Volvo Announces Launch Of Standard-Equipment HD Radio
By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 11/27/2007
Irvine, Calif. — Volvo will join the short list of automakers offering HD Radio in the 2009 model year, when almost every trim level will get HD Radio as standard equipment and the remaining models will get it as a factory-installed option, the company announced.
Volvo is the first automaker to announce plans to offer HD Radio as standard equipment. The vehicles will be available in September 2008. Pricing wasn’t available.
The automaker joins Ford, BMW, Mini Cooper, Jaguar and Hyundai in offering HD Radio, although Jaguar and Hyundai offer HD Radio on only one model apiece.
From Volvo, HD Radio will be a factory-installed option in the base trim level of the S40 and V50 and standard in the S40 T5 and V50 T5 trim levels. HD Radio will be standard in all trim levels of the C30, C70, S80, V70, XC70 and XC90. Each model is available in two to three trim levels. The current S60 will not be available in the 2009 model year.
In October, Ford announced the availability of add-on HD-Radio tuner modules as a dealer-installed option for 19 of 23 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models in the 2008 model year. The add-ons are also compatible with the majority of the brands’ models in the 2005-2007 model years.
Jaguar began offer it as a factory-installed option in the 2008-model-year XJ Sedan, as did Hyundai in its 2008-model-year premium sports sedan,
BMW started offering HD Radio as a factory-installed option in the 2006 model year, and the following model year began offering it as a factory option in all of its vehicles: the 3, 5, 6 and 7 Series models and on the X3, X5 and Z4. Mini Copper started in 2007 for 2007-model-year vehicles.
“We believe Volvo will have the largest standard equipped HD Radio technology fleet in the world. Our drivers expect the highest quality in every aspect of their vehicles,” said Dirk Bott, Volvo North America’s brand, business and product VP.
More than 1,500 AM and FM stations are broadcasting using HD-Radio technology and more than 700 are offering subscription-free HD2 multicast channels on the FM dial, said the HD Radio Alliance.
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