Taking in-car technology and connectivity to a new high, Ford India announced the introduction of 2014 Ford Figo with a host of enhanced industry leading features including the first-in-class Wi-Fi, according to a company statement.
The 2014 Ford Figo will set new benchmarks in convenience and help keep customers more connected to the world with its unique offering. Offered to customers as a special value pack, 2014 Ford Figo will include a Wi-Fi dongle, colour coordinated seat covers and LED interior lighting at INR 9,790/- (ex-showroom Delhi).
Adding to the overall appeal, the 2014 Ford Figo will be available in a trendy new colour “Mars Red. In order to enhance the value for money offering, Ford has also included Driver Side Airbag and Power Adjust Mirrors in the ZXi variant of the 2014 Ford Figo. The base EXi version will now offer Bluetooth Connectivity, 2 DIN Audio — CD, FM, MP3, Aux-in, USB and 4 Speakers & Roof antenna as part of the standard offering.
“At Ford, we believe in democratization of technology and have been driving consumer focused innovation across our product range. Ford Figo was the first car in its segment to introduce Bluetooth connectivity and is setting a benchmark by offering internet connectivity on-the-go,” said Vinay Piparsania, executive director, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford India. “The 2014 Ford Figo will redefine smart and further strengthen its credentials as a reliable vehicle with an outstanding value-for-money proposition.”
The 2014 Ford Figo will be launched through a campaign “Smart Is The New Cool” and highlight how substantial package (features & interior space), attractive style, mobile connectivity & Best-in-class AC and first-in-segment Bluetooth connectivity make it the best choice of a smart customer. The 2014 Ford Figo range will continue to offer a comprehensive two-year or 100,000 kilometer warranty. In a first of its kind initiative, Ford will also be offering ‘Happy Pocket Service’ with comprehensive scheduled service at a transparent and competitive price starting at only Rs 2,199.
The 2014 Ford Figo with its superior performance, fuel-efficiency and lower ownership costs will find resonance among customers and will be available in Kinetic Blue, Diamond White, Moondust Silver, Chill Metallic, Panther Black, Sea Grey and Paprika Red. Established in 1995, Ford India is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader. Ford India manufactures and distributes automobiles and engines made at its modern integrated manufacturing facilities at Maraimalai Nagar, near Chennai. The company’s models include the Figo, Fiesta, Classic, Endeavour, and the most recently launched EcoSport.
Ford’s operations in the country also include Global Business Services with offices in Chennai, Coimbatore and Gurgaon that provides support to nearly every Ford location around the world in the areas of IT, Engineering, Finance and Accounting, Automotive Financing, Marketing Sales and Service, Analytics, and Purchasing. Ford’s businesses in India employ 11,500 hard-working, dedicated men and women.
Infotainment Talk India
Blaupunkt India launches San Diego 530 multimedia navigation system for a price of Rs 30,990
Blaupunkt India, a world leader in car infotainment and sound, today launched San Diego 530 a fully integrated multimedia navigation system that provides a diverse range of utility and entertainment possibilities at a pocket friendly price, according to a company statement.
Priced at Rs 30,990 this digital touch screen system combines the newest fully-featured version of iGO Primo software and the latest TomTom India maps. Equipped with high end features such as Voice Navigation, Intelligent Quick Search (IQS), smart history tracking, parking guidance and congestion detour handling, the San Diego 530 provides you the most advanced navigation on the Indian roads today. The San Diego 530 also comes with a powerful in-built navigation processor, thus eliminating the need for an external black box.
Adding to the entertainment quotient, the San Diego 530 also includes an inbuilt high end multimedia video playback, powerful 4*45w sound output, unmatched connectivity for all types of portable media and a DSP tuner which provides crystal clear sound and supports weak signal processing and noise suppression, making it ideal for the Indian market.
