Alpine launched a car tuning boutique in Japan earlier this year. It opened a store called Alpine Style store in Fukuoka, Japan where customers can buy a car loaded with vehicle specific Alpine products plus other upgrades such as wheels, tires, spoilers, steering wheels, seat covers, that are hand- picked by Alpine.
It offers Alpine radios specific to those vehicles with the appropriate dash kits, lighting schemes, wiring harnesses and more. And it offers accessories, some which are Alpine-branded and some which are simply hand-chosen by Alpine as an assortment. They include side steps, Alpine floor mats and stitched seats, steering wheel covers, overhead video monitors, multi camera systems, wheels, spoilers and more. The end results is a car styled by Alpine.
An Alpine US spokesman said the Alpine Style store takes the Alpine Restyle radio a step further.
It should be noted that in Japan most cars do not come with a factory radio. Consumers order radios at the car dealer based on a selection displayed and offered by the particular car dealership.
The Alpine Style store is run by an “expediter” called News Cars that works with select Toyota, Honda and Mazda car dealers in the areas. The customer shops for the cars at the dealers and if he wants to get the car customized by Alpine, he then goes to the Alpine Style store.
There are no plans at present for a similar store in the US.
You can see more at the Alpine Style web site (open in Chrome and turn on Google Translate at the top): http://www.alpine-style.jp/
“It should be noted that in Japan most cars do not come with a factory radio.”
How amazing would it be if that were the case here?