The hot and haute wheels

Subodh Samuel

Your car can perform a host of functions, besides, of course, driving you around, provided you have the required smart gadgets and accessories. The market of car accessories is flooded with interesting and sometimes quirky devices and tools that can enhance the look and performance of your automobile. Gone are the days when cars came with factory-fitted accessories like floor mats and audio systems. Today luxury car makers are offering a lot more like GPS systems, bluetooth speaker phones, rear-vision cameras and window tints to block UV rays.

On popular demand

A number of these inventions are high on utility, though some accessories like fancy bumpers, metallic steering knobs, ghost lights and wheel flashers only serve the purpose of adding glitter to the car. Most of these add-ons are easily available at local stores or can be bought from online websites, while others like diamond-encrusted rims and high-quality audio systems are bespoke with price-on-demand tags.

Loading your car with cool gadgets has become the norm of the day. The gadgets help in traffic navigation, there are cameras that provide 360° wide-angle view of the road and apparatus that will allow owners to monitor their vehicle from anywhere in the world through a smartphone.

You can, for example, get a hands-free, dashboard-mounted, multi-media system that is designed to integrate with your car’s audio system and mobile phone to enable voice-activated calls.

Better than the best

If you love long road trips, consider buying a GoPro HD Hero3, a high-performance camera that films your driving experiences in HD. It is waterproof and can be attached to your car’s exterior. A new entrant to the accessory market is the Road Angel that warns you when you over-speed.

Many top-end automobiles these days are packed with more electronic add-ons than an average helicopter. These cars revolutionise the driving experience and the accessories are a marvel of technology.

With a hefty price, you can get your car fitted with touch-button technology that can change the colour of your windshield and window glass from all-clear to any shade you fancy.

Flaunt the add-ons

There are theft-proof locks available that can only be opened by a special wrist watch. It comes with the purchase of a car and has to be worn by the owner. Then there are other add-ons like a car-seat headrest hangar. This simple hangar has hooks on which you can hang your bags. Make a steaming cup of coffee with battery operated Handpresso espresso maker. Also you can install a refrigerator in your car, which holds up to nine cans of any drink of your choice and even comes with a padded armrest. In case, you like snacks with your drink, get your car fitted with a French fries holder. If you also like smoking a cigar, turn a part of your dashboard into a cigar humidor, at a cost of around Rs 2.5 lakh.

Long-distance travellers can get a foldable tray fitted on the steering wheel. When you are hungry, just pull up on the side, unfold the tray and have a meal without spilling things. The tray can also double up as a laptop or iPad holder.

On the next level

If you can splurge on luxury, why not indulge in it by buying a diamond-studded gear shift. It has been handcrafted only for the Bentley Continental GT and embellished with 30-carat genuine diamonds and a price tag of approximately crore of rupees.

And in case, there is still a lot to spare, get your car fitted with 22-inch diamond encrusted wheel rims, costing around Rs 6 crore. Now that is how you spell luxury.