Bang & Olufsen named best sound system for cars

Safe And Sound

7 November 2006 11:35 GMT / By Jonathan Goddard

Bang & Olufsen’s quite extraordinary in-car audio system has been named best sound system in the automotive world.
Judges at the annual Interior of the Year awards in the US heaped praise on the B&O Advanced Sound System, which is available only for buyers of the new Audi A8 or S8. The system cannot be retrofitted, and it costs between £3775 and £4500, requiring the vehicle to be sent off to B&O who then cleverly build the system into the car.

The beauty of the system is that it’s tailor made to the exact acoustic requirements of the A8’s interior - its size, shape and materials. The speaker grilles are made from anodised aluminium, the same material used to produce the body of the luxury saloon. The 14 speakers, Acoustic Lens Technology and powerful digital amplifier - which produces more than 1000 watts of power - provide a pretty incredible sound experience. Coolest of all, at start-up two tweeters pop up from the dash and pop back down again when you power down.

Almost half of all S8s sold in the UK since the system was made available last year have the stereo fitted.