Clarion is First Japanese Company to Manufacture OEM-Style
10 February 2000
Clarion is First Japanese Company to Manufacture OEM-Style Enclosures For Multimedia Products
Leading Car Audio Manufacturer Jumps Ahead of The
Curve to Offer Total In-Car Entertainment Solutions
GARDENA, Calif., Feb. 10 -- Clarion Sales Corporation, a
leader in the car audio and electronics industry, continued its path as an
industry innovator with the introduction of two lines of enclosures for in-car
multimedia equipment. The first Japanese company to design such enclosures
for American-made vehicles, Clarion is also one of the few aftermarket
equipment manufacturers to offer complete multimedia solutions to consumers.
Clarion is offering both a rear seat console and a camouflage amplified
subwoofer enclosure system, both of which are currently available at
affordable prices.
As the industry begins an era of mass vehicle customization, estimated to
be a $21.2 billion-a-year business, aftermarket manufacturers are scrambling
to jump into the game. Leading car manufacturers are also taking note of the
trend, as was evidenced by Ford's recent announcement that it will provide
certain technical data and specifications to members of the Specialty
Equipment Market Association (SEMA). The unprecedented announcement, which
came at the SEMA show in November, will enable aftermarket manufacturers to
bring Ford-specific products to market.
"We really believe that OEM-looking aftermarket equipment is the next big
trend in in-vehicle entertainment, a belief that was reinforced by Ford's
announcement at SEMA," said Dave Black, executive vice president, Clarion.
"Clarion has long been a leader in the aftermarket equipment industry, and we
are glad to expand our product scope and thus our consumer base.
"Many of the people who want equipment that blends in to the vehicle's
interior are women, who do not traditionally purchase aftermarket equipment.
This trend was best illustrated by the Ford-iVillage.com alliance at SEMA,"
Black continued, referring to the companies' Women's Lifestyle Vehicle on
display at the SEMA show.
The joint effort between Ford Motor Company and iVillage.com, a leading
web site for women, used feedback from iVillage's Women's Auto Center to
design a vehicle that featured options women want. Made from
readily-available aftermarket equipment, the van featured several convenience
features and has a full entertainment system, including a TV, VCR and
electronic gaming system.
As lines between traditional entertainment equipment blur and the era of
multimedia begins, manufacturers must meet the growing demands of consumers.
Clarion has foreseen this newest trend and has created products that meet
consumer needs.
"SUVs are the most popular vehicles currently on the market," Black said.
"People use them for everything from hauling trees to long trips and carpools.
With the addition of multimedia products, children in the back seat can be
entertained with their own movies, video games or music while the adults can
have their own music or a conversation in the front seat.
"The problem that many consumers currently have with multimedia products
on the market is that they do not blend into the aesthetics of the vehicle or
they require extensive vehicle modifications," Black added. "Clarion has
alleviated these problems with our creation of products that drop in, require
just a few screws and look like they came off the assembly line with the
vehicle."
Clarion's rear seat consoles (MSRP $199) drop between the two front seats
to house a video monitor for rear seat entertainment. The consoles require no
vehicle modifications and are secured in place with just a few screws. Just
as the enclosure blends into the vehicle's interior, it also camouflages the
monitor it houses, preventing would-be burglars from striking. The console is
designed to house a 6.4" color monitor and place it at an optimal viewing
angle for rear seat passengers.
Clarion also provides a unique alternative for consumers who desire an
improved audio system or want the experience of a surround sound in-car
theater. The camouflage enclosure subwoofer systems (MSRP $299-$450)
perfectly fit in the right rear cavity of a vehicle, or be attached under the
dash and rest under it in the center console area.
Easy to install, a full camouflage system includes a Clarion 100 watt
digital amplifier, a 10- or 12-inch subwoofer (depending on the application),
an OEM-style enclosure and a universal wire harness that easily attaches to
any vehicle's OEM or aftermarket source unit. The systems attach directly to
the vehicle's source unit through the included wire harness and do not require
power from the vehicle's battery. The wire harnesses are available in
versions that link directly to a specific vehicle brand's OEM source unit, as
well as a universal version that connects to any aftermarket head unit.
"While these enclosures may not appeal to the typical aftermarket consumer
who is looking to customize his car, they are very appealing to a broad base
of consumers," Black said. "Women especially are excited about the prospect
of quality equipment that blends in and requires about an hour -- not days --
in the install bay."
Clarion Corporation of America, with U.S. headquarters in Gardena, Calif.,
has been an international leader in car audio and electronics since 1940. The
company conducts research, development, engineering, design and manufacturing
of entertainment, communication, security, computing and navigation systems
products. Clarion has more than 14,000 employees worldwide and 24 factories
in 10 countries, with marketing and sales affiliates in Europe, North and
South America, Asia and Australia. Clarion is located on the Web at
http://www.clarion-usa.com.
Clarion is the developer and manufacturer of the revolutionary Clarion
AutoPC(TM), which is the first product to integrate car audio, computing
functions, navigation and wireless communications through hands-free voice
activation within the dash of an automobile. Information on the Clarion
AutoPC, which is powered by the Microsoft Windows(R) CE operating system, can
be found at http://www.autopc.com.