You are looking at Bang and Olufsen's latest acoustic gimmick, the Advanced Sound System. Hmmm, Advanced Sound System...makes for such a choice acronym.

While bagging on B&O for their sexed-up styling is always tons of fun, they must be given props for their outstanding ICEpower amps and, it seems, a killer car audio system for the new Audi A6 and A8 sedans. 1000 watts of their 1000asp ICEpower runs into what they call "Acoustic Lens Technology" mounted into a pop-up "whack-a-mole" contraption on the dash. The Acoustic Lens is, as you can see, an omnidirectional tweeter system. Makes a world of sense in a car, no?

Midrange and bass drivers are conventional units smuggled into various places throughout the car doors and walls. The whole 14 channel package is controlled by digital signal processing and compensates for ambient noise and car velocity. Wild stuff.

The package goes for $7000. The only question that remains is how I get a demo model. What's the average turn around on reviews these days anyway? Six months? 12? By that time I should be able to convince Aston Martin to hook me up with one of their Linn-laden company cars.

Bang and Olufsen Audi Sound System [story via Gadget Review, thanks Christen!]