Magellan has introduced a flat panel GPS system at CES in Las Vegas.

The new Maestro Elite 3270 will come with a flat-panel touchscreen display that virtually eradicates the frame normally found on GPS systems.

Although only sporting a 3.5-inch display the new model promises all the usual features you would expect to find on a satnav.

"With the Maestro Elite 3270's flat-panel screens, Magellan is driving the next level of consumer demand for elegant, fully featured compact navigation solutions", said Nelson Chan, president and CEO of Magellan.

The Maestro Elite 3270 – priced at $499 – also will feature Magellan's proprietary SayWhere text-to-speech technology that announces street names, Bluetooth capability for hands-free calling, pre-loaded maps and more than 6 million searchable points of interest (POIs).

The GPS will be available in before March 2008.