Automotive

Porsche offering retrofit navigation system for classic cars

Porsche offering retrofit navigation system for classic cars
Porsche is offering navigation for its classic cars, with a system designed to maintain the classic aesthetic of its old dashboards
Porsche is offering navigation for its classic cars, with a system designed to maintain the classic aesthetic of its old dashboards
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Porsche is offering navigation for its classic cars, with a system designed to maintain the classic aesthetic of its old dashboards
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Porsche is offering navigation for its classic cars, with a system designed to maintain the classic aesthetic of its old dashboards

As cars become more sophisticated, drivers have been able to say farewell to many of the challenges that driving used to hold – from power steering to sat-nav, cars are making it easier than ever to get from A to B. Porsche has decided that owners of its classic cars deserve some of this high-tech help, and has designed a sat-nav system to fit into the dash of cars dating back to the 1960's.

Central to Porsche Classic's new navigation unit is carefully-designed retro looks. To help the navigation look at home on a classic dashboard, the material used and shape of the knobs has been carefully modeled on the radios of old Porsches. These retro-designed elements frame a 3.5-inch touchscreen, which can be used to display maps or, as with most other modern infotainment systems, control a phone connected via Bluetooth.

Porsche claims the maps loaded onto the car's 8GB MicroSD card will be regularly updated, while a second MicroSD slot is left free for owners to load their own music – a luxury not afforded by the cassette players fitted to most old Porsches.

The system can be connected directly to the car's existing sound system through an adapter, with Porsche claiming it provides accurate navigation and sharp radio reception through the single-telescope aerial with which most of its classic cars are fitted.

As with most things on a classic Porsche, the retrofit navigation system isn't cheap, with a quoted price of €1,184 (about US$1,326) – but for owners who want to get lost in the driving experience without getting lost along the way, that's a small price to pay.

Source: Porsche

3 comments
3 comments
Tom Lee Mullins
I think that is really cool. It updates the car without ruining the design.
Gargamoth
I could use this, and a few other parts to get mine on the road again.
Dr-Zin
It would be nice to have a tethered screen for those that depend of the visual due to bad hearing, otherwise great idea for porschephiles of the classics.