Some of the highlights of San Diego 530 include:
6.2” digital TFT touch screen display (800 x 480 pixels)
WinCE6.0 OS / 256MB RAM
High-grade FM (RDS), AM tuner
DVD/VCD/CD-player
Built-in Bluetooth (HFP, A2DP, PBAP) w/ built-in & external hands- freemicrophone
Standard A-type front USB (Audio & Video)
MicroSDHC slot (alternatively for Multimedia or Navigation)
Front Audio/Video input
Video output
Rear view camera input
Navigation-ready via bundling with regional Navigation microSD
Data carrier:DVD, DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW, DVD-ROM, CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-R/-RW, VCD,
USB, micro-SDHC/SD
Playback format:MP3, WMA, MPEG, MPG, AVI, Xvid, JPEG, JPG
10-band parametric equalizer
Sound presets (Rock, Pop, Classic, Jazz … )
Loudness
4-channel Preamp-out (2 V)
Sub-out (variable gain, frequency)
Max. power 4 x 45 Watts
Steering Wheel Remote Control (programmable)
IR remote control included
Comes with a 1 year free insurance scheme for flood, fire and burglary
The clean lines of the Blaupunkt design leave nothing more to be desired and make a high-quality, tasteful addition integrated to any cockpit. When combined with Blaupunkt’ s range of superior sound products – speakers, subwoofers, amplifiers, the San Diego 530 can provide a wide range of sound enhancement possibilities for every car.
Commenting on the launch, Pankaj Jagwani, Director, Blaupunkt India said: “Our aim has always been to offer innovative in car infotainment solutions that enhance the driving experience. San Diego 530 brings together the best of the entertainment and navigation and we are confident that this product will be well received in the Indian market”.
Blaupunkt (meaning ‘blue point’ in German) is recognised as a symbol of German quality and innovation since 1928. It is one of the world’s leading car infotainment brands and has shaped the in-car entertainment industry for 90 years. Blaupunkt has a history of innovation and firsts – from the first car radio in 1932 to the first radio with FM, first digital radio, first radio with video navigation, first RDS radio, first drive-less radio, to more recently the world’s first internet radio in 2009. Blaupunkt is today, an infotainment partner of choice to the world’s leading passenger car OEs including VW, Audi, Bentley, GM, Proton, Hyundai, Kia, Tata, Mahindra as well as a number of commercial vehicle providers including Fuso, Isuzu, Fendt, Lada, Claas CAT etc.
The company is headquartered in Hildesheim, Germany and is part of Aurelius AG with revenue in excess of one billion euro and operations worldwide. In India, the company is headquartered in Mumbai with distribution across all states and a service footprint of 130 locations.
JLR, Intel to develop next gen in-vehicle technologies
Jaguar Land Rover is now partnering with Intel in enhancing research and product development on future vehicle infotainment technologies. The calliance is also establishing a new Technology R&D Centre in Portland, Oregon.
A statement issued by JLR, the new research centre on the West Coast will help ead the development of future vehicle infotainment systems. This centre will also be responsible for collaborative work with a number of technology partners. The location of the centre has been chosen for its proximity to the technology industry hubs in Silicon Valley and Seattle, where Jaguar Land Rover has been developing collaborative alliances with the world’s leading IT businesses and creative and technical talent.
Collaboration
Jaguar Land Rover, the British premium car manufacturer and part of Indian firm Tata Motors and Intel have already commenced work on multiple levels across engineering, research and marketing as Jaguar Land Rover progresses its ambitions to deliver the best in-car infotainment experience. A number of factors including close proximity of Jaguar Land Rover’s new research facility to Intel Labs is enabling a collaborative relationship on research projects. Multiple programmes are underway to explore and develop next-generation digital vehicle prototypes with in-vehicle cockpit experiences that connect car, device and cloud. The insights gained from the research programmes, along with alignment on engineering efforts is expected to hasten the development on new innovative in-vehicle experiences, noted the statement.
Dr Wolfgang Ziebart, Jaguar Land Rover Engineering Director, said: “Our aim is to innovate and develop the ultimate user experience for our customers and by taking a collaborative approach with both technology start-ups and large organisations such as Intel, we will push the boundaries of future infotainment technology. Working with Intel will help both partners define and develop platforms and systems appropriate for premium global brands like Jaguar and Land Rover. This will ultimately develop unique and innovative technologies that will continue to drive the appeal of our products. Our research and the partnerships we are developing in the US will help us ensure our new products remain innovative and globally competitive”.
Elliot Garbus, vice president and general manager, Automotive Solutions Division, Intel Corporation, said: “Consumers expect their in-vehicle experiences to be an integrated part of their digitally connected lifestyle. For, this requires enhanced levels of connectivity and intelligence in the car. As part of our work with Jaguar Land Rover, we are exploring innovative ways to inform, entertain and assist drivers and passengers in a safe way; speeding development of unique experiences from the car to the cloud. Our goal is to accelerate opportunities for new types of in-vehicle services and applications in the Internet of Things”.
