Heading up the sound system is a CDA-9887 AM/FM/CD unit set into the center console. An iPod with Apple Lossless-encoded music integrates into the head unit via a KCE-422i Full Speed Connection for an iPod cable. Also, a portable, plug-and-play Sirius Satellite Radio Sportster 4 connects to the head unit via a KCA-SC100 Sirius satellite radio interface. Monster Cable wiring connects all of the audio components together in the Imprint RLS, while Kinetik batteries keep the electrons locked and loaded.
The shape of the Imprint RLS body is reminiscent of the factory vehicle, but in reality, is made of fiberglass that was shaped by hand and uses only one piece from the original R500: the roof. The body is painted in the blended BASF R-M Carizzma Candy Cherry Cola Brown color, which complements the body's aerodynamic shape.
Others had a hand in the success of this project, as well. Roybal Designs rendered the original concept. Indie Beach Productions edited the video content that plays on the Imprint RLS monitors.
And the bean counters, no less, had to sign off on the undisclosed cost of such a labor, material, and time intensive project-it took 3-1/2 months to build-a significant contribution to be sure. Our hats are off to the guys at the front office and to the builders who brought us a custom Mercedes-Benz that made such a remarkable impression.
Once ensconced inside of the Imprint RLS, riders are surrounded by leather upholstery, airbrushed wood-grained panels, and an array of speakers and subs that are augmented by the Imprint sound processor's ability to raise and redefine the sound image. The high and middle frequencies for the front sound stage is driven by four 6-1/2-inch midwoofers taken from the Alpine SPX-17REF component set and two tweeters from the SPX-17REF speaker system. Meanwhile, the rear sound stage is handled by an SPX-17REF component set, and four SPX-1043D 10-inch subwoofers bust the bass out of the center in the dash. One 1,000-watt PDX-1.1000 mono-amplifier powers the subs, while two 150WX4 PDX-4.150 amplifiers power the front and rear speakers.