Microsoft Reveals High-Tech Supercar

Microsoft has teamed with West Coast Customs to unveil a one-of-a-kind 1967 Mustang GT, made even better with several of the software giant's most popular tech offerings, including an Xbox 360 and a pair of Kinect peripherals.

West Coast Customs (WCC) has made a name for itself by customizing cars on the MTV show "Pimp My Ride".

In most of those episodes, host Xzibit (a popular rapper) surprises a teen with an offer to repair and drastically upgrade their broken-down jalopies. West Coast Customs then takes over and does the work.

Microsoft Goes "Inside West Coast Customs"

Recently, Microsoft has been featured on a similar show called "Inside West Coast Customs." In these presentations, viewers watch as the company performs work on celebrity-owned vehicles.

For example, Justin Bieber and Black Eyed Peas rapper Will.i.am have both lent cars and made appearances. Now Microsoft is taking a turn and getting in on the action.

In a recent episode, for example, West Coast Customs started with a standard 2012 Mustang and retrofitted it with elements of a classic 1967 Mustang fastback.

Inside the car, WCC added a heads-up display for the driver, along with an Xbox 360 and two Microsoft Kinect systems. These are controlled via the Windows Azure platform, already well known from Windows Phone applications. (Source: jalopnik.com)

Together, the digital technologies make this car a unique ride. As an example, the heads-up display, which features swipe-able touchscreen controls, is capable of streaming a wide variety of video feeds.

The rear windshield serves as an alternative display that also can show videos, as well as video games, still pictures, and even messages viewable from outside the car, such as people following too closely ("Get off my butt, jerk!").

Proud Microsoft's "Project Detroit": Cool Applied Technologies

Microsoft calls the technologically advanced automobile "Project Detroit," and says it's very happy with it.

"We are so incredibly proud of this car, but we're even more proud of what it represents – ingenuity, creativity and some great demonstrations of Microsoft technologies in cool applied scenarios," said Microsoft's Jeff Sandquist. (Source: tomeshardware.com)

Many of the details concerning Microsoft's "Project Detroit" will be revealed during the next episode of Inside West Coast Customs, which airs Sunday, March 25, 2012.