automakers get the panel gaps right, but their electric offerings usually don’t measure up. We’ve been waiting for the day when a company would release an electric vehicle with the quality of a luxury brand while still offering outstanding Read more
A Honda Civic Si, Acura RSX, Mini Speedster, BMW X5, the Sinister 6 and the Imprint RLS – if you recognize the pattern here, you know it’s a list of Alpine demo vehicles. Perhaps calling them demo vehicles is an understatement. These creations set the bar so high that few companies have followed in their tracks. Each vehicle was designed and crafted to showcase Alpine car audio Read more
The very first car alarm I ever saw was installed on my neighbor’s C3 Corvette. A small key switch had been installed in the fender with a cast aluminum cover. If he wanted to “secure” the vehicle, he’d lift the cover, insert a tubular lock key and give it a turn. Fast forward four decades, and now we have high-speed data communication systems that can talk to the computers in Read more
In the fall of 2018, Focal introduced the latest generation of its Utopia speaker solutions at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Wayne Smedile from Paragon Sales & Marketing knew right away that their dealers needed to experience these new flagship drivers to appreciate their clarity and realism. So he ordered a 2018 Tesla Model X the next weekend and put a plan in motion to have Read more
When I looked at the list of vehicles I might be able to test out and it said PS2, I chuckled because I didn’t think I could drive an old PlayStation gaming console (aside from GranTurismo). Then it said Polestar and I did a double take. Polestar had traditionally been the high-end Volvo tuning arm that made their vehicles handle better and go faster. Now the Volvo company Read more
It’s the summer of 2021, and we’ve started to put the Covid-19 shutdowns behind us. With stores and restaurants open, people are out and about. Even better, some people are finding time to take a family vacation as our world returns to normal. One change that doesn’t seem to be reverting to its original status is where we work. If you’re working from home and aren’t making that Read more
A lot of us would like a brand-new Tesla, and we know that making a comparison from a Tesla to a Hyundai Elantra is a big leap … or is it? Besides the powertrain differences, the infotainment tech in the Elantra can more than compete. The redesigned 2021 Hyundai Elantra Limited has a new exterior design that is part of the company’s “Parametric Dynamics” program. Distinct Read more
Every now and then, a car audio company creates a product that shakes the industry and redefines the benchmark for features and performance. We prefer to avoid terms like ground-breaking and revolutionary – but sometimes they can’t be avoided. On the Of Sound Mind test bench this week we have the new ARC Audio ID10T-32 PRO car audio digital signal processor. It has to be said, Read more
When automotive enthusiasts think ST, they think of the two sport compact products that are legendary in the enthusiast world: the Ford Focus ST and the Fiesta ST. Both are wonderful compact sporting machines that help drivers bring out their inner Ken Block and rally car inclinations. With their built-in electronic driving aids, they can even help make mediocre drifters look Read more
If you’ve been following the changes in the mobile enhancement industry over the past few years, then you’re familiar with the steady progression of new floating-face radios. These radios feature an oversized touchscreen that mounts in front of a standard radio chassis to provide big-screen entertainment without the need for extensive and often expensive modifications to your Read more
Fans of big screens, rejoice! Sony is now shipping the XAV-AX8000 media receiver, and it comes with a massive 8.95-inch touchscreen. Designed to fit into single-DIN ISO-mount radio locations, this receiver is based on the highly respected XAV-AX5000 platform to deliver all the entertainment you could ever want in your car, truck or SUV. Flexible Mounting Options Ensure Read more
