Blaupunkt introduces retro radio with Bluetooth, DAB

Blaupunkt introduces retro radio with Bluetooth, DAB

If you’re as fastidious as I am, you’ll find that sourcing a decent head unit for an older vehicle is quite a pain in the proverbial. The original radio won’t last forever, and if you want any of the latest mod cons, you’d have to settle for one of the newer units, the glitzy lights and massive foldout screens of which would spoil the otherwise period correct look of the rest of the interior.

Enter Blaupunkt, which knows quite a fair bit about old-school radios. Its latest offering is the Bremen SQR 46 DAB which, as the name suggests, harks back to the Bremen SQR 46 cassette player from the 1980s. As you can see, the design of this 50-watt unit is remarkably faithful, right down to the no-nonsense all-black finish, the layout of the array of buttons and even the cover for the tape slot. All very ’80s.

But this is no slavish remake, because the new model comes with most of the features we’ve come to expect in this day and age, including Bluetooth connectivity for audio and calls and DAB+ digital radio. That aforementioned tape slot, on the other hand, is non-existent – flip up the cover and you’ll instead find an SD card slot, a 3.5 mm auxiliary jack and a USB port (there’s another one hidden at the rear).

Blaupunkt introduces retro radio with Bluetooth, DAB

The head unit also features customisable colours for the display and button backlighting, supports MP3 and WMA file formats and is compatible with steering wheel controls. There’s even a remote control bundled in, as well as an external microphone for clearer calls.

The Bremen SQR 46 DAB will go on sale next month, priced at €449 (RM2,060). Of course, Blaupunkt isn’t the only company cashing in on the needs of vintage car owners – Porsche Classic also offers a head unit with a small colour touchscreen and navigation, in a design that fits older air-cooled 911s.

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Jonathan Lee

After trying to pursue a career in product design, Jonathan Lee decided to make the sideways jump into the world of car journalism instead. He therefore appreciates the aesthetic appeal of a car, but for him, the driving experience is still second to none.

 

Comments

  • autobahn on Jul 26, 2019 at 3:04 pm

    More costly Blaupunkt stuffs since they closed down Penang ops.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
    • rally_fan (Member) on Jul 26, 2019 at 4:53 pm

      blaupunkt is an international company that sells its products all over the world.. i dont think the closing down of a small plant in penang would have anything to do with the pricing of their products, especially a “premium” niche model product like this, which is mainly targetted at classic european car owners. The pic of the headunit installed in a classic 911 porsche gives a hint of its target market.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
  • Dylan Ch'ng on Jul 26, 2019 at 4:00 pm

    I think Blaupunkt, I think Proton Saga

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0
    • Yup. Best sounding HU system on any affordable level cars. The current Clarion HU just can’t compete, thou the X70 Kenwood has put it to shades (but it isn’t exactly an affordable car either, haha).

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • john doe on Jul 26, 2019 at 5:22 pm

    Awesome!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • S.Ibrahim on Jul 26, 2019 at 8:11 pm

    So means I still can’t play my 80s mix cassette tapes in this retro player? I’m so disappointed.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • potato on Jul 26, 2019 at 10:35 pm

    no CD player?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
    • audiophile maniac group on Jul 27, 2019 at 12:56 pm

      why listen to crappy cd audio in compression SQ format when you can enjoy listening high SQ in looseless audio format via sd card or USB drive?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Ramesh Nair on Jul 27, 2019 at 11:58 pm

    There are no DAB/DAB+ nor DRM broadcast here unlike in the EU. Why buy a DAB+ set for?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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