Portland Centre
Creating the new technology centre in Portland and the collaborative partnerships it supports will accelerate the creation of the next generation of in-car technologies, features and software for future Jaguar and Land Rover models. The Portland facility will be Jaguar Land Rover’s first dedicated software R&D operation and will lead the optimisation for automotive applications of a range of new advanced technologies that are currently being developed on the West Coast.
The new ‘Open Software Technology Centre’ in Portland, which will open in 2014, will complement the established Jaguar Land Rover infotainment team based at the company’s product creation facility in Gaydon, UK. It will employ a team of around 30 infotainment specialists, including 16 highly experienced software engineers. Facilities will include a multimedia creative suite, innovation spaces, development laboratory and a six-bay vehicle workshop.
Going forward, the Portland technology centre will also complement the long-term research projects that will be undertaken by the Jaguar Land Rover R&D team at the National Automotive Innovation Campus (NAIC) at the University of Warwick when it opens in 2016. These research projects include electrification, smart and connected cars and Human Machine Interface.
Investments
Jaguar Land Rover will invest circa £ 2.75 billion in its products and facilities in the financial year to March 2014. Jaguar Land Rover will invest £ 50 million in a purpose built, £ 100 million ‘National Automotive Innovation Campus’ (NAIC) at WMG. This new 30,000 square meters facility will create a state-of-the-art Technology, Innovation and Education centre for Jaguar Land Rover and its key innovation partners to drive forward on all of the above technology themes and new ones as they emerge.
Future plans
Jaguar Land Rover has ambitious plans for sustainable growth and profitability. In 2012, Jaguar Land Rover sold 357,773 vehicles, up 30 percent. In fact, Jaguar Land Rover is one of the UK’s largest exporters by value (£ 11 billion in FY 2011-2012) and generates an estimated 85 percent of its revenue from exports.
In the twelve months to March 31, 2013 Jaguar Land Rover generated profit before tax of £ 1.675 billion with revenues of £ 15.8 billion. Jaguar Land Rover has two engineering test facilities in the US. The first one is a hot weather test facility in Phoenix, Arizona and the second one is a cold weather test facility in International Falls, Minnesota. Meanwhile, its partner, Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation in the US and other parts of the world.
Sahil International forge alliance with Headphone Zone in India
Sahil International, the authorized sales and service partner for HARMAN, a leading provider of premium audio and infotainment solutions in India, announced its partnership with Headphone Zone to enhance availability of JBL by HARMAN range of headphones in the India market, according to a company statement. Headphone Zone is India’s first multi-outlet headphone retailer and has one of the largest collections of headphones and earphones in South Asia.
Commenting on the partnership, Sahil Sani of Sahil International said: “I strongly believe that Headphone Zone is the next important step on our journey towards making JBL the number one headphone brand in India by value. We are very confident that JBL will become one of the largest selling brands at Headphone Zone in the coming months because JBL headphones are not only stylish, but offers consumers the best value for money. In addition, we have many in store and online promotions planned exclusively for Headphone Zone”.
‘JBL provides music lovers with the ultimate opportunity to enjoy music in complete privacy with our attractive and stylish, noise cancelling in- ear as well as on- ear headphones, without compromising on the quality of music. So whether it’s a mobile or laptop or any other mp3 player, good quality music is guaranteed with JBL headphones, in addition to unparalleled comfort and portability and durability. At Headphone Zone, customers will truly have a complete HARMAN experience with wide array of headphones we offer” said Mr. Sharath Santhakumaran, Head – Lifestyle, HARMAN India.
Headphone zone is, India’s first exclusive Headphone Retail Brand, with the largest collection of headphones and earphones in South Asia. This chain of multi brand headphone retail stores, is owned and managed by Raghav Somani whose family has over 15 year’s experience in the headphone business. They are the only exclusive multi outlet headphone retailer in the country carrying over 15 different brands. They believe in in-store categorisation which is the result of intense study of consumer behaviour. Through a combination of on ground retail and online they aim to be a pioneer in giving shoppers the ultimate experience when choosing the ideal headphone. For more information: headphonezone.in.
