MISSISSAUGA, ON (10.04.24) – JVCKENWOOD Canada (JKCA) is pleased to announce Dave MacKinnon as Ontario Sales Representative for the Mobility & Telematics Division, serving JVC and KENWOOD car audio dealers across Ontario. 

With an extensive background in installation, technical support, sales, and product development, Dave has also published over 1,000 articles reviewing car audio products and technologies. He is well-known and well-respected in the industry and will be an asset to the JVCKENWOOD Canada team. 

“Dave MacKinnon is considered a Car Audio Guru in Canada and beyond,” said Glen Swackhamer, Vice President, Mobility & Telematics Division at JVCKENWOOD Canada Inc. “He is an incredible addition to our team and will be a key component for future growth of the JVCKENWOOD Automotive Sector.” 

Dave MacKinnon will be stepping into the position currently held by Dan Berry, the long-time Ontario Region Sales Representative, who is set to retire. To ensure a seamless transition, there will be a period of overlap between the two. 

Visit www.ca.jvckenwood.com for more.

FORT SMITH, AR (10.04.24) – Driven Distribution, LLC (“Driven Distribution”), a warehouse distributor of automotive aftermarket hard parts, consumables, and accessories backed by HCI Equity Partners (“HCI”) announced that it has acquired the auto parts and accessories distribution business of Chicago Parts & Sound (“CPS” or the “Company”). Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. This transaction marks the second transaction in the Driven Distribution platform, following the recapitalization of Tri-State Enterprises, Inc. (“Tri-State”) in November 2023. 

Based in Elk Grove Village, IL, with additional locations in Illinois and Wisconsin, Chicago Parts & Sound is a warehouse distributor focused on automotive aftermarket parts, batteries, consumables, and accessories. The Company serves auto dealerships, independent repair shops, municipalities / governments, and company fleets. 

Chicago Parts & Sound was founded in 1978 and acquired by Bob and Jackie Lederer in 2002. Since then, CPS has had a tremendous track record of success built by providing excellent, value-added products and services to its clients in addition to completing several acquisitions. Bob and Jackie are reinvesting in the Driven Distribution platform as part of the transaction and will separately continue to own and operate Police Department Systems (police and emergency vehicle upfitting services) and Coachcraft & Precision Services (specialty auto restoration services). 

Bob Lederer, Co-Owner of CPS, said, “the history of Tri-State Enterprises is in many ways parallel to that of CPS – just in a different part of the country. Opportunities to combine businesses of such similar backgrounds, ideologies, culture, and customer focus make tremendous sense for all stakeholders in each company.” 

“We are extremely impressed with the stellar business and established market reputation Bob and Jackie Lederer have built over the past 22 years. The combination of CPS and Tri-State as part of the Driven Distribution platform will enable us to expand our resources and capabilities to better serve our employees and customers,” said Tristan Taylor, CEO of Tri-State. 

Scott Gibaratz, Partner at HCI, said “we are thrilled to welcome the CPS team to the Driven Distribution platform. Consistent with our original platform thesis, CPS represents a geographically strategic beachhead in the Midwest and is a great complement to Tri-State’s existing product categories. We look forward to working together to achieve our shared vision for growth.” 

Dickinson Wright PLLC served as legal counsel to Driven Distribution and HCI. 

Visit www.etristate.com and www.hciequity.com for more.

OLATHE, KS (10.03.24) – Garmin (NYSE: GRMN), the world’s most innovative and recognized marine electronics manufacturer, today announced the new Fusion Apollo™ Marine Speakers and Subwoofers that merge crystal-clear, premium sound quality with enhanced visual features. For a superior onboard entertainment experience, the Apollo speakers and subwoofers boast dual-hue LED lighting rings and easily interchangeable grilles to match any boat’s design.

“We’re excited to expand our award-winning Apollo series with new speakers and subwoofers that allow boaters to hear their music louder and clearer than ever before. Blending style and substance, the Apollo series has been redesigned to offer an exceptional audio experience with an attractive new look and feel that’s easy to customize and install.” –Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of Global Consumer Sales Audio excellence

Garmin is on site at the IBEX Show in Tampa… Booth 3-2019

The Apollo speakers and subwoofers are engineered to produce premium and engaging audio at higher volumes, thanks to an updated motor design and a new composite material. The coaxial speakers deliver high-fidelity sound throughout the audio curve, while the subwoofers bring crystal-clear premium bass to boaters who want to feel their music.

