Our customer brought his 2015 F-Type in for a backup camera installation. He wanted a solution that uses the factory screen as this looks the most original and is a more premium option than an add-on screen (such as a rearview mirror or dash mounted type). This requires a special module to work with the factory Bosch head unit as it needs to read the data from the car to allow the reverse trigger and interruption of the factory screen. For a lower volume car like this, the modules are quite expensive but understandably so due to high R&D costs. We used a low-profile drill in type backup camera for this application to match the sleek lines of the vehicle. It has to be mounted off center as the trunk release and license plate lights are in the way.
While this F-Type S already does have the upgraded Meridian sound system, our customer felt it lacking in bass. The Meridian speaker does have a fairly large woofer behind each of the front seats which makes sense for packaging restrictions. Our customer did not mind losing trunk space in exchange for great quality bass so we went with a loaded enclosure that uses up most of the trunk. This enclosure measures 15" tall, 10" deep, and 21.5" wide.
The subwoofer we chose was the Kicker L7S 10" which is rated at 600W RMS. We paired it with Alpine's new S-A60M which is well matched to the L7S power handling. We installed this amplifier using the AudioControl LC2i active line out converter which is perhaps the best of it's kind on the market. We didn't want to go with a cheap passive converter as the factory amplified system may put out too much power for those to handle. We also added the Alpine RUX knob 2 under the front armrest so our customer can control the subwoofer level more conveniently.
We originally tested the system with a 400W subwoofer but given the separated cabin and trunk, the 400W could not really be felt with the top down. For a vehicle with an open space such as a pickup truck, hatchback, or SUV a 400W sub would definitely be noticeable.
After installing the subwoofer and amplifier, we noticed terrible rattling from the trunk lid. There are several braces that run along the trunk lid that are glued on but broken in some areas. We used Dynamat Superlite to eliminate the nasty rattles and keep the bass sounding nice and solid. None of this sound deadening is visible when the factory carpeted cover is put back in place.
Install Pictures
