Jaguar Readies Standard HD Radio

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 2/23/2009

CHICAGO — HD Radio will make its debut in Jaguar in the 2010 model year across the brand's entire lineup, with the first model due in dealerships in summer 2009, said format developer iBiquity Digital at the Auto Show, here.

The Jaguar XK will be the first Jaguar with HD radio in dealer showrooms in mid-2009, followed later in the year by the XE, iBiquity said. The technology will be available as standard equipment across the brand's line, iBiquity said.

At one time, Jaguar planned to launch HD Radio in the 2008-model-year XJ sedan, but the rollout didn't come off as announced.

By the end of calendar 2008, the number of automaker brands offering HD Radio in select models grew to eight, in some cases as a factory-installed option and in others as a dealer-installed option. The brands are BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Lincoln, Mercedes, Mercury, Mini USA, and Volvo.

In calendar 2009, Toyota's Scion brand will join Jaguar in offering HD Radio, bringing the number of brands offering HD Radio to 10, iBiquity said. Two other brands — Audi and Kia — have also committed to offering the technology. For calendar 2010 availability, Audi will offer HD Radio as a factory-installed option in many 2011-model-year vehicles. Kia's launch will also occur in calendar 2010 on an unspecified number of vehicles, iBiquity said.

Calendar 2009 is also noteworthy in that it will be the first year that HD Radio is available as standard equipment. Volvo will be first, offering HD Radio as standard equipment beginning March 2009 in almost all of its models. Jaguar's XK follows in mid-2009.

In calendar 2010, the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands will offer HD Radio as factory-installed standard equipment in select models as well as factory-installed options in select models, iBiquity said. The three brands aren't new to HD Radio however. In October 2007, the three brands began offering it as a car-dealer-installed add-on “black box” for 19 of 23 model-year 2008 vehicles. The black box is controlled from the in-dash factory radio, and it is compatible with most of the automaker's vehicle models from the 2005 to 2007 model years.

In the latter part of 2009, Scion will offer the technology in two models as a factory-installed option.

Hyundai rolled out HD Radio as an option in the 2009 Genesis, and in the 2010 model year, Hyundai will roll it out to additional vehicles.