For superior performance, users can easily integrate their Apollo speakers and subwoofers with Fusion stereos and amplifiers (sold separately) to experience the maximum listening volume with minimal distortion. Fusion products are designed to work together as an optimized ecosystem and can be controlled from a compatible Garmin smartwatch or smartphone using the Fusion Audio App.

Combinations to fit any style

The Apollo series stands out from other speakers and subwoofers on the market with removable grilles, dual-hue LED lighting rings and a distinct hexagonal-shaped tweeter that provides a sleek, unique-looking sound source. Boaters can customize the look with easily interchangeable grilles offered in sports white or sports gray, or the optional shielded white or shielded gray (sold separately). The grilles are easy to install and have a seamless finish without visible screws.

With new dual LED lighting rings, the Apollo speakers and subwoofers provide users with an extraordinary spectrum of color – from soft pastels to vibrant hues – to match their mood or music. Accent lighting is bright yet elegant and understated with support for traditional red, green and blue LEDs in addition to cool white or warm white. Integrate with the Garmin Spectra™ LED control modules for full LED illumination control from a compatible Garmin chartplotter or the ActiveCaptain app on a smartphone.

The Apollo series includes a variety of size options that suit the needs of any boat type, with the coaxial marine speakers available in 6.5”, 7.7” and 8.8” models and the premium marine subwoofers available in 10” and 12” designs.

Superior marinized durability

Engineered to perform year after year, the Apollo series speakers and subwoofers are rated to IP66 and IP67 for dust and water protection, with ISO12216 compliance in pressure and water tightness tests. They’re built to withstand dust, salt fog, temperature, vibration and UV rays, giving boaters confidence that their speakers and subwoofers will stand the test of time. The full range also includes a 3-year consumer warranty.

All Apollo series speakers and subwoofers utilize new embedded plug-and-play, water-resistant connectors that meet industry standards (ABYC) for simplified aftermarket and OEM installation and enhanced protection against the elements.

The Fusion Apollo speakers and subwoofers have suggested retail prices ranging from $549.99 to $949.99. Visit garmin.com/fusion to learn more about the Apollo series and its seamless integration with Garmin marine electronics.

This article originated from garmin.com.

CORAL SPRINGS, FL (10.03.24) – NAV-TV’s aftermarket division (brand and assets) has been purchased and the company will continue offering its customers the same outstanding support, service and product quality it has always been known for. Development of exciting new products has picked up right where they left off. General manager of mObridge, Fraser Ryan will be managing the NAV-TV brand going forward.

NAV-TV Corp CEO Moni Melman said “The NAV-TV brand has been synonymous with cutting edge infotainment integration since its very early days 25 years ago. I trust the new management will continue our tradition of innovation and top notch customer service. I would like to thank our thousands of loyal customers throughout the years for your trust and support, it’s been an awesome ride!”
NAV-TV General Manager, and industry stalwart Tony Yankovsky, said “this deal ensures the future supply of all current NAV-TV products, as well as the products we distribute, such as BlackVue, for all of our loyal customers who have been using and installing NAV-TV products for over two decades.”

Tony also said “Our customers will soon be able to order all product lines, and their orders will be seamlessly shipped from our Florida and/or California warehouses, for the convenience of our customers on both coasts.”

Fraser Ryan, said “this is an exciting development as we have a long-term view of the market and an absolute focus on investing in innovative new products for the future. NAV-TV is famous for its industry leading integration components. We all know that integration is becoming more and more important. I am very excited to be a part of the best integration team in the 12v industry. There will truly be no rival to the next generation of our products.”

Visit nav-tv.com for more.

DIAMOND BAR, CA (10.02.24) – The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) today launched Drive The Vote (www.sema.org/vote), a campaign to mobilize voters among its 7,000 member companies and the millions of American automotive enthusiasts, with resources to enable their participation in the 2024 general election.

“Voting is an essential activity for our nation and for ensuring the automotive aftermarket industry has a say in the business undertaken by our lawmakers at the state and federal levels,” said SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola. “SEMA’s Drive The Vote campaign equips our members and those around them with the information they need to vote in their community for the candidates who best speak for their values. And, because the 2024 SEMA Show starts on Election Day, Nov. 5, we’re encouraging those traveling to Las Vegas to review these resources so they know how to vote early.”

