Bang & Olufsen has unveiled its Fernando Alonso x Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 Sport Earphones and Beosoud Edge Speaker Limited Editions today.

Earbuds and motorsports seems to be a thing this year. But, what makes the Danish brand's partnership unique is that it marks a celebration of Fernando Alonso's pursuit to become the second driver in history to attain the Triple Crown. This is where a driver has to win the Monaco Grand Prix, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indy 500, an achievement that only the legend that was Graham Hill managed. Alonso is on good form to wrap it up at this year's Indy 500. Moreover, music is a big part of Fernando Alonso's routine when preparing for a race as well as being a fan of the B&O brand, we are told.   

Fernando Alonso told StereoNET:

I have always used music as a training companion for maximum performance and when I mentally prepare for a race. Music helps me balance my frame of mind before getting into the car, whilst building adrenaline for the challenge ahead. I wanted to partner with an audio brand that shared my enduring passion and determination for excellence. I use Bang & Olufsen products in my everyday life from my toughest training to preparing myself for a race and relaxing in the garden with friends. So I could think of no better partner to mark this occasion and to bring this limited edition to those who harness the power of music to achieve the goals they set their minds on.

66: Fernando Alonso Beoplay E8 Sport Earphones

The limited-edition Fernando Alonso Beoplay E8 Sport earphones (£350) were designed to match the livery design of the No. 66 Arrow McLaren SP car.

As well as boasting expert tuning by renowned Bang & Olufsen engineers these sporty buds come with ridged details on the earphones to help adjustments when fingers are wet and sweaty. Naturally, the earphones can switch between tracks, take calls and activate Transparency Mode all with a simple tap or swipe of the finger.

Beoplay E8 Sport has IP57 certification and so are safe from dust, sweat and water intrusion of up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. There are five removable ear tips and three fins bundled in to give you the perfect fit.

Bluetooth 5.1, AAC and aptX codecs are onboard for perfect connectivity and sound reproduction on all iOS and Android devices.   

The earphones come in a black wireless charging case designed with “performance-driven” materials such as rubber and textured silicone, and a sleek aluminium inlay with the official Alonso logo. Each earphone boasts a green anodised aluminium ring that highlights the touch controls as well as sporting the Bang & Olufsen's logo on one and Fernando Alonso's signature on the other.

The collaboration is limited to an edition of only 66 units - 66 being Fernando Alonso's car number in the Indy 500 race this year.

14. Fernando Alonso Beosound Edge Home Speaker

The Beosound Edge home speaker (£3,200) has been designed in collaboration with globally acclaimed designer, Michael Anastassiades and features B&O's Active Bass Port. Bang & Olufsen likens the bass port to a car's spoiler that automatically raises as the vehicle speeds up. They point out that, when playing at lower volumes, the speaker uses the closed cabinet principle for the most accurate sound reproduction. As you turn up the volume, the Active Bass Port opens to output more energised bass fed by the 10-inch woofers on either side. These are joined by a dedicated 4-inch midrange and a ¾-inch tweeter.

The Fernando Alonso Beosound Edge home speaker can be set on the floor as a statement piece or wall-mounted. As you approach the speaker, proximity sensors detect you and illuminates the aluminium touch interface. Adjusting the sound is done by gently rolling the speaker forwards and backwards to increase and decrease the volume. Softly to change the volume moderately, while a stronger touch will change it more dramatically. Let go, and it gently rolls back to its original position.

The limited Fernando Alonso Beosound Edge home speaker comes with Fernando Alonso's signature on top of the speaker right above the Bang & Olufsen logo and the official Alonso logo on the matt black fabric cover.

The collaboration is limited to an edition of only 14 speakers – Fernando Alonso's lucky number and the number of his Formula One car.

The Fernando Alonso Beoplay E8 Sport Edition earphones (RRP €400 / £350), and Fernando Alonso Beosound Edge (RRP €3,600 / £3,200) will be available mid-September 2020.

For more information, visit Bang & Olufsen.