Sahil International is the authorized sales and service partner for HARMAN International Lifestyle Division Products in India. For After Sales service and Support in India Dial: 1800-229291 (TOLL FREE) or write in to: indiasupport@harman.com. For trade inquires contact HARMAN authorized distributor, Sahil International: 022-30080830/40/50
HARMAN designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of infotainment and audio solutions for the automotive, consumer, and professional markets. It is a recognized world leader across its customer segments with premium brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, and Mark Levinson® and leading-edge connectivity, safety and audio technologies. The company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 14,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.3 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013. Please visit harman.com or http://www.harman.in for more information.
Sahil International forge alliance with Pai International to enhance availability of Harman products in India
Sahil International, the authorized sales and service partner for HARMAN, a leading provider of premium audio and infotainment solutions in India, announced its partnership with Pai International, one of the leading Large format retail stores (LFRS) in the country, according to a statement issued by Harman. With this association, JBL range of products including unmatched range of headphones, portable Bluetooth and desktop speakers will now be available at leading Pai International outlets across the country, effective immediately.
Sahil Sani of Sahil International said: “Pai International is one of South India’s most trusted names in retail. Their customers expect the highest level of service at best prices. This is not a challenge but rather an incentive for our team to ensure that JBL range of products are well placed and promotions are communicated effectively to their customers”.
Today there are over 57 Pai outlets across Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, including Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Mysore, Hubli, Belgaum, other major metros and other key towns.
Sharath Santhakumaran, Head – Lifestyle, HARMAN India said: “We are committed to bringing in innovative and best of line products at an affordable price in the India market. In partnership with Sahil, you will clearly see the HARMAN brand become more prevalent in the market in the coming months. The association with Pai International is a key step in this direction. We will continue to make to our products more accessible to our customers, in addition to ensuring the best service and support”.
HARMAN India recently announced the availability of nine new products in the market, this festive season. These products will be available across leading Pai International stores in India.
Gaana launches new design on the web with version 3.0 defining a new landscape for online music streaming in India
Gaana.com, numero uno online music streaming service in India, has revealed a new avatar to take its listeners on a journey which is not only music to the ears but quite pleasing to the eyes as well.
It has revamped its web app with all new look employing a responsive html5 design. Gaana has been the most popular online music service in India crossing five million monthly active users, according to a company statement.
The refreshing new look, packaged with a faster search engine, makes it easier to browse, discover and favourite music from a large collection of over two million songs. The available music catalogue is spread across Bollywood, International and Regional spanning 84 languages and multiple genres. The new site boasts thousands of editorially curated playlists, professionally programmed radio streams and a host of social and personalisation features. It’s also tablet friendly and offers seamless integration across devices.
Enhanced focus on curated streams and personalisation positions Gaana as a one stop destination for users with varying music tastes and preferences. Be it romance or dance, happy or sad, party or devotional, there’s cherry picked playlists to suit every mood, occasion and genre. Gaana offers listeners an opportunity to tune in to a variety of pre-programmed radio streams, featuring popular Radio Jockeys’ bytes, Celebrity favourites and loads of curated music. The new version will soon feature radio stations based on artist, genre and other categories. There are hundreds of new radio stations and celebrity playlists, all upfronted for users. The service offers an experience that improves based on user’s listening activity on Gaana. Deep integration with user’s social network enables the users to not only discover new music through friends but to form a stronger bond with friends with similar music tastes.
Speaking on the occasion, Pawan Agarwal, Business Head, Gaana said: “Gaana has spearheaded the digital music revolution in India and we continue to be at the forefront of delivering a world-class, engaging, and easy-to-use service that caters to the varying music needs of our audience across the globe. Content curation and personalisation being the key to creating enthralling music experiences, we are committed to adding more such features in the coming months. Watch out for the upcoming versions of our Mobile Applications”.
HMDX Audio unveils Jam Classic, Jam Plus and Jam Party in India
HMDX Audio, creators of the number one selling HMDX JAM Bluetooth® speaker in the US, is launching three of its best products from its Jam Collection in India – Jam Classic, Jam Plus and Jam Party through its Indian partner, Imagine Marketing India. These funky Bluetooth speakers will be available across the leading Consumer Electronic stores in India.
