Audi's Cross Cabriolet Quattro concept touts internet radio, B&O system

Granted, Audi's Cross Cabriolet Quattro is still a concept for now, but the proposed infotainment setup is quite swanky, indeed. Reportedly, the vehicle would include a Bang & Olufsen sound system that could stream internet radio thanks to its built-in internet link. Additionally, motorists could "judge" the tracks as they were played, enabling the system to "build up a picture of their preferences and offer individual play lists." The whip also boasts a built-in intercom system with noise cancelling capabilities, and What HiFi even has it that the internet link could be used to fetch map data from Google Earth. In case you couldn't guess, there's no definitive launch time frame or an expected price just yet, but there's no harm in hoping that its infotainment system shows up in a production vehicle sooner rather than later.

[Via What HiFi]

[Peter Smith @ Nov 17th 2007 5:49PM]

"Granted, Audi's Cross Cabriolet Quattro is still a concept for now..."

For now indeed. Audi's TT first showed up as a concept car, then went into production with very minimal change. The R8 sports car has almost the same history.

"The whip also boasts microphones within the headrests to presumably control certain aspects of the system via voice..."

Nope. It's part of an intercom/noice canceling system.

http://www.audiworld.com/news/07/la-auto-show/

[JBo @ Nov 17th 2007 6:04PM]

Yikes! That grille is fugly! Looks like it's wearing braces.

[Billy Fiul @ Nov 17th 2007 6:22PM]

It reminds me of sex on the beach.

[Eriq @ Nov 17th 2007 6:12PM]

Don't know about braces that's more like a hannible lector mask. And I'm an Audi owner/fan. I'm not too cool with the direction Audi is taking with these huge grills lately.

[BigBirdUK @ Nov 17th 2007 8:17PM]

It's a return to their Auto Union legacy...............

[aS J @ Nov 17th 2007 9:01PM]

IT has Slacker software integrated in it - thats the whole

"motorists could "judge" the tracks as they were played, enabling the system to "build up a picture of their preferences and offer individual play lists."

thing

Slacker is displayed on the car's touchscreen.

[Tim @ Nov 17th 2007 10:13PM]

i've seen a lot of people mock b&o for being an '80s fad... this right here is a wonderful example of how they're still putting out innovations.

[Jesse S @ Nov 18th 2007 4:20AM]

I guess their crap sounding like ass is innovation, just like how Apple creating ugly, overpriced computers/dumbphones/crappy sounding players is innovation too!

[John P @ Nov 17th 2007 10:33PM]

I'm a huge Audi fan after buying my A8 in August (Im mildly obsessed...ok, very obsessed) and so this really intrigues me (the internet radio). I honestly dont like this grille, though I do enjoy the large one they featured on the A1. This one could use the horizontal lines, I think.

[Wolfticket @ Nov 17th 2007 11:59PM]

I don't see the point in having "hifi" in a car. It's hardly an ideal environment, given background noise, rubbish speaker positions and vibrations. All you really need is something that sounds okay and goes pretty loud (or loud enough to let everyone in a 30 mile radius that you have crap taste in music, if that's your bag)

Anyway, in conclusion, cars that come with Bose/B&O/etc. stereos are just so idiots can have little badges on their speakers that let other idiots know they are better than them.

[Dahk @ Nov 18th 2007 1:22AM]

Half not true.

ESPECIALLY when your blasting out the music (like you said, for people who dig that), your "sounds okay" type of speakers will completely die out and it'll sound like pure rubbish. And background noise and vibration comes from crappy tires or crappy sound insulation, meaning you won't have a car that can dish out good beats anyway.

However, IMHO, B&O sound systems are definitely not worth it - and like you said, are just for the name.

[Jesse S @ Nov 18th 2007 4:19AM]

B&O is just a high-end Bose, except they're worse. All of their shit is overpriced and terrible.

[Sirocco @ Nov 18th 2007 8:07PM]

Hi-fi or not, Internet radio makes all other media options redundant.

[Tim @ Nov 19th 2007 12:43AM]

b&o might be overpriced but at least they've made the leap into the early 90s and stopped using paper cone tweeters. ever heard of beaming? i'm pointing at bose here. cheap disposable paper and foam, the same shit you find in aiwa, sony and your crappy factory car speakers.

i'm not going to begin to compare them with the likes of paradigm, b&w or tannoy (to pick a random few) but they're better than most of the crap you'll find at best buy or circuit city.