Alfa Romeo Brera V6 3.2 L, Car Audio Review

Designed on the basis of 159, the Brera 2 +2 coupe designed by Giugiaro, is surely the most seductive of Alfa Romeo. But sportsmanship is not excluded to love the comfort that can make the electronics of today. Although its 3.2-liter V6 is very captivating, it is of course its multimedia system that led us to test it.

Telephone and navigation, the Brera play functionality!

To meet the different demands of motorists, Alfa Romeo offers several multimedia features on this sports coupe. The simplest system is a radio MP3 charged 200 Euros. A CD changer can be added for 500 Euros (a really high price because it has a DVD changer in the aftermarket for this price). Blue & Me System adds a USB port and Bluetooth for 650 Euros. Finally, the system includes a browser Birdview asset, a car and a landline. Our test model was equipped with this system with a CD changer.

The front channels get a 2-way kit in 16.5 cm

Our test model was therefore fitted with the system and installation Birdview to 6 speakers. An optional Bose sound system is offered for 700 Euros. For Front, a kit is available in two separate channels 16.5 cm. The woofers are positioned at the bottom of the front doors, while the tweeters are at the ends of the dashboard, behind the grills. For the rear channels, the speakers are placed in the sides under the arms. The location is inconvenient, they are hidden when there are passengers in the back seat.

Placed too low, the rear speakers will be hidden on passengers occupying the back seat

The Birdview comes in the form of a combined double din installed in the center of the center console. The majority of the front of the handset is occupied by a 6.5-inch color screen. Unfortunately, it is not tactile, it must navigate through menus using the keys distributed around the screen. The CD slot is located just above the screen. For ease of use, most functions are controlled with two knobs. The GUI has good readability and clear indications, but a design point of view is a bit "has-been." Of course, this handset has a steering wheel.

A true landline 

The special feature of this handset is to integrate a fixed telephone in the womb. A sim card slot is placed above the slot with the CD. A button to eject the card holder. Rather than leave the Sim card of mobile phone that each one gets into the car, it is better to opt for an option card in its twin telephone subscription (10 Euros per month for SFR for example). Bluetooth would have been a better choice, but for those who work in the car, what type of car phone may have an interest.

The screen is not touch, damage today, it's still good practice

Voice command, memorizing numbers, recent calls list, the handset offers traditional services. The handset incorporates recess directory stored in the SIM card. The sound is naturally transmitted by the loudspeakers of the car. Small feature compared to existing Bluetooth system, it can read text messages on the handset screen. Question call quality, the system has worked well.

A steering wheel is on this

From a radio standpoint, this system offers traditional services: FM RDS tuner with memory, MP3 compatible CD player, four-channel amplifier and preamplifier with adjustable bass / treble separately. Blaupunkt 10 CD changer is of course controlled by the receiver. Its presence is necessary because if one wants to read a CD directly on the radio, it is mandatory to eject the disk map browser. The use of common functions of the radio is done without difficulty. In contrast to control certain functions, the lack of intuitive ergonomics.

The integrated phone in the car can read text messages on e step

Weak point of this unit, we must ignore the new technologies like the iPod control and auxiliary input. Even if you do not watch it while driving, the video is conspicuously absent, while the post has a screen of 6.5 inches (16.5 cm), shame! The steering wheel controls to change the source, track on a CD, radio frequency and naturally control the volume. It also includes a button to take phone calls while driving.

Its a very classic

To call, simply insert a SIM card in the car

This unit also has a small onboard computer. The latter calculates the travel time, consumption, speed, ... All these data are visible on the screen of the car or on the small display located between the meter. Too bad it is not as used to give indications basic audio (volume, radio frequency, ...).

From the point of view function, this unit does not pose particular concerns. The CD has good resistance to road shock. The tuner is sensitive enough and offers a reception without interference. Listening is relatively clean. The sound is quite dynamic. Low frequencies are there, but they saturate quickly with certain styles of modern music. The highs are pretty thin and the sound image is not too low. However, music lovers will be disappointed! Mediums lack breadth and openness. It is a proper listening to the radio or a CD quietly in the daily mean volume. But when you push a little sound, the speakers were quickly caught out (saturation in serious lack of momentum in the medium).

The browser integrates the TMC 

The browser built into the unit uses Navteq European maps on CD-ROM. To navigate, taking into account the real-time traffic, this browser includes a TMC receiver. Different modes of routing, POI library, pictograms management functions are relatively conventional and complete. It lacks, however mapping radar sites. As long as he is to return a destination, the browser is easy to use, but when we want to use the secondary functions, menus are not always very practical.

The browser works well, but it is exceeded by the current aftermarket products

If the mapping is not a problem of readability, it is really "ugly", to say what is, compared to current maps. It is clear that this system does not start today, he just been updated. CD-ROM technology requires, starting the browser is a little long, annoying if you hurry. Once the destination entry, the calculation is quite fast, but it does not reach the performance of systems with hard disk, whether originating from other car manufacturers or aftermarket. The visual and vocal instructions are clear, but in some cases they occur a little later: it is almost at the point where you turn.

Thanks to the CD changer can be used simultaneously CDs and navigation

However, the browser has always conducted safely and without error in our tests. But we would have preferred that the system prevents and instead repeatedly changing direction. It should therefore be careful driving. A little confusing at first, but after we made it very well.

The notice of Carentertainmentgeek.com

In the end, it was not very tender with this system Birdview, but we must recognize that it is outdated. Attention to global, it works well and offers some pretty good features. But its functions, menu management, are downright late compared to the aftermarket offerings. If the product is standard or offered by the dealer to buy the car, nothing to say in this case, except that it is better. But when you pay 2200 Euros for a multimedia handset, we expect more efficient. Especially adding in the CD changer, the bill rises to 2700 Euros. For information, was much more efficient and less expensive on the market for aftermarket. For example, a Pioneer AVIC-D3BT will also browsing, music, telephony. In addition, it will offer touch screen, video, iPod control and excellent scalability.

The handset also acts as on-board computer (fuel consumption, average speed, ...)

By adding a very good kit broke and speakers suitable for the rear, it does not even reach Euro 2200 with aftermarket products, and we then have a much more efficient, so use that 'listening. Too bad, we expected better on a car of this level. We will not mention the test drive, since it is not our specialty, but the Alfa Brera is a supercar that offers lots and lots of fun, and she deserved a system to match its beauty. In any case, it proves that the electronics aftermarket, the aftermarket has yet to address what to do or make passionate high-tech services to the modern motorist!