The HMDX JAM Collection is perfect for all occasions, lounging near the pool, sitting around a bonfire, meeting in the office conference room or just hanging out in the kitchen because it is designed with just one idea in mind: sharing your music. The three international bestsellers being launched in India, deliver sweet sound while breaking away from traditional industry designs to showcase sleek shapes and amazing finishes in bright, vibrant colors that compliment HMD Audio’s demographics’ style and taste, according to a company statement.
Eric Caldwell, International Sales Head, Homedics, said: “The love for music is universal and we at HMDX strive to increase access to quality audio products at affordable prices to nurture this passion. We are excited to embark on this new journey for HMDX in India and hope that the Jam Collection becomes a favorite
with consumers in India like it has in the US and other countries”.
Speaking about the distribution of HMDX Jam Products in India, Aman Gupta, Founder, Imagine pointed out: “We expect HMDX Audio to take the Indian Market by storm as the company focuses on introducing audio products suited to its young and dynamic target audience, delivering sweet sound at very attractive, accessible prices. The HMDX Jam Collection focuses on making music a shared social experience for its consumers and we hope that the Indian consumer will be a part of this movement”.
HMDX JAM Party (Rs 7,990)
Incredible two stereo speakers deliver superior bass performance. Up to 12 hours of wireless play for a party that lasts all night. An integrated pop-out handle for easy portability. Comes in multiple flavours to express your true colours. The JAM Party Bluetooth wireless portable speaker is perfect for anywhere you want to bring the music, works on AC or rechargeable battery and up to 30 feet from any Bluetooth-enabled device.
HMDX JAM Plus (Rs 3,990)
The JAM Plus is one of the first Bluetooth speaker in the market that can be paired with another JAM Plus for true stereo sound. The JAM Plus features a re-chargeable lithium-ion battery that can pump out six hours of continuous play.
HMDX JAM Classic (Rs 2,990)
The numero uno selling Bluetooth speaker in the US, the HMDX JAM Classic will spread the Jam in living rooms, offices, gyms, beaches and dorm rooms. Incredible sound in a small package – the JAM Classic can be paired with any Bluetooth-enabled device, up to 30 feet away. Built-in rechargeable battery delivers up to four hours of wireless play. Available at Croma, Apple Premium Resellers stores and other Consumer Electric Stores across India as well as on Flipkart from October 14, 2013.
HMDX Audio strives to provide the highest quality sound products with the features that matter most to its customer to provide a genuinely unique experience. HMDX Audio continues its research and development efforts to provide superior consumer electronics products that truly stand out from our competitors. Our philosophy of bringing innovations and technologies in accessible consumer products enables the company to be positioned as the world-class brand you can trust.
Imagine Marketing is a start up focusing on marketing and distribution of premium global brands in India. It is founded by two entrepreneurs:-Aman Gupta and Sameer Mehta. Aman was the Ex Sales Director of Harman International and has been associated with Sennheiser, JBL, Harman/Kardon and Beats by Dre in India. Sameer brings with him rich experience in distribution and retail and also serves as an Executive Director at Kores India Limited. Imagine has Sales and Service offices in Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai with micro distribution network across India.
Ford unveils SYNC® AppLink™ and Invites Developers To Redefine In-car Connectivity in 2014
Did you ever wish you could stream Internet radio, listen to songs, cricket scores, traffic updates, search for restaurants, hotels and more without fumbling through phone menus while driving? Look no further, says a company statement. With the introduction of SYNC® AppLink™ at the Mobile Developer Summit 2013 in Bangalore, Ford is all set to revolutionize the in-car experience for customers in India. Another example of Ford going further on democratizing advanced technology, SYNC® AppLink™ will strengthen Ford’s technology footprint in India and reinforce its position as a leader in innovative, interactive features for vehicles. SYNC® AppLink™ allows greater communication between smartphone apps and AppLink-equipped vehicles through voice commands and will be launched in India in 2014.
“We are excited about bringing SYNC® AppLink™ to India and will offer industry-exclusive voice control technology for smartphone apps thereby providing drivers the convenience to access content and information while on-the-go. SYNC® AppLink™ is an exciting addition to Ford’s class leading connectivity technology and goes further in personalizing the in-car experience.” says David Huang, senior manager at Ford Asia Pacific’s Technology and Business Development, Connected Services and keynote speaker at Mobile Developer Summit 2013. With Ford SYNC® AppLink™, customers can control applications on their smartphones from the driver’s seat using voice controls through the Ford SYNC voice activated connectivity system.
