PHOENIX, AZ (04.22.22) – MTX Audio, of the MiTek Electronics and Communications Group, is announcing that their all-new audio kits and components for the Polaris RZR Pro XP platform of vehicles are now in stock and shipping. Kits are compatible with 2020 and newer machines and install in existing factory locations.

The kits consist of four main packages that will work on Ride Command and non- Ride Command vehicles alike and will offer different levels of audio experience from the basic three speaker package to a complete five speaker system. The Ride Command kits feature a direct plug and play harness that connects into the vehicles system allowing full functionality right through the display screen while the non-Ride Command systems come with our AWMC3 full function media receiver as a source.

Additionally, there are two OE add-on kits available. The first allows a customer to add the PROXP-20- SW and MUD600-1 amplifier to an existing OE front two speaker system and the second option allows the addition of a pair of our MUD65PL rear speakers to an OE two or three speaker system. All kits come complete with direct-fit hardware and plug-n-play harnesses for a frustration-free installation.

The separate front component speakers and subwoofer enclosure is also available outside of a kit package for customers looking for the individual parts. The PROXP-20-FS component speaker system features our new ground up designed 6 ½” speaker pod that mounts in the factory location beneath the dash combined with a high output, soft dome tweeter that mounts on the top of the dash.

The PROXP-20-SW subwoofer enclosure features our high output 10-inch subwoofer in a high mounted, ported design that installs in the passenger side dash area. The enclosure is intended to be coupled with the MUD600-1 mono-block amplifier and features a front firing design to maximize bass output.

“The feedback and excitement over our new Polaris RZR Pro XP kit has been amazing.” said Director of Sales and Marketing, Jason Fickas. “Dealers and customers alike have expressed how much they have been looking forward to an audio solution for this platform and we’re happy to finally be able to deliver it.”

Be sure to follow us on social media or check out our website for more details as they develop.

Visit mtxaudio.com for more.

This article was written by Jonathon Ramsey for autoblog.com

BIRMINGHAM, MI (04.21.22) – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration might be devoted to ensuring drivers aren’t distracted while on the go, but automakers are growing just as inclined to ensure you’re never not distracted when you’re stopped. Looks like Ford will be the next automaker to load its infotainment system with games, after Tesla launched its Arcade mode last year and the Mercedes-Benz EQS options list included a game bundle.

Darren Palmer, Ford’s VP of global EV programs, posted a video to LinkedIn with the caption, “Some cute little games now on the F-150 Lightning. Proving a hit with my kids in final testing …” We’ll assume it’s his kid’s hand in the video using the volume knob to weave some Ford model — perhaps the Mustang Mach-E — through traffic on a four-lane road. We’ll also assume that since Palmer wrote “games,” there will be more than one available in the system. 

This game appears to have all the basics of a good time-waster: simple control, simple objective, easy enough for a kid to play and enjoy, task-oriented just enough for an adult to play and save a sliver of attention for whatever that adult is waiting for. And there’s a secondary game (for us, anyway) of “ID the Traffic.” We spotted a Mustang GT500, an F-150, and a GT. We really wouldn’t mind a Frogger version of this, either. 

Click to continue reading this article on autoblog.com

This article was written by Larry Printz for TheDetroitBureau.com

Winter is staging one last stand before the onslaught of spring and its promise of warmer weather. However, with climbing temperatures comes the impetus to drive topless. Who are we to argue?

But convertibles can be pricey; however, we’re offering up five of the least-expensive new convertibles you can buy. Surprisingly, all are iconic, which may explain their continued popularity. Best of all, all cost far less than $45,927 — the average price of a new vehicle in March. This means you’ll have a whole mess of fun without breaking the bank.

Note that prices do not include destination charge, options and taxes.

5. Ford Mustang: $32,705

After nearly six decades of continuous production, this sporty stallion mixes American moxie with European lines buffed to a modern sheen. Its turbocharged 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine develops 310 horsepower to the rear wheels, more than the Mustang’s base V-8 developed 10 years ago.

