The Maserati MC12 and the inaugural Hawaian Autoshow.

April 10, 2013

I had the pleasure of attending the first ever Hawaiian Autoshow to meet with some Pacific region dealer networks. While I was there, I had the rare opportunity to see the MC12 Stradale. This was a limited build supercar that was produced to allow Maserati to enter the FIA GT series of racing. A small number of road going vehicles ever made it out of Europe. With a 6.0 litre V12 engine that produced 460 Kw (620Bhp) , it could propel the car from 0-100 Km/h in just 3.7 sec and had a top speed of 330 Km/h. Seeing this car up close was a real privilege. Please see the pictures from the Autoshow below.

The Ford Raptor. A supercharged V8 off-road monster. — The Ford Raptor. A supercharged V8 off-road monster.

We're used to seeing rare Porsches in here, but it's very unusual to have one rumble up the driveway that isn't built just for speed. This Porsche Cayenne Transsyberia is one of just 285 built to commemorate Porsche's success at the Transsyberian Rally, and has a few touches (such as the factory fitted roof lights!) that set it apart from the standard Cayenne. Naturally, the 15 year old infotainment was sorely lacking, so we took care of that with the Alpine ILX507A, and a rear camera to complement the new Redarc tow package. Such a unique car deserves a little extra attention, so we whipped up some custom Transsyberian graphics for the Alpine startup screen. A real privilege to be hands on with a lesser known piece of Porsche history, we won't forget this one. #integrationnotinstallation #radioreplacement #headunit #radioupgrade #applecarplay #androidauto #radioinstallation #alpine #porsche #alpineaustralia #carplay #caraudio #transsyberia #cayenne #transsyberian

Sometimes you just have to work with what you've got, and this beautiful Aston Martin Vantage (manual!) doesn't have much in the way of infotainment. While it technically has factory Bluetooth, it's no longer compatible with modern phones so it's basically useless. We've added hard-wired FM modulator the connects directly into the antenna connection of the radio, and allows the driver to stream music and answer phone calls using the very small button on the centre console. A nice neat solution for a car which is quickly becoming a classic, and no need for messy phone holders or cables running across the dash. #integration #integrationnotinstallation #astonmartin #v8vantage

This manual MX5 is a brilliant car, but since the most current tech in there was a cassette player, this client brought it to us for what we'd almost consider a safety upgrade. The new Alpine ILX407 supports wired Carplay/Android Auto, and the USB port is tucked neatly in the centre console so there's no need for an unsightly cable or phone holder on the dash. Add in a reversing camera and some Alpine DM-65 speakers in the doors and you get a car that's now back to being unadulterated fun. #integrationnotinstallation #radioupgrade #alpine #androidauto #radioreplacement #alpineaus #headunit #applecarplay #radioinstallation #mazda #mx5 #miata #namx5

Our last few posts have been distinctly European, so let's break things up with some American muscle. This Camaro SS was brought in so we could bring it up to the same spec as our clients newer cars. One Alpine ILX507 later, coupled with a PAC Audio climate control kit, and now this client can listen to things that aren't just FM radio. #integrationnotinstallation #radioupgrade #alpineaus #alpine #radioinstallation #radioreplacement #headunit #applecarplay #androidauto #camaro #camaross #

We often hear people say about the cars that come through our shop "I had the poster of that on my wall as a kid!". Well, in the case of this 997 Turbo that's just received an Alpine ILX507 radio upgrade, we may not be kids anymore but we still have the poster on the wall 😄 #integrationnotinstallation #radioupgrade #alpineaustralia #headunit #porsche #caraudio #radio #radioinstallation #carplay #radioreplacement #applecarplay #porsche997 #911 #997 #alpine #alpineaus

We're big fans of the Porsche Panamera, but (as always) they're let down by the absolutely terrible OEM radio. We've not only seen lots of these PCM3.1 units fail, but even the ones that still work are severely lacking in modern tech. The Alpine ILX507 fits beautifully, and gives all the 21st century comforts that the current models have, and without losing the parking sensor display or the factory rear camera. #integrationnotinstallation #porsche #androidauto #radioupgrade #carplay #radioreplacement #radio #caraudio #alpineaustralia #headunit #radioinstallation #applecarplay #panamera

Some might look at this and just see another 987 Boxster receiving a radio upgrade, but we adore this car because we feel it represents our relationships with our clients. We've been doing work for the owners of this car for over a decade, and every car is brought to us because: "I trust Jon and Matt to do it once, do it right, and I know the guys are going to be honest with me when the bill comes" There is nothing that means more to us. #integrationnotinstallation #porsche

A few of the major European marques all patiently waiting to receive their dashcams. While the finished product might look similar, the Mercedes EQE, BMW X7 and Audi Q7 all have completely different installation procedures. A testament to our skilled team to have all three of these finished and back with their very happy owners this afternoon. #mercedesbenz #ais #bmw #dashcam #blackvueofficial #blackvueaustralia #integrationnotinstallation #audi

We don't just tackle prestige and performance here, and often we find that non-prestige cars are the most in need of some AIS attention. This Mazda 3 is a great example, as the radio looked (and worked) like it was from the early 90s, letting down what is an otherwise great car. We recommened the budget-friendly Aerpro 9" AMMZ4 and now instead of an awful rotary dial radio, the customer has a modern, wireless Apple Carplay compatible touchscreen that launches the vehicle into the 21st century #mazda #radio #carplay #androidauto #radioupgrade #mazda3 #integrationnotinstallation #radioreplacement #aerpro

While we can always achieve mind-blowing results with our full system upgrades, we also are happy to cater to more budget-friendly improvements. This C Class was equipped with Burmeister from factory, but the customer (rightly) felt that the bass was muddy and lacking in punch. After upgrading the floor-mounted subs with the Focal ISUB-MBZ100, we've achieved what the Burmeister system promised. While there's still room to move if our client decides to do more upgrades down the line, this is a fantastic entry-level upgrade to supplement the OEM Mercedes setup. #mercedesbenz #burmeister #focalaudio #focalaustralia #subwooferupgrade #subwoofer #audioupgrade #integrationnotinstallation #caraudio #mercedesbenz #soundupgrade