SYNC® AppLink™ will allow greater integration with a range of smartphone apps. The platform is planned to be introduced in India with ESPNcricinfo, MapmyIndia, burrp!, Glympse, TuneIn Radio while encouraging app developers to come up and add new applications.
“India today has more than 65 million smartphone users who want to stay connected wherever they are. Keeping them in mind, Ford has been driving consumer focused innovation in automotive technology. The journey, which started with the introduction of Bluetooth connectivity in Ford Figo, has gone on to introduce the first in segment Voice Control in the Global Fiesta and the world class SYNC® technology in Ford EcoSport. With every step, we have allowed seamless connectivity, entertainment and convenience and are excited to take it forward with SYNC® AppLink™ keeping our customers in mind.” Vinay Piparsania, executive director, Marketing, Sales and Service said.
With its presence as the only automobile manufacturer at Mobile Developer Summit in Bangalore, Ford is reaching out to the mobile developer community to develop market specific apps in India and globally. Undertaken through its Global Developer Program, Ford will invite software developers to create voice-activated mobile app experiences for Ford vehicles. The information to learn about the AppLink application programming interface (API) will be available on the Developer Program website, developer.ford.com. The developer site features online forums to discuss app development and related issues. Once submitted to Ford, an app is thoroughly tested and reviewed for usability and suitability for Ford AppLink-enabled vehicles. After Ford works out a distribution license with the developer, the app can be released to customers.
“Our participation at Mobile Developer Summit in Bangalore highlights that we are a developer-focused company. We understand that a vibrant app ecosystem is essential to the success of a platform for both users and developers. At Ford, we’re constantly looking to partner with developers aimed to research and reshape the role of the automobile to add value for our customers,” Huang added.
Ford has set the benchmark for in-car connectivity systems with SYNC® powered by Microsoft now in more than 7 million vehicles with the forecast to reach an additional nine million new customers around the world by 2015. Developers working with SYNC® AppLink™ will be able to create apps across a wide spectrum of categories to reach this growing base of Ford owners.
Established in 1995, Ford India is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader. Ford India manufactures and distributes automobiles and engines made at its modern integrated manufacturing facilities at Maraimalai Nagar, near Chennai. The company’s models include the Figo, Fiesta, Classic, Endeavour, and the most recently launched EcoSport.
Ford’s operations in the country also include Global Business Services, comprised of Ford Business Services Center and Ford Technology Services India. Located in Chennai, New Delhi and Coimbatore, these units support Ford globally in the areas of IT, accounting and finance, financial services and automotive operations support, global analytics and engineering services. Ford’s businesses in India employ 11,500 hard-working, dedicated men and women.For more information, visit http://www.india.ford.com
Blaupunkt India ropes in Ayushmann Khurrana as brand ambassador
Blaupunkt India, the German car infotainment brand today announced the appointment of multi-faceted actor, singer, composer – Ayushmann Khurrana as their Brand Ambassador. The brand that epitomises quality, contemporary style, innovation and superior sound, was looking for a face in India that would personify these core values.
Taking this association a step further, Blaupunkt is the official sound partner of Ayushmann’s new soft rock love ballad single ‘O Heeriye’, in which he is seen using Blaupunkt’s recently launched premium headphones – Style.
Preeti Bakshi, Marketing Head for Blaupunkt India said: ‘AYK and Blaupunkt are both recognized for great music, innovation, and cool style. We are very excited to partner with Ayushmann and together we will further accelerate the connect of Blaupunkt products with Indian youth and young at heart’.
The Youth Icon, Khurrana added: “My association with Blaupunkt goes back a long way, my first music system was a Blaupunkt and to now partner with the brand, is an honour. Music is an integral part of my life and Blaupunkt’s premium sound takes the music experience to a very different level – be it in the car or at home. For me, quality and innovation play an equally important role, which is reflected in every product of the Blaupunkt range”.
