Mercedes-Benz flagships will soon get Dolby Atmos sound

Buyers of high-end Mercedes-Benz models will be treated to high-end audio wizardry in 2022, with the announcement this week of Dolby Atmos technology coming to some cars.

Available initially in Maybach and S-Class models only, the system will utilise a total of 31 speakers in the cabin, with six of those working as '3D' speakers above passengers.

Included in that count of 31 will also be four 'near-ear' speakers for the front seats and an 18.5-litre subwoofer. The list goes on, with two 'exciters' (read about those here) in each seat.

Two amplifiers power the the system, producing a total of 1750 watts.

Mercedes isn't the first auto brand to bring Dolby Atmos to its customers – that honour goes to American startup electric vehicle brand Lucid, although its 'Surreal Sound' package features a mere 21 speakers.

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There's no word, for now, on when these features might make their way to less-exclusive models in the Mercedes-Benz range, although the brand's history of launch timing would suggest we might see the Dolby package arrive around the middle of 2022.

Elsewhere in the Maybach universe, 2021 saw the debut of 100-year editions for Maybach S-Class and Maybach GLS in October, along with a first look at the Maybach EQS electric SUV concept.

In September, Mercedes-Maybach revealed the GLS 600 as a titanic rival to models like the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan, and high-end versions of the new-generation Range Rover – revealed just this week.