TORRANCE, Calif, Jan. 8, 2004 -- Alpine Electronics of America, Inc.
today unveiled its newest show car, an entirely customized Mini
Cooper S. This demo car, designed to showcase the technological
strengths of the company, as well as the fabrication strength of the
installation team, will be Alpine's main show car for 2004 consumer
and industry events.

Built by Steve Brown and Mike Vu of Alpine's Advanced
Application R & D Team, the car took 4,000 man-hours and over seven
months to build. Brown & Vu wanted the Mini to be unlike any other
in existence and made over-the-top modifications to ensure the
uniqueness of the vehicle. First, the roof was cut off and a
custom-made windshield was installed, turning the car into a
topless "speedster." The Mini was lowered and a super
widebody kit was added, giving the car a more aggressive look.
Next, the steering column was moved to create a single-seat, center
drive car. Finally, the doors were sealed shut, creating a vehicle
that is not accessible through the sides. Instead, an eight-foot
"sled" that incorporates a custom-made plexiglass driver's
seat
fully motorizes out from the rear of the car. When fully extended,
the sled lies five feet out from the rear of the car.

The Mini showcases an array of Alpine's new 2004 products. The
interior of the car was completely gutted, so that the Alpine
products could be seamlessly integrated to match the overall look of
the car. With an emphasis on creating an A/V showcase, the entire
dash was removed. Six TME-M580 5.8-inch monitors are held on criss-
crossing fiberglass "arms" and are positioned on the left and
right
side of the steering wheel. The monitors can display images from the
NVE-N852A PowerNAV™ DVD navigation system, the XBox video game
console, DVA-5210 DVD player, and the DHA-S680 6-disc DVD changer.

A fiberglass component cluster surrounds the steering wheel and
houses the CDA-9835 AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA/XM Ready head unit and the DVA-
5210. A PXA-H701 digital processor supplies Dolby Digital®,
Dolby
Pro Logic II®, and DTS® technologies. The PXA-H701's faceplate,
the
RUX-C701, provides readouts of the processor's settings and is
placed on top of the steering column. A Defi digital gauge is flush
mounted in the center of the custom-made steering wheel. Six other
Defi driving gauges, provided by EDO Performance, are housed in
custom fabricated fiberglass cylinders with chrome accents and are
on the left and right of the steering column.

Six amplifiers power this large system. Two MRV-F540 four-channel
amps and two MRD-M501 AccuClass-D™ mono amps are installed on the
floor of the Mini. These four amps become visible when the sled is
fully extended. Two MRD-M1001 AccuClass-D mono amps are installed on
the interior sides of the car and flank the sides of the sled.

This tiny car packs a punch with its strategically placed speakers.
Three SPX-137R 5.25-inch component two-way speaker sets are placed
in the left/center/right front stage, while two more sets are in the
left/right rear stage. Four sets of SPX-17MB 6.5-inch mid bass
kits are found on both the left and right side of the driver. For
unmistakable bass emphasis, two SWX-1242D 12-inch subwoofers are
attached to the back of the driver's seat on the sled. The external
rear portion of the sled features a TME-M770 6.5-inch widescreen
monitor that can display video from the DVA-5210 or the NVE-N852A
navigation system. For additional fun, the monitor can also be
used to play games from the XBox video game console, using the
MadCatz wireless controllers.

The Alpine components are all connected by Monster Cable
wires and power cables. Back-lit Alpine logos are found on the
front bumper, side skirts, and external rear of the sled. A custom
commissioned airbrush design by Noah flows from the exterior panels
to all of the interior surfaces of the car and incorporates paint
and clear coat from Coast Airbrush and Tip Top Auto Technologies.
Toyo Tires are mounted on custom 20-inch OZ Racing Wheels, while a
Nitrous Express kit is installed on each of the side skirts.

"Alpine is always looking for ways to bring cutting-edge
technology
to the fickled youth market," said Stephen Witt, Alpine's vice
president of Brand Marketing. "The Mini's radical look will help
us
attract new consumers who might not normally be introduced to Alpine
technology."

The Mini will be on display at various dealer and consumer events
throughout 2004.