Blaupunkt (meaning ‘blue point’ in German) is recognized as a symbol of German quality and innovation since 1928. It is one of the world’s leading car infotainment brands and has shaped the in-car entertainment industry for over 80 years. Blaupunkt has a history of innovation and firsts – from the first car radio in 1932 to the first radio with FM, first digital radio, first radio with video navigation, first RDS radio, first drive-less radio, to more recently the world’s first internet radio in 2009. Blaupunkt is today an infotainment partner of choice to the world’s leading passenger car OEs including VW, Audi, Bentley, Porsche, GM, Proton, Hyundai, Kia, Tata, Suzuki, Mahindra as well as a number of commercial vehicle providers including Fuso, Isuzu, Fendt, Lada, Claas, CAT and more.
Blaupunkt is headquartered in Hildesheim, Germany and is part of Aurelius AG with revenue in excess of one billion euro and operations worldwide. In India, the company is headquartered in Mumbai with distribution through 3000+ retailers across all states and a service footprint in excess of 130 locations.
Blaupunkt unveils all-in-one GTb 8A Active subwoofer for enhanced car-audio experience with a price tag of at Rs 9,990
Blaupunkt India, a world leader in car infotainment and sound, has just launched another soundproduct with respect to in-car entertainment systems. The GTb 8A promises to deliver the bass you’ve been missing as its 8″ spun-paper woofer pumps out the low-end thump, according to a company statement.
Commonly, it takes a sub, an enclosure and an amplifier to produce bass. Finding the right combination of these three elements can be tricky. The GTb 8A eliminates all this hassle, as Blaupunkt has designed the enclosure to house the sub and amp together. Its built-in 75-watt RMS amplifier keeps you from having to match up a separate amplifier —simply wire this sub up to your system and you’re good to go.
This all-in-one solution is especially useful in smaller vehicles, where there’s no room to mount a separate amp, or in any vehicle where you need every bit of cargo space. At under 11″ deep, this compact sub will fit in some pretty tight places. With both speaker level and line-level inputs accepted, the GTb 8A can be connected to any type of car radio and can be fitted into all Indian entry levels hatchback, including factory-fitted models.
Highlights
• Closed Subwoofer enclosure with integrated Class-A/B Amplifier
• Very small dimensions: 250 x 272/202 x 260 mm
• 200mm/8” Subwoofer with Spun Paper Cone (SPC) Membrane
• Amplifier with high power handling: 75 watts RMS / 150 watts Max.Power
• Perfect matching Subwoofer with optimized power handling
• Signal input via RCA/Cinch and highlevel
• Separate controls for lowpass filter, phase and gain
• Automatic On-/Off function via highlevel, RCA/Cinch and remote signal
• Metal speaker protectors
• MDF housing material
• EPC compatible: easy connection to the power supply by using the accessory Easy Power Connection (EPC)
While speaking on the launch, Pankaj Jagwani, Director, Blaupunkt, India said: “The car infotainment sector in India demands compact solutions that do not compromise on the deliverance of high-end technology. The GTb 8A eliminates redundancy of 3 separate products to rid the end-consumer of unnecessary hassle. We’re confident that this active subwoofer will impress Indian audiophiles”.
This powerhouse of a boom box retails at Rs 9,990. Blaupunkt (meaning ‘blue point’ in German) is recognised as a symbol of German quality and innovation since 1928. It is one of the world’s leading car infotainment brands and has shaped the in-car entertainment industry for 90 years. Blaupunkt has a history of innovation and firsts – from the first car radio in 1932 to the first radio with FM, first digital radio, first radio with video navigation, first RDS radio, first drive-less radio, to more recently the world’s first internet radio in 2009. Recently, it has launched several high-end platforms like the New York 830 a fully integrated multimedia navigation system that has been a major success in markets worldwide. In keeping with its legacy of innovation, the company has/is also developing next generation connected car infotainment platforms that enable multimedia, navigation, smart phone integration, 3G/ WIFI connectivity, android applications, CAN basevehicle diagnostics, telematics and driver assistance.
Blaupunkt is today, an infotainment partner of choice to the world’s leading passenger car OEs including VW, Audi, Bentley, GM, Proton, Hyundai, Kia, Tata, Mahindra as well as a number of commercial vehicle providers including Fuso, Isuzu, Fendt, Lada, Claas CAT etc. The company is headquartered in Hildesheim, Germany and is part of Aurelius AG with revenue in excess of one billion euro and operations worldwide. In India, the company is headquartered in Mumbai with distribution across all states and a service footprint of 130 locations.
The News Hour India by Kenath Jayashankar Menon 