Technically, the twenty-first century doesn't begin until January 1, 2001. So we thought we'd cap off Y2K with a retrospective, reviewing a car feature from each month of the last year of the twentieth century. We have quite a collection of cars, from a rare Ferrari to a decked out Hummer. Side by side they have a different impact than you might experience from seeing them individually, from month to month. Consumers who are in the market for a new vehicle with a spectacular sound system will find this look back especially helpful. Now you can compare the wide range of vehicles that car audio enthusiasts favor and make a choice as to what would suit you best without having to scan through 12 separate issues of Car Audio and Electronics (though we don't discourage that!). Lexus, Mercedes, Porsche, VW, Lincoln, etc. Each car has something unique to offer, and it's hard for us to say which we love the most - although that doesn't necessarily mean we'd have any difficulty choosing what we'd love to own the most. Kudos to the competitors and installers, as well as the manufacturers, who make all of this possible. We feel lucky to be able to cover this industry and sport, and memorialize these incredible cars. Enjoy.
This limited edition Ferrari F355 Spider is one of only 3,000 F355's manufactured annually and belongs to one Dr. Tameshaar Ammar, who, believe it or not, wasn't completely satisfied with the car after his purchase. He had no problem with the V8 engine and the 0-60 in 4.6 seconds. But there were other considerations. Thanks to Roy McCullough and the people at Ultrasounds LTD. in Lynbrook, NY Ammar finally got a complete vehicle with a sound system to match the power under the hood. Alpine provides the tunes and the security while a Valentine radar keeps a look out on the highway. For an investment upwards of a $150,000 we think satisfaction is an absolute must!
Mercedes ML 430
It is clear at first sight that this is no ordinary Mercedes ML 430. This Stillen demo vehicle is distinguished by the company's body kit, color matched side-view mirrors and door handles, polished 20-inch HRE modular wheels wrapped in Dunlop 295/40 R20, and a performance suspension by Stillen that gives the ML a broader stance. The interior was also completely reworked in Stillen's own upholstery shop. That's only the half of it. With a head unit, CD changer, TV tuner and monitors from Clarion, a Panasonic DVD player, an Alpine navigation unit, and a Sony PlayStation you have everything a multimedia fanatic could want. As for power, that's supplied by Clarion amps while Polk Audio provides the good vibrations.