Mercedes Adds HD Radio

By Amy Gilroy and Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 8/18/2008

MONTVALE, N.J. — Mercedes Benz announced it will offer HD Radio in many of its 2009 model year vehicles, joining other luxury vehicle makers BMW and Jaguar in providing digital radio service.

Mercedes said HD Radio will be part of a premium package offered in certain M-, R-, GL-, G-class SUVs and E-class vehicles as an option. Ninety percent of Mercedes customers purchase the premium package that also includes heated front seats, a navigation system, Sirius radio (now Sirius XM radio) and an iPod/MP3 interface, according to a spokesperson for iBiquity, developer of HD Radio

Among luxury automakers offering HD Radio, Mercedes joins BMW, which offers HD Radio as an option across its entire product line, and Jaguar, which offers it in its redesigned 2008 luxury XJ sedan, the HD Radio Alliance said.

Other automakers offering or planning to offer HD Radio include:

Volvo, which will add HD Radio in the 2009 model year to almost every trim level as standard equipment, with the remaining models getting it as a factory-installed option. The vehicles will be available in September 2008;
Ford, which began late last year to offer an add-on HD Radio tuner module 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 to 2007 model years; and
Hyundai, which offers it in its 2008-model-year premium sports sedan.