GM to drop Quadrasteer by end of '05

[RagingBITCH]

http://www.mlive.com/business/fljournal...f?/base/business-0/110848452033850.xml

DETROIT - General Motors is dropping Delphi Corp.'s Quadrasteer system after the four-wheel-steer gear never really turned the corner with increased profitability.

Ward's Automotive Reports said GM will drop Quadrasteer by the end of the 2005 model year, and it will not be on the next-generation sport-utility vehicle and pickup truck architecture, the GMT900.

In 2004, GM sold about 5,500 vehicles equipped with Quadrasteer, Ward's said, most of them on GMC Sierra half-ton pickups. The technology allowed a full-size truck to turn like a compact car.

Ward's said GM initially priced the option too high - around $7,000 - a price that has plunged to just under $2,000.

I can see people not wanting to spend $7K on it. At $2K it's quite intriguing. Kind of a shame, and I don't even like GM.

 

[vi edit]

Another great idea horribly implemented by GM. How many tens of millions(or hundreds) went into the development of that?

Awesome idea, terrible execution.

 

[MrChad]

Didn't Honda Preludes have a four-wheel steer option a decade or so ago?

 

[NFS4]

They priced it too high to begin with. By the time they lowered the price, the damage had already been done.

It's a GREAT concept, and I think that every long wheel-base truck should have it. Mark my words, it will be back in one form or another...if not from GM, by someone else.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: MrChad
Didn't Honda Preludes have a four-wheel steer option a decade or so ago?

Yes, but it was no where as functional as this was. Mitsubishi did a similar thing for a couple years on the 3000 GT IIRC.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Another great idea horribly implemented by GM. How many tens of millions(or hundreds) went into the development of that?

Awesome idea, terrible execution.

What do your propose GM should have done? It was an excellent idea, placed on a platform that sorely needed it. Even at $2K they aren't moving Quadrasteer equipped vehicles from the lots. It's a shame. If you do lots of towing it seems logical to want something to help maneuver the trailer easier.

 

[Actaeon]

The 300ZX TT also had this feature of a sort, the NA 300ZX did not.

Regardless, its a shame, nice innovation, but when its priced at $7k, I don't blame buyers for walking away. $2k on the other hand... well, it just depends how well it performs compared to the cars not equipped.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: KnightBreed

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Another great idea horribly implemented by GM. How many tens of millions(or hundreds) went into the development of that?

Awesome idea, terrible execution.

What do your propose GM should have done? It was an excellent idea, placed on a platform that sorely needed it. Even at $2K they aren't moving Quadrasteer equipped vehicles from the lots. It's a shame. If you do lots of towing it seems logical to want something to help maneuver the trailer easier.

They just came out of the gates stumbling to begin with and never were able to catch up. It was a $7,000 option on a truck that was already costing $40,000+. We're talking some SERIOUS cash for a single option. They priced themselves out of the market.

If they wanted to move the trucks better, instead of doing a flat $5,000 rebate on all trucks, do a $3,000 rebate on non Quadra Steer trucks and $5,000 on the ones with it. GM regulary runs special rebates on option packages. Include this as one of them. Once the option hits the mainstream word of mouth takes over and you get more people interested in it. At the initial offering it was too cost prohibitive and not enough people were picking it up and passing the good word around.

By the time they dropped the price the damage was done.

 

[The Stigenator]

it is great for towing.. ppl who tow its a musthave.

 

[Schadenfroh]

could you strafe with it?

 

[Chadder007]

Trucks cost too much already even without it.......no wonder it didn't sell. There are some trucks that cost more than some freaking luxury vehicles.

 

[Salvador]

Originally posted by: NFS4
They priced it too high to begin with. By the time they lowered the price, the damage had already been done.

It's a GREAT concept, and I think that every long wheel-base truck should have it. Mark my words, it will be back in one form or another...if not from GM, by someone else.

That seems to be a big problem with GM. Pricing. They price a lot of their stuff too high and then the dealers have to discount the h*ll out of everything. That does wonders for the resale value as well.

Some guy recently bought a brand new leftover '04 GTO for $18K. GM shouldn't have priced the car so high (mid $30K). If they would've asked $5-$10 less, they would've sold a lot more cars and wouldn't have had to discount them so severly.

