Want to feel like a 1960s spy? Fire up your vintage sports car, take to a winding road in the Swiss alps, and then call up information on your auto’s touchscreen control panel.
Such a thing, once firmly in the realm of fiction, is now possible thanks to a new line of CarPlay radios created by Porsche. Allowing you to kit out cars dating back to the 1960s with high-resolution touchscreens, Bluetooth, DAB+, and Apple’s in-car infotainment system, the head units opens up CarPlay to a whole new audience.
Two versions are available. The first offers single-DIN dimensions and a 3.5-inch display for classic cars with smaller radio slots. The second is a a double-DIN slot and 7-inch display for Porsche’s more recent 996 and 986 vehicles. These Porsche Classic Communication Management systems can be used in various model cars from the 1960s through the 1990s.
As far as I’m aware, Apple’s not going to create a 1960s-inspired UI for older vehicles running CarPlay (although, seriously, can you imagine how much fun that would be for Cupertino’s designers?). However, Porsche is making an effort to make the units not clash horribly with older vehicles in terms of design. Among the flourishes are a pair of rotary knobs and actual physical integrated buttons.
Prices for the new CarPlay radios start at $1,556.74, says The Verge. The double-DIN model, meanwhile, sells for $1,736.33. Still, what price can you put on style?
