Blaupunkt is now shipping a high performance car stereo receiver that foregoes the traditional CD drive mechanism in favor of modern digital music technologies such as SD/MMC cards, portable MP3 players and cellphones, thumb-drives, and external hard drives. This new Blaupunkt Brisbane SD48 is sometimes referred to as a 'mech-less' car radio because it has no moving mechanical parts. This makes it immune to the skips and delays that occur with conventional car CD players, also making it ideal for high G-force motorsports and for off-road enthusiasts.

"The Blaupunkt Brisbane SD48 combines the best of modern digital technology in a mech-less chassis with powerful amplifiers, state-of-the-art audio processing, and a premium radio tuner," says Blaupunkt USA General Manager Andy Oswick. "For many of today's digital-savvy consumers, CDs are a thing of the past. They buy music online, download it to a hard-drive, and transfer it to their cell phone and portable MP3 player, and expect to be able to listen to it everywhere. The Brisbane puts their car radio into that digital music loop for instant access to their entire music library no matter where they are. With optional iPod and Bluetooth modules, as well as intuitive access and control features, this is a radio that is especially well-suited to today's youth."

The Blaupunkt Brisbane SD48 has a front panel SD/MMC card-slot, headphone-jack input for portable MP3 player, and a USB input that allows the addition of storage devices such as a portable hard-drive or thumb-drive loaded with digital music. It supports both MP3 and WMA audio files at bit-rates of 8 to 320 kilobits. The Brisbane accommodates up to 127 music directories, and displays ID3 tag information up to 30 characters in length. The 3.5 mm front-panel auxiliary input is compatible with the headphone or aux outputs of nearly any portable device.

The Brisbane MP48 retains all the amplification, processing, connectivity, and AM/FM radio tuning features of a traditional high-end car radio, including multiple options for expansion and integration into sophisticated car audio systems. It delivers four channels of clean, high-current power rated at 50 Watts per channel, and includes four channel pre-outs to accommodate external power amplifiers. There is a TEL/NAVI input for wired integration of cell phone and navigation systems, and an optional Bluetooth module communicates seamlessly with Bluetooth-enabled cell phones for the simplest in hands-free communication over the car stereo.

The Blaupunkt Brisbane includes adjustable bass, treble, and X-Bass EQ functions that let listeners dial-in sound for ideal performance. Additionally, there are selectable EQ presets designed to optimize playback of different program types, such as rock, pop, or classical music. It also features a Blaupunkt's exclusive Variocolour display with 4,096 colors that can be adjusted to match the lighting of nearly any car interior.

The Blaupunkt Brisbane SD48 is currently available at a suggested retail price of $159.95.

Blaupunkt, a company belonging to the Bosch Group, is an internationally leading manufacturer of driver information systems, car radios, car speakers and vehicle antennas. Blaupunkt has its main headquarters in Hildesheim, Germany, and maintains other production sites in Portugal, Hungary, Tunisia, Malaysia and China. The company posted sales of more than Euro 1.3 billion in fiscal year 2007 and employs approximately 8,700 people worldwide.