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Special saloons live up to appearances: executive cars certainly provide image. But top quality in automotive design goes deep, and these vehicles offer exceptional safety as well as comfort on the road--and security.(Executive Cars)
…security and sound common sense to many. The big Peugeots and VWs, both legendary marques throughput Africa--have the same effect.All these cars suggest that to the occupant--a hired driver helps both image and security--upfront cost simply does not count, and there are subtle distinctions known in the company vehicle compound about what the meaning of the special model designation, type of trim and so on all mean. With top level cars these are always stated in a very subtle way, but fleet managers know what the language is. Needless to say the colour of paintwork and finish of interior furnishings has to be restrained.
Serviceability is more of a problem. Although fuel consumption for some (like the big Volvo) is surprisingly low these cars do cost a lot to run, and a substantial part of that cost is swallowed up by the highly skilled technicians who look after them at the end of their (often short) engine-testing runs, when lubrication systems don't have time to do their best. Electronic engine management, advanced braking, powered steering electrics and other systems being as complex as they now are this can only be done with manufacturer-supplied purpose-built equipment, most of it computer aided with software that has to be OEM. It goes without saying that only manufacturer-approved spares and consumables can be used if…
…office of JVC, and the brand currently holds the top three position for such products in Malaysia.
The firm yesterday unveiled its fourth generation EXAD mobile entertainment systems range for 2007, or about half of the key products slated for this year's launching.
"The potential for this market is high and JVC wants to be well- positioned to reap the benefits when mobile entertainment system becomes a must-have for every auto vehicle own er," Hirokazu said in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
"We expect that time to come soon as the convergence of technology, entertainment and lifestyle demands multimedia solution instead of separate audio or visual receivers," he added.
The company is targeting vehicle owners who are looking for better image and sound quality, enhanced features and functions, as well as better connectivity to other devices such as mobile phones, iPod, MP3 players, USB drives, bluetooth devices and others.
"This is why our pricing strategy for JVC mobile entertainment is competitive as we were formerly seen as a niche player preferred by enthusiasts. This will change as JVC gets aggressive in 2007," Hirokazu said.
He said the company will move more into the mid-price car audio and visual market this year.
The JVC EXAD fourth generation mobile entertainment systems will be available in staggered releases from this month, with prices starting from RM499 onwards for basic components.
H irokazu said JVC views the recent slowdown in car sales as a positive development for its mobile entertainment…
…car's sound system.Hard drives are replacing discs, touchscreens are taking over from buttons and the latest players are capable of downloading video as well as sound, while offering directions of where to go.
It's time to upgrade with the latest in-car audio systems.
Hip hop DJ Tim Westwood, left, is the presenter of MTV's car customising show, Pimp My Ride - who better to help you choose the six best in-car sound systems?
PIONEER AVIC-HD1BT
Pounds 1,699, audio66.co.uk .....
FAR more than just a car stereo, this unit is like a multimedia centre for your PC, with GPS technology and a built-in 10GB hard drive so you can download tunes just like with an iPod.
LG LAC M8600R
Pounds 199.99, halfords.com .....
A PRETTY straightforward in-car sound system, apart from the fact it has bluetooth hands-free calling using a microphone in the fascia. But the audio setup doesn't offer any extras.
SONY CDX-DAB6650
Pounds 146.85, amazon.co.uk .....
THIS unit lets you listen to Tim Westwood on a Saturday night with crystal-clear digital clarity. As well as the built-in DAB receiver, it plays back MP3s and CDs.
RIPSPEED DV725
Pounds 499.99, halfords.com .....
AS WELL as playing music, you can also use this in-dash multimedia system to watch DVD movies. Or use the iPod adaptor so you can listen to your whole library of tunes.
BELKIN IPOD TUNEBASE
Pounds 59.95, apple.com/ukstore .....
THIS is a great little piece of kit that lets you play tunes from your iPod through your car stereo, while it powers and charges your player. It uses an FM transmitter to…
…emergency, SOS signals to police and parents.Child-alert system
Special transmitters may not be necessary in the future. Later this year, NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest mobile phone carrier, plans to launch a series of mobile phones, equipped with global-positioning system software, specifically for children.
Within three years, Fujikura predicts, most children in Japan could be carrying phones that easily could incorporate driver-alert technology.
Do the alerts prevent accidents? The test covers too small an area and too few vehicles to say. Instead, Fujikura is trying to determine drivers' reactions to the alerts.
So far the results are mixed. Some drivers appreciate the reminder that they are near children. But others dislike what might be called "false positives" - a warning that children are present, even though a child is never seen.
Those drivers do not want to be alerted to a child anywhere within 100 meters of the car. Instead, they would prefer a warning only when the child is 40 meters in front of them - and not when they've already passed the child.
The Yokohama child-alert system is still under development. While researchers struggle to perfect that system and other reliable systems that will make cars safer…
…and related timing and availability of new game peripherals; the expected increase in HD DVD and Blu-ray movie titles featuring Dolby technologies; the timing and availability of chips with Dolby Digital Plus for high-definition broadcasting; whether Dolby Digital 5.1 will bring cinema-quality surround sound to multiple editions of Microsoft's Windows operating system; the levels of performance and flexibility of the Dolby Car Audio program; and the timing and availability of Dolby Volume are "forward-looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations. The following important factors, without limitation, could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements: risks that Dolby Volume, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator, Dolby Digital Stereo Creator, Dolby Headphone, Dolby Virtual Speaker or Audistry by Dolby may not perform as anticipated; risks associated with building market acceptance for high-definition audio and digital technologies, Dolby technologies in general and Dolby Volume in particular; competition in the market for high-definition audio and digital technologies; rapid changes in technical requirements for high-definition audio and digital technologies; the development of markets for HD DVD and Blu-ray, broadcast, gaming, automotive and portable media devices that incorporate Dolby technologies; the risk that the AVRs from Sony and Onkyo will not be available on the market in 2007 or at…
…themselves are now taking the category seriously, finding that offering high-end audio as a factory-installed option adds not only profit to their bottom lines, but a kind of giddy appeal to the selling process.Well past the stage of simple CD and AM/FM radio, some of these units add adapters to connect iPods and slots to play music stored on flash-memory cards, as well as satellite radio reception and the latest in technology, HD Radio. Here are a few sound systems we've auditioned, and while we can't vouch for fuel economies or zero-to-60 acceleration times, we're mightily impressed by the Goo Goo Dolls at max volume.
Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound audio system in the Lexus LS-460L.
Classy, powerful, bulletproof: that goes for the car and the sound system. This is a 19-speaker, 7.1-channel surround getup that reaches toward the outer limits of what a "car stereo" is.
Lexus and Levinson have been partners in mobile audio solutions for some years, but this time around the engineers met the challenges to create wide dynamics and accuracy head on. They used sophisticated software to optimize the system for the acoustics of the 460's cockpit, and exotic metals for the speakers. The result is breathtaking clarity and a soundstage - musical presence, essentially - that extends from the median strip to the highway shoulder.
Harman/Kardon 10-speaker upgrade/HD Radio for the Mini Cooper.
Since it arrived six years ago, the BMW-sourced…