Sony At SEMA 2008 Includes ECTO-1 And A Bunch Of Cool Cars

Sony’s mobile electronics display at the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s (SEMA) annual trade show will feature a head-turning lineup of custom built autos and new audio products.

“This year our indoor and outdoor booths combine to make a magnificent showcase of our best mobile products,” said Mike Kahn, director of mobile electronics at Sony Electronics. “With nearly 6,000 square feet of dedicated space at the show, we’re bringing our leadership in the 12-volt industry front and center.”

Pump up the Volume

To tie in with Sony’s mobile audio theme of “Explosive Power for Explosive Sound,” the full line of Xplod(R) gear is being shown, ranging from the newly released CDX-GT630UI head unit to a new lineup of ZR series amps.

Marine audio products will also be very visible, including the new CDX-H910UI and CDX-M60UI head units. Featuring a rear USB connection for iPod(R) players and supporting all of Sony’s latest audio features, the new head units make it easier for boaters to find and control their music on the water.

Something Strange in the Neighborhood

As a tribute to the upcoming 25th Anniversary of the original theatrical release of the blockbuster film “Ghostbusters,” the original ECTO-1 vehicle used in the 1984 movie will be on display. Recently restored at Cinema Vehicle Services in North Hollywood, Calif., the ECTO-1 has been fully upgraded with Sony Xplod gear. The “ectomobile” features Sony’s slim series subwoofers, a DVD A/V system, iPod adapter, and Sony marine amps and speakers. It also has a Sony MP3 player, 10-disc CD changer and NV-U83T navigation system installed.

“A classic piece of film history, the ECTO-1 is truly one of a kind,” Kahn said. “The vehicle is perfect for showcasing all that we have to offer in mobile A/V, as no other manufacturer can bring the excitement of new technology and a blockbuster film to SEMA like Sony can.”

The ECTO-1, Sony’s Hip Hop Live tour truck and nine additional custom models can all be found at the company’s outdoor feature car booth #72005.

Cars with Attitude

Additionally, Sony’s indoor showroom will spotlight four fully loaded vehicles, each with its own style.

Showcasing his passion for exotic cars, John Wargo has restored a 1938 Chevy pickup truck. Credited with numerous feature and cover-vehicle paintjobs, John and his team at The Custom Shop in Flanagan, Ill. spent nearly 18 months building the truck. The model boasts a Sony CDX-GT820IP head unit, slim series amps and subwoofers, and a XVM-B62 video monitor. The pickup will also feature GTX series speakers and a NV-U94T nav-u(TM) personal navigation device.

A 1971 Plymouth Barracuda built by Mike Staveski will also be displayed in the booth. Mike and his team at Time Machines, Inc in Hudson, Fla. have been restoring and customizing street rods and muscle cars for over a decade. Their past SEMA accolades include the Best GM and Best Chrysler Design awards. The Barracuda at this year’s show will feature Sony’s MEX-BT5100 Bluetooth head unit, slim series subs and amps, and GTX speakers. It is also equipped with a Sony DVD player and video monitors, as well as a NV-U94T nav-u device.

Representing the ultimate in luxury sedan and hybrid power train technology is a 2008 Lexus L600h. The car is one of two newer showcase vehicles built by Jim Lewis of ProMotorsports, another past GM Design award winner at SEMA. This vehicle has two slim series amps, a slim series sub, and three pairs of GTX 2-way component speakers. To complement the cars executive-style design, a Sony VAIO(R) laptop has also been installed.

A 2008 Infiniti G37 will also feature nearly all of Sony’s newest aftermarket audio and video equipment being released the first day of the SEMA show.

Try It Before You Buy It

The nav-u Experience Center (located in booth #10813) will give attendees an opportunity to see all the new features of Sony’s navigation devices firsthand, including Photo Viewer and Bluetooth(R) compatibility (with certain Bluetooth enabled devices). In this hands-on section of the booth, a Sony VAIO computer and CyberShot(R) camera with Memory Stick media will be set up. Attendees will be able to shoot and upload their own pictures to either a Sony NV-U94T or NV-U84 model. Visitors will also have the ability to stream music and initiate hands-free calling through use of a Sony MEX-BT5100 head unit and Bluetooth enabled Sony Ericsson mobile phone. Both the NV-U94T and NV-U74T are being used to highlight this unique feature.

The NV-U44 model is being showcased for its practical price of about $250 and its stylish design. Offered in a variety of colors, this model features Dual View, Text to Speech, Photo Viewer and Gesture Command(TM).