Electric Porsche Taycan Let’s explain how we dramatically improved the audio in the latest Porsche Taycan. The Porsche Taycan is a supercar with blistering acceleration and top speed; all without burning a drop of petrol. This fully electric GT can hurl you from 0 to 60 in under 3 seconds and on to 150mph+. When driven normally it boasts a range of around 250 miles… Plus, can charge to 80% in a little over 20 minutes. This makes it really practical into the bargain; all this in leather-wrapped luxury. Of course, you know by now that there is a ‘but’ coming and in this case, it’s the audio perf ..read more

The iconic Land Rover Defender has been around for decades. It has been the mainstay of farmers and the army for much of that time. The newest version is an entirely different vehicle and is magnificent in many ways… But, the classic Defender still holds a special place in many people’s hearts. Its simplicity means that servicing, repairs, and upgrades are extremely straightforward. The whole industry has grown up around doing just that, keeping these classics on the road. The audio performance and concessions to comfort were never high on the designer’s priority list, so the finished vehicle ..read more

The Lamborghini Huracan. What a monster. This is the 610 Spyder and I think it’s absolutely drop-dead gorgeous! That awesome V10 in the back is sublime. This Huracan has a reasonable sound system, but it lacks Apple Car Play. But, fortunately, there is a solution to add this to the existing media system. I used the module from Unique Auto Developments in Exeter, which helped with the solution. I have found their wireless Car Play/Android Auto add-on modules to be excellent. The installation of this requires access to the media unit between the two seats. This big task isn’t for the faint-heart ..read more

BMW is a renowned vehicle manufacturer. I’ve owned quite a few in the past and my eldest drives a 330ci E46. I still take every opportunity to drive it and love its connection to the road. That car came with the upgraded Harman Kardon audio pack and while it sounded OK, we have swapped that out for something far better. The standard, base audio in any new BMW is woeful with very little power, a muddy sound and dreadful staging. This prompts many buyers to opt for the Harman Kardon upgrade which is not great but does at least offer tweeters in the door and a small amplifier to boost the power ..read more

The iconic Porsche 911 has been around since the 1960s. Since then, it’s remained faithful to the original design ethos and is still instantly recognisable. It’s a great car that’s at home both crossing Europe on the Grande Tour or popping down the road on the daily commute (remember those?). The 997 variant appeared in 2004 and the technology in the entertainment system was, for its time, pretty sophisticated. However, with no DAB radio, no Bluetooth and very basic disc-based navigation, it’s now quite dated. In addition, the Bose audio is also lacking in detail and any real presence. Time t ..read more

I have worked on a lot of TT’s over the years but this has to be one of the cleanest! I’ve known the owner for many years, and have worked on several of his cars. Initially, this Audi TT was only going to be a simple bass upgrade but things soon escalated… Assessing the sound system: The Audi TT head unit is really showing its age and lacks modern features like Bluetooth streaming or Apple Car Play. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to replace it. An ideal modern unit is the Pioneer SPH DA250DAB which boasts DAB radio, Apple Car Play, Android Auto and Bluetooth. This allows access to smartpho ..read more

Strange Times and Indulging Passions Well these are the strangest times I have ever known! I never could have anticipated that by Easter we would all be doing our best not to go out. And wouldn’t you believe it we had the first sunny Easter weekend I can remember. First I must give my thanks to all the key workers, NHS, food retail, Fire, Police, drivers and other essential industry personnel. Working despite the risks to keep us all healthy and well fed, THANK YOU. We of course have shut our doors temporarily in line with advice, which leaves me with much more time on my hands and an opportun ..read more

Mercedes E Class The latest Mercedes E class or W213 is fabulous in almost every respect except (you guessed it) the audio performance. The dash sports a large, colour display screen for the infotainment system; features include Smartphone connectivity, navigation, DAB radio and Wi-Fi connectivity. It would be great if the whole thing wasn’t let down by an awful speaker system. Let’s Improve It You have to pay a big premium for the upgraded audio packages from Mercedes, far more than they are probably worth. A much better option is to opt for the basic audio pack and allow us at Car and Home ..read more

Land Rover History The Land Rover Defender is arguably the most iconic and recognised 4×4 in the world. Designed in the 1940s the original 90 and 110 were to become legends. The last iteration of the Defender (Puma series) is no different and their popularity has never been higher despite the fact that it is no longer in production. It is a testament to the design that it is said that 70% of the two million plus Land Rovers ever made are still in use today. Of course the modern car is much more luxurious than the original but the basic layout of the interior has retained the utilitarian style ..read more

The BMW M2 series F22/23 is a fabulous coupe. However, it suffers the same audio fate as the rest of the BMW range: terrible music reproduction. Whether you have the base audio system or the ‘upgrade’ Harman Kardon ‘hi-fi’ the audio performance is bad. Generally, the sound lacks sparkle or dynamics with poorly defined stereo imagery and a very coloured bass performance. The majority of the blame can be laid at the speakers. Like most auto manufacturers, there is always a drive to cut costs. These speakers that BMW fit are some of the worst, especially considering the cost of the vehicle. The ..read more