This “vintage” Jaguar radio is anything but

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it’s probably a duck. Unless it’s a swan.

Case in point: Jaguar Land Rover Classic’s new infotainment system is heavy with vintage looks. But look closer at the classically styled head unit and you’ll see there’s a lot more there than an AM/FM radio.

Integrated between traditional rotary controls and buttons is a 3.5-inch high-resolution touchscreen that controls a range of modern features:

• The system has telephone functionality using an internal microphone, and phonebook transfer via Bluetooth, which supports up to four devices with 1250 contacts per device.
• The unit’s customizable satellite navigation system can be displayed in 2D or 3D, and it provides turn-arrow instructions and Traffic Message Channel (TMC) alerts, programmable in 32 languages.
• The system has dual DAB/DAB+ digital radio and FM/AM analog reception. A single DIN head unit with built-in 4×45-watt output provides premium sound quality. 

Five versions of the Classic Infotainment System are available. Four are branded specifically for Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles, with a choice of black or chrome faceplate finishes to suit Jaguars, and a choice of black or silver brushed aluminum for Land Rovers. The fifth version, made for the rest of us, is designed to suit most classic vehicles running on negative earth electrics. Prices start at £1200 (including tax), which is about $1552.

Jaguar Land Rover Classic made headlines earlier this year with its all-electric E-Type Zero concept, followed by the announcement last month that it will offer an EV conversion service to the general public. Along with Jaguar, Mercedes and Porsche are both major players in the OEM heritage space, with both offering comprehensive parts and restoration support for vintage owners. Porsche already has its own, similar vintage-looking infotainment solution.

If you’re looking for an infotainment system that looks as at-home in your classic Jag as a duck (or swan) does in water, find out more here.