A 6-speed manual is standard, a 10-speed automatic is optional. Best of all, all Mustangs eventually become collectibles, although you’ll have to wait. In the meantime, imagine the fun you’ll have. No wonder it remains the world’s most popular sport coupe.

4. Chevrolet Camaro: $32,695

The Mustang’s chief rival remains a compelling competitor, thanks to its outlandishly fun wardrobe that elicits longing glances from children disguised as adults. Yet it’s the car’s chassis that brings the greatest satisfaction. Its combination of cornering ability without a bone-jarring ride will surprise you.

But the Camaro comes with caveats. Its 275-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and manual transmission make for a quick ride, although the base Mustang has more ponies. And visibility is far from great with the top up, which is another reason to keep it stowed.

3. Jeep Wrangler: $29,995

Any convertible will get you to the beach, but this is the only one that can transport you across it with its doors and top removed and its windshield folded. And it’s the only droptop listed that carries five adults, can ford rivers, and easily cut through the worst winter weather thanks to four-wheel drive. Try that in a Miata.

Keep in mind that this money buys you the two-door Jeep, not the four-door Unlimited. Power is good from its 285-hp 3.6-liter V-6 paired with a 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic transmission, just don’t expect a smooth quiet ride on paved roads.

Click to continue reading this article on TheDetroitBureau.com

This article was written by Larry Printz for TheDetroitBureau.com

DETROIT, MI (04.20.22) – This week, on April 14, 1964, the automotive press saw what the general public would see three days later, a new car that was first confirmed by a Ford Motor Co. press release in February.

“Ford Division confirmed today that it will introduce a new line of cars this spring,” said the press release issued Feb. 6, 1964, by Lee Iacocca, vice president of Ford Motor Co. “The new line of cars will be called the Mustang … no further details on the new car line will be revealed until the time of its public introduction.”

The car would become an icon for Ford and create a new class of automobile, the Pony Car.

With a 108-inch wheelbase, 2,500-pound curb weight and a $2,368 price tag, Ford sold 22,000 Mustangs on the first day. Its popularity proved unprecedented. But its development was a long one, having started in 1960. 

Healthy sales despite stodgy cars

Ford’s bestseller at the time was the Ford Falcon, a sensible unexciting compact sedan introduced that year alongside such new competitors as the Chevrolet Corvair, Plymouth Valiant, AMC Rambler and Studebaker Lark. Ford’s bird was the most successful, selling more than 400,000 units in its initial year. The car was emblematic of the Ford line under Ford Motor President Robert McNamara: solid, conservative and dull. 

As Ford Automotive Division general manager and vice president, McNamara took the two-seat Ford Thunderbird, introduced for 1955, and added rear seats in 1958, instantly eliminating its cache. The elegant, Lincoln Continental Mark II was dropped and the ungainly Edsel introduced instead, leading to a $250 million flop. In its wake, Henry Ford II proved reluctant to consider any new cars and the company’s products became increasingly stodgy and dull.

By 1960, McNamara was named Ford Automotive Division’s president, with Lee Iacocca inheriting his old spot, but the arrangement wouldn’t last long. When McNamara left Ford in late 1960 to become Secretary of Defense under President John F. Kennedy, Iacocca was named Ford Division President. He was 36 years old.

A market looking for a car

But Iacocca was becoming aware of the emerging youth market, one that was entering their teenage years and would soon be driving. He felt a car should be made to meet the market. In late 1960, Iacocca formed a committee of Ford managers to investigate the possibilities, but knowing Henry’s reluctance, convened the new team at The Fairlane Inn, a motor lodge two miles west of Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, and away from prying eyes.

What the The Fairlane Committee discovered was what they termed “a market looking for a car.”

Ford market research had consistently shown that college educated consumers, like the Baby Boomers now coming of age, accounted for 46% of new car purchasers despite the fact they only made up 18% of the overall population. Research also showed that women car owners were one of the segments growing most quickly and that they would be the ones most likely to use a second car. But it would have to be small, maneuverable and be easy to park.

Click here to view the full article on TheDetroitBureau.com