Hi-fi manufacturers teaming up with automotive brands has become more and more common over the years. We've had the likes of Bowers & Wilkins (BMW, McLaren), Meridian (Jaguar, Land Rover) Burmester (Porsche, Mercedes-Benz) and Naim Audio (Bentley, Pininfarina), all make inroads into the automotive industry.
And you can now add McIntosh and Sonus Faber to that list. Part of the McIntosh Group Inc, they've both announced partnerships with Alps Alpine, an OEM supplier of components and complete systems with more than 50 years of experience in the field. It's not actually the first time McIntosh has dabbled with the in-car audio market - the brand introduced a line of automotive products back in 1994 which led to custom solutions being built for Harley Davidson, Ford and Subaru.
Alps Alpine will design and develop speakers and amplifiers using patented technologies from both brands, with engineers on all sides working together to tune the systems.
“We felt this was a perfect partnership since Alps Alpine and McIntosh Laboratory share the same values regarding in-cabin sound reproduction. Our strategic teaming with Alps Alpine is the perfect avenue for McIntosh to take for making its long-awaited return to car audio," said Charlie Randall, McIntosh Group CEO and President of McIntosh Laboratory.
There's no word on which cars will be getting McIntosh or Sonus Faber systems, but it's expected the first models will arrive in 2021.
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