Lumax, Alps Alpine launch premium car audio range, target 30% market share

Lumax-DK Jain Group and Alps Alpine Asia have partnered to launch Alpine’s premium range of car audio infotainment systems in India. Alpine has joined hands with the Lumax-DK Jain Group to distribute and market its products in India. 

The two companies today unveiled Premium Head Units and Digital Sound Processor (DSP), which they claim makes Alpine the company with the largest range of premium car audio infotainment in India. The new products also include high quality sound speakers, amplifiers range (X, R & S Series) and bass tube sub-woofers.

Speaking at the unveiling, Mizuki Kanai, senior manager, Alpine Asia Brand Business said, “Alpine is a total car-life solution brand based on premium sound. The high-end Alpine products offer customisation, connectivity, communication and the sound of music backed by superior technology and relentless R&D. Having served customers around 100 countries, today we present the premium range of in-vehicle infotainment for the Indian music lovers, giving them best in class acoustic experience.”

Responding to a query by Autocar Professional on the possibility of localisation, Kanai said, “We are introducing our global products for the Indian market. But in the coming years, depending on the market response, we may consider a product for India being locally produced.”

The organised audio-infotainment market in India is approximately $80 million (Rs 600 crore) annually with the premium segment contributing 20 percent. The partners have set an ambitious target to acquire 30 percent market share in the premium segment in the next five years.

New products
Today’s launch sees display units with 11-, 9- and 7-inch screens with a dramatic ‘floating look’, five vertical adjustments, four angles and two separate depths which allow it to be set in the most optimal position. They have access to Apple CarPlay and Android Audio with Google assistance for media and navigation. WVGA display and Swipe Graphical User Interface through large icons are easy to use while HDMI input or output are compatible for high-quality video.

Digital sound processors have output options of 6, 8 and 12 channels. The DSP can be tuned either wirelessly using Bluetooth, or through a wired USB connection with a PC. The company says customers will get real-time tuning results and will be able to notice the difference between the ‘before’ and ‘after’ effect.

Vineet Sahni, Group CEO, Lumax-DK Jain Group said, “In India, the Alpine product portfolio has always been very strong, especially in the speakers, amplifiers and sub-woofer range. Lumax will continue to market the Alpine products as exclusive partner, leveraging its strong market understanding and a robust sales network to expand the outreach of the Alpine products across India.”

Lumax has a strong retail presence including 35 distributors and 20 premium dealers in the country. The Alpine premium range will be available across India through 250 retail outlets in the first phase. The range will include Alpine HALO series – iLX-F2611E, iLX-269E, iLX-W660E display units, UTX-M08 & UTX-A09 hi-res head units, DSP range of PXE-R500, 600 and 850X. Products like DSPs, hi-res audio & X series range of speakers and amplifiers will be available only at premium retail outlets which  will be branded ‘Alpine Premium Dealer’.