Sirius XM added 445,921 subscribers in its 2012 third quarter, bringing its total customer base to 23.4 million – a new record for the company and the best third quarter since the merger of Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio in 2008. 

      Sirius XM CEO Mel Karmazin said the company is on track for record annual net additions as more new cars are manufactured with satellite service as a built-in feature.

      “Satellite radio is preinstalled in about two-thirds of new cars,” Karmazin said in a statement. “With almost 1.5 million net subscribers already added in 2012 and continuing growth in auto sales, we will significantly exceed our previous guidance of 1.6 million.”