Long Distance Client Gets Numerous Audi R8 Upgrades

A repeat client from Newark, New Jersey, contacted Prestige Car Audio & Marine about getting some 2012 Audi R8 upgrades. We are lucky to have clients who will bring their vehicles to us from over 1,000 miles away, and this is an example of that dedication among our clients.

From the first time we saw a picture of this R8, we were in love. It has the V10 engine option, along with lots of carbon fiber, especially in the engine bay. We set up a consultation appointment and went over the vehicle with him, listening as he walked us around the car, explaining things he liked and things he wanted to change. We discussed everything from cosmetic upgrades to audio upgrades to radar detectors. Once we came to a complete agreement on the upgrades that should be done, the client dropped off the vehicle, and we put it on the schedule.

Here at Prestige, we are passionate about music. While we love doing all of the upgrades to a vehicle, we have a soft spot in our heart for someone wanting to build an incredible-sounding audio system. As this is a mid-engine supercar, space is very limited, so we had to be very creative to deliver grade sound from such tight quarters.

Well Equipped Factory Stereo Retained For These Audi R8 Upgrades

The two Mosconi amplifiers will flush mount into the front storage space in the R8.

Lighting accents and a grill were added to the amplifier trim panel for a custom look worthy of this car.

It was decided early on in the conversation to leave the Audi stereo in the dash, since it looked great and had most of the modern connectivity already in it. We took the musical signal coming out of the factory stereo system and fed it into a Mosconi D2 80.6 amplifier that comes with an integrated digital sound processor. We love these new amplifiers for several reasons, including their small footprint, amazing sound-processing capabilities and efficient design.

We used all six channels of the amplifier to power a set of Audiofrog speakers and used the second Mosconi amp, a D2 500.1, to power the Audiomobile subwoofer. We made a custom amp rack to hold both amplifiers in the front of the trunk, recessed behind a display window outlined with LED accent lighting. It looks very professional during the day, but at night, it takes on an almost sinister look.

Audiofrog Speakers Provide A Detailed Audio Experience

The Audiofrog tweeter was mounted in the sail panel. Its cosmetic trim rings match the factory speaker grille in the door.

In the front of the vehicle, we installed a total of six Audiofrog speakers from the GB series. This is Audiofrog’s flagship product, and the resolution and detail these speakers provide made for a perfect match in this build. We installed a GB60 6.5” woofer and GB40 4” midrange in the factory locations up front and flush-mounted the GB15 1.5” tweeter in the sail panel.

Audiomobile Subwoofer For Great Sounding Bass

The enclosure shape had to be very precise to fit between the front seats.

The enclosure is visible between both the front seats. The design is very factory looking.

When it came time to add low-end bass to the vehicle, things got interesting. There is no room behind the seats, and we wanted to keep all of the passenger legroom intact, so installing an enclosure there was out. Our highly skilled installation team made a custom enclosure for an Audiomobile GTS2110 10” subwoofer that we molded to fit perfectly behind the front seats. The sub fires toward the side of the vehicle; we engineered a slot port into it, venting the bass toward the occupants. It turned out beautifully, and the client kept 100% of his legroom in both seats.

Our Expert Tuning Maximizes The Audio System

One of the things that separates a Prestige Car Audio & Marine build from the competition is the tuning aspect. We spend lots and lots of time on tuning the audio system, which maximizes the return on investment for the client. The processor inside the D2 80.6 amplifier allows us to control output level, digital delay, 31 bands of equalization and crossover points for each of the seven speakers.

Most shops will spend an hour tuning a system, getting it to sound good before delivering it to the client. We will spend an extra hour or two as needed, sometimes delivering an improvement beyond the basic tune that takes the sound quality to a whole new level. Why would you spend thousands of dollars on a new audio system and not get all of the performance you paid for?

When our tuners finished working their magic, this Audi sounded fabulous. Every last nuance in the music came through, with crystal-clear highs, sweet-sounding vocals and authoritative bass.

Escort Radar And Laser System For Safer Driving

The radar receiver was mounted behind the bumper trim fascia. We securely mounted the receiver to the metal bumper assembly for long life.

The Escort control panel and Mosconi processor remote were molded into the center console.

Once the audio system was done, we set our sights on the custom-installed laser and radar detector. We chose the Escort 9500ci system and used an interface to allow the display to be incorporated into the R8’s driver information center between the gauges. If you want something to look factory-installed, it doesn’t get any better than that – and, since there is no external display mounted in the vehicle, this is truly a hidden system.

Whenever we do a custom-installed laser and radar detector, we never rush the installation, because rushing means the performance would suffer. Do you see a common theme here? The laser shifters have to be in direct view of the road ahead while not looking intrusive. The radar receiver can be hidden behind anything that is not metal, so we look for the optimum location to hide the unit that will still offer the best sensitivity.

Exterior Cosmetic Enhancements Add To The Sinister Look Of This R8

The window tint not only helps to complete the blacked-out look, but also protects the occupants and interior of the car from harmful UV rays.

We powder-coated the rims as well as tinted the rear lenses of this awesome supercar.

We now turned our attention to the outside of the vehicle. The client wanted the whole vehicle blacked out, and we mean the whole vehicle. Anything on the car that was not black, whether it was painted or chrome, the team at Prestige blacked out. We powder-coated the wheels black as well, to continue the theme. The end result was a “murdered out” look that just has to be seen in person to be truly appreciated.

For the finishing touch, we installed Llumar CTX ceramic film on all the windows except the rear window to continue the black theme. There was no way we could tint the rear window and hide the engine bay with all of that beautiful carbon fiber – the stunning V10 engine had to be on display for all to view.

When the client came to pick up his vehicle, he was floored by the new look. As he walked around the vehicle, he got more and more excited. Then we started opening doors and the trunk to show off the interior work. He loved it. When we cranked up the stereo for the first time, he was in heaven. He had no doubt that he had come to the right place, and that we were worth the drive.

When you are ready to do upgrades on your vehicle, let us show you why Mobile Electronics magazine consistently names us one of the Top Retailers in the Nation. Our team of specialists will work one on one with you to design and build the vehicle you have always wanted.

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