2007 Alpine Imprint RLS Demo Car based on Mercedes-Benz R500

Making Its Mark: The IMPRINT RLS

The birth of the IMPRINT RLS marks the beginning of a new sonic era. While the exterior flaunts a sleek, elegant, one-of-a-kind style, the interior also houses the core Alpine IMPRINT sound technology – making its mark as the absolute show-stopping vehicle for 2007.

The IMPRINT RLS by birthright started off as a Mercedes Benz R500, and was slowly morphed into a car that transcends all laws of space and time. This futuristic concept-like car was brought to life by Alpine’s Advanced Application R&D team, Steve Brown, Gary Bell, Brent Davison with the help of Alpine Canada’s Glen Swackhamer and Rino Odorico.

Breathing life into the RLS required a complete dismantling, relocating, building, and reinforcing experiment. Extreme modifications include gas and brake pedal relocation to allow the car to be driven from either front seat. To continue Alpine tradition of unconventional door and seat combinations, the IMPRINT RLS features a unique rotating assembly allowing suicide doors to swing into the vehicle with the seat attached. In addition to motorized seats, there’s motorization going on in the rear with a custom motorized amp rack. This rack houses 6 PDX amplifiers that power the entire sound system and stealthily rotate out of the back of the SUV.

The body itself took massive hours of fiberglass, duraglas, grinding, primering, sanding, you name it. The end result bodes well for elegance as sleek lines and shadows define intricate details. A custom-mixed Carrizma Candy Cherry Cola paint gives the car a luminous effect, you’d swear the IMPRINT RLS dances depending on how much light shines on it. While the RLS is getting its groove on, you can’t miss its shoes: massive 26” and 30” custom TIS model 01 wheels.

The interior compliments the sophisticated theme with details such as Italian leather, rich Burl Wood inserts. Near the center console, a unique gauge pod with a custom clock and autometer gauges deliver the car’s vital signs. Continuous movement from the clock lets you know the IMPRINT RLS is alive and kicking. But most importantly, the interior was strictly designed to house the best sound possible with IMPRINT sound technology.

While the car itself will turn heads based on looks alone, it’s the sound quality inside that truly demonstrates Alpine IMPRINT sound architecture. The heart and brain of the IMPRINT RLS system unfolds from the Alpine CDA-9887, the new and true IMPRINT sound tuning head unit. The built in processor has over 500 adjustments for frequency and measures and adjusts time correction for you when hooked to the IMPRINT Specialist Tuning Kit. With IMPRINT, special software and microphone help analyze the car’s acoustical problems and automatically tunes the system for optimal sound processing. Not only does this cut down tuning time to less than half an hour, but it also achieves drastically improved sound stage, tonal balance and definition.

The sound system’s supporting cast includes the motorized PDX amplifiers, as mentioned, as well as SPX-17REF component speakers arranged in a D'Appolito configuration, and four SPX-1043D subwoofers to please all listeners. Added options include the Alpine KCA-SC100 which controls a SIRIUS Satellite Radio Sportster 4, and Alpine KCE-422i Full Speed connection for iPod for quick access of Apple Lossless-encoded music for a high-quality digital music experience.

Listeners swallowed inside the IMPRINT RLS can get a good dose of sound reproduction at its finest. Catch the IMPRINT RLS touring nationwide at select events throughout 2007.