Alpine Underground

Alpine’s Chevy HHR was introduced at the 2006 SEMA show, Alpine’s first appearance at SEMA. The 2006 HHR was built by Alpine’s Advanced Application R & D Team of Gary Bell and Brent Davison, with help from Rino Odorico of Alpine of Canada. Brown and Bell were the creators of Alpine’s 2006 main show car, the BMW 645i, nicknamed the “Sinister Six,” which debuted at the January 2006 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Davison, who joined the Alpine team in August, most recently owned his own installation business in Texas where he built demo cars for other car audio manufacturers.

Made with support from General Motors, the HHR was transformed into a retro street-rod. The team’s goal was to build a car that would attract attention, showcase the Alpine products, but still be fully practical as a demo and training car. A full audio, video and navigation (AV+N) system is found in the car. The IVA-W205 2-DIN DVD/CD/AM/FM head unit is the base of the system. This versatile unit truly makes the HHR “connected,” as it serves as the base for multiple audio and video sources in the car, such as HD Radio (from the TUA-T500HD HD Radio Tuner), iPod® (from the KCE-422i Full Speed Connector for iPod), and Sirius Satellite Radio (from DEI’s SIR-ALP1 Sirius Tuner). Bluetooth wireless capabilities are also available via the KCE-300BT Bluetooth Adapter. In addition, the car supports DRM-10 MP3 players through use of the KCA-620M.

These audio sources are enhanced by specifically placed speakers amplifiers and subwoofers for optimal sound. A PXE-H650 Imprint Sound Processor is a new product which helps to deliver optimal sound reproduction in the vehicle. This processor offers advanced sound tuning capabilities using Alpine’s new Imprint technology, resulting in customized tuning for the vehicle through an easy and quick process.

The HHR has a 2260 watt sound system powered by four amplifiers. Two MRP-F450 4-channel amplifiers installed on the backs of the front seats power two sets of SPR-17LS 6.5” two-way component speakers in the front, and one pair of SPR-17LP 6.5” coaxial speakers in the rear. Two SWR-1542D 15” Dual 4 ohm subwoofers are installed in a custom ported enclosure and are each powered by a MRP-M850 mono sub amplifier; all four products are installed in the rear hatch.

Rounding out the system is the PMD-B100 Blackbird portable navigation device. The Blackbird is integrated into the system via the PMD-DOK1 Docking Station for the Blackbird. When the Blackbird is docked, all of its navigation functions are transferred to the IVA-W205’s large 6.5” touch-screen display, and the voice guided driving instructions are delivered through the HHR’s speakers. NAVTEQ® Traffic RDS™ service provides real-time traffic updates to the Blackbird.

Exterior modifications on the HHR include a two-tone silver/blue paint scheme with marbleized gray accents by Santini Paint. Falken FK452 tires (215/35ZR19 front; 245/30ZR22 rear) and Devious Wheel Company billet wheels with the Alpine logo provide a custom ride. The suspension and air bags were supplied by Devious Customs. Leather seats were supplied by Classic Soft Trim, with custom two-tone leather upholstery and headliner work done by 714 Motorsports. Upper and lower billet grilles were supplied by Precision Grilles. CGS Motorsports supplied the air intake system, and the cat-back exhaust system is from Magnaflow. The HHR’s batteries were supplied by Kinetik Batteries and Monster Cable wiring was used throughout the vehicle.