The Drive The Vote campaign is simple in its intent: encourage Americans to register to vote and then cast their ballots, using content designed to help industry leaders navigate interactions with congressional candidates, highlight the automotive aftermarket’s advocacy priorities, and encourage enthusiasts’ participation in the electoral process. SEMA is providing vetted links to important voter information, questions to ask candidates during campaign events, and social media assets and sample messages to encourage their employees, customers, and community members to register to vote.

“There has never been a more critical time for our members to weigh in on who’s leading in Washington, D.C., and state capitals across the U.S.,” said SEMA Board Chair Kyle Fickler of ProCharger. “The Drive The Vote campaign will help SEMA members and other auto enthusiasts raise our collective voice to secure passage of laws and policies that help preserve our industry and its $337 billion annual impact to the American economy.”

To learn more about Drive The Vote, visit www.sema.org/vote.

LIBERTYVILLE, IL (10.02.24) – Superior sound meets dynamic detail. Get ready to hear more with Q Series. Seek sound that creates playback that is redefined by sharper precision. With Q Series speakers – your audio becomes infused through greater detail, deep levels of listening, and true undistorted playback. HEAR MORE in every beat.

MB Quart Q Speakers are German-built and unleash higher quality sound in every aspect and detail of listening. Any listening session will become a flagship leader in higher quality sound, rich levels of listening, and undistorted playback within every layer of audio. Q Speakers make your audio redefined.

The QSE-216 Q Series 6.5-inch 2-way component speaker system delivers audio in the highest playback. Featuring 1-inch Military A-Spec Titanium dome tweeters with Butyl rubber surrounds in a cast-aluminum housing, innovative cone materials with lightweight mica-filled poly blend, and a universal compatible vehicle fitment — every beat and note transforms to new layers of immersion and listening dimensions.

1.5-inch high-temperature copper voice coil on Kapton former is lighter and stronger than aluminum – allowing the component to support slightly higher frequency extension and efficiency. A woven fiber cotton-poly blend spider stabilizes the cone and voice coil in all musical situations.

Balanced Temperature Technology (BTT) is used through every component in the Q Speaker system as a diecast aluminum basket frame is designed to be lightweight and extremely rigid as the low-profile form can be easily installed in most factory locations with little or no modification required.

Lightweight mica-filled poly blend cone material. 1-inch military A-Spec Titanium dome tweeters. Natural Butyl rubber surround/cone couplings. Embrace every feature that redefines listening sessions and set the bar by raising your speaker game to the Q LEVEL of performance with Q speakers.

Follow the link HERE and learn more on MB Quart Q Series speakers.

KENT, WA (10.01.24) – Firstech, maker of automotive security solutions, is thrilled to announce a special promotion across North America for its Drone XC-LTE Dash Cam Systems. Drone XC, which won “Best New Product” at SEMA Las Vegas, is an LTE dash camera that integrates with popular remote start and security systems like Compustar.

Throughout the month of October, customers who purchase a new Drone XC Dash Cam system at a participating retailer will receive a free RC1 rear-facing camera. Valued at $100 USD, the RC1 adds a wide-angle, high-definition view behind your vehicle, providing essential video evidence in case of a rear-end collision.

To encourage dealer/retailer participation, Firstech and its distributors will also be offering a complimentary RC1 with every Drone XC Dash Cam purchased during October.

Key Benefits of Drone XC Dash Cam with Rear-Facing Camera:

• Enhanced Safety: The RC1 rear-facing camera records everything behind your vehicle, increasing your vehicle’s security on and off the road.
• Video Evidence: In the event of a collision, the Drone XC Dash Cam system, paired with the RC1, can capture crucial video evidence from both front and rear angles.Remote Live View:
• Activate remote live viewing over LTE from virtually anywhere, giving you peace of mind and the ability to monitor your vehicle from both front and rear angles.

This limited offer is valid through October 31st, 2024 or while supplies last. Retailers interested in participating in the “free rear camera” promotion should contact their Firstech sales representative or distributor. Customers interested in the Drone XC Dash Cam and RC1 Rear Camera can visit www.dronemobile.com to find a nearby Authorized Dealer.