Shuttle XPC mini gives Mercedes a multimedia ride

This is a car with more. The Mercedes S-Class sedan was outfitted with a PC-based information system that packs quite a punch.

The mini PC sits between the two rear seats and is the brains of the operations, enabling GPS-based navigation, VoIP phone calls (via a 3G wireless modem), and (not surprisingly) plain old audio playback.

The sound system is anything but plain old, however. It has 13 speakers, a pair of subwoofers, and a full four microphones. This is definitely a vehicle with serious entertainment potential.

Shuttle is the company behind the XPC N21G5, which happens to be voice-controlled. The power supply is of the pedestrian 12-volt DC variety, and the OS is a garden-variety Windows XP Pro. Fancier elements include the two keyboards mounted into the visors.