I’m just putting this up as a personal reference, but what I always missed in my Audi was the ability to have a flip-down satnav screen.  The MM5000 was always mounted on top of the dashboard, and last year it even got stolen.

My original plan when I got the Audi was to get Pioneer’s Avic X1, a system that had all.  Because of interests and budget constrains, I went for the secondhand VDO Dayton MS5000, which still does it’s job wonderfully and have bought 2 other MS5000’s since then (one in my company cars and one for an ambulance I used to drive with).

Slowly, the Pioneer got out of scope.  The VDO MS5000 is very good at it’s job, compared to Pioneer users’ comments, and with a normal radio you don’t miss anything as a driver.

VDO, however, have been eavesdropping on my brain and slowly started to release solutions such as flip-up screens, and separate radio modules.  This March, VDO has released the VRM 6100, a flip-up 7″ touchscreen in 1DIN housing incorporating DVD player, radio-tuner, memory card and USB stick reader, and a VRM 6200 sporting almost the same package but replacing the USB connection for an Ipod-connector and featuring a 2DIN fixed touchscreen.

The interesting bit about these two head units, is the ability to connect any PC5xxx computer by VDO-Dayton.  I would be able to connect my existing MS5000 without any special wires, and then later upgrade to a PC5200 model.  With a software update, touch-screen use of the satnav would be possible!

You can read more here .