Nissan, Volkswagen To Offer Satellite Radio Services
By Amy Gilroy -- TWICE, 4/15/2002
NEW YORK— Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio announced that Volkswagen of America and its Audi division and Nissan and its Infiniti division will offer both satellite radio services in the future.
Nissan said it will offer the services in select 2003 Nissan and Infiniti vehicles and that Clarion will provide the radio receivers. Specifically, both XM and Sirius will be available this fall in the Infiniti Q45 performance luxury sedan, G35, I35 luxury sedan, Nissan Pathfinder SUV and Nissan Murano crossover SUV. The Murano was introduced at the New York Auto Show.
Volkswagen said it signed distribution agreements with both services to offer satellite radio "in coming years" in the United States in Volkswagen and Audi vehicles.
With the exception of GM, Ford, Daimler Chrysler and BMW, which signed satellite radio agreements prior to the "unified standard agreement" of February 2000, all car companies who offer satellite radio must offer both Sirius and XM service to their customers. The agreement between Sirius and XM stated that all future licensees of satellite radio must offer a choice of services either through interoperable radios or separate radios for Sirius and XM.