Sal

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: MrChad
Didn't Honda Preludes have a four-wheel steer option a decade or so ago?

Yes, but it was no where as functional as this was. Mitsubishi did a similar thing for a couple years on the 3000 GT IIRC.

That's not entirely true. I actually drove a Prelude equipped with 4 wheel steering and it was amazing how short the turning radius on that car was. It was remarkably easy to manuever in tight crowded areas and it actually improved the handling.

It would be very useful on a long wheelbase vehicle like a truck but if it costs quite a bit more then I could see why people wouldn't opt for it.

Were there any issues with the strength of the axles or the drivetrain because of the 4 wheel steering? I can imagine it being just one more thing to break on a GM particularly.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
could you strafe with it?

lol.

And they had a special suspension that let you bunny hop...

 

[MrBond]

I thought the reason the price was so high initially was because it was part of some high-end option package? That was the only way you could get it, and even if they had a use for it, people didn't want the other stuff that was included in order to get it.

My Dad was looking at new trucks to pull their Airstream with, he liked the quadrasteer tech, but he said there was no way he was buying all the extra crap he didn't need just to get it.

 

[vi edit]

That's not entirely true. I actually drove a Prelude equipped with 4 wheel steering and it was amazing how short the turning radius on that car was. It was remarkably easy to manuever in tight crowded areas and it actually improved the handling.

Bottom line is that 4 wheel steering is a MUCH greater benefit to something with a 54 foot turning radius than one with 37 feet. I'm not saying that it isn't a benfit on the smaller vehicles, it just isn't really needed and it just adds weight and complexity.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Bottom line is that 4 wheel steering is a MUCH greater benefit to something with a 54 foot turning radius than one with 37 feet. I'm not saying that it isn't a benfit on the smaller vehicles, it just isn't really needed and it just adds weight and complexity.

On many vehicles with 4 wheel steering, the rear wheel steering is there to improve high speed handling, not to decrease the turning radius.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Bottom line is that 4 wheel steering is a MUCH greater benefit to something with a 54 foot turning radius than one with 37 feet. I'm not saying that it isn't a benfit on the smaller vehicles, it just isn't really needed and it just adds weight and complexity.

On many vehicles with 4 wheel steering, the rear wheel steering is there to improve high speed handling, not to decrease the turning radius.

If it was really that much of a benefit then why didn't it stick around?

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Bottom line is that 4 wheel steering is a MUCH greater benefit to something with a 54 foot turning radius than one with 37 feet. I'm not saying that it isn't a benfit on the smaller vehicles, it just isn't really needed and it just adds weight and complexity.

On many vehicles with 4 wheel steering, the rear wheel steering is there to improve high speed handling, not to decrease the turning radius.

If it was really that much of a benefit then why didn't it stick around?

bad argument...look at Beta versus VHS.

 

[samgau]

Its simply a complicated system that cost too much.... wonder why it was not offered on other models than the prelude... I remember looking at it when it was offered, 10 -15 years ago... more maybe...circa '89 ?? we didn't get it cause it was too expensive above the stock model...

EDIT:

I was not too far off:

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

If it was really that much of a benefit then why didn't it stick around?

I guess cost was a more important factor than performance.

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: MrChad
Didn't Honda Preludes have a four-wheel steer option a decade or so ago?

There were a handful of cars that came with 4WS, but most were tuned for higher speed cornering, not parallel parking

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: vi_edit

If it was really that much of a benefit then why didn't it stick around?

I guess cost was a more important factor than performance.

Any idea what the cost was for that option on the old Preludes?

 

[redly]

Originally posted by: NFS4
They priced it too high to begin with. By the time they lowered the price, the damage had already been done.

It's a GREAT concept, and I think that every long wheel-base truck should have it. Mark my words, it will be back in one form or another...if not from GM, by someone else.

kinda like displacement on demand!! can you say Caddy 4-6-8

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: redly

Originally posted by: NFS4
They priced it too high to begin with. By the time they lowered the price, the damage had already been done.

It's a GREAT concept, and I think that every long wheel-base truck should have it. Mark my words, it will be back in one form or another...if not from GM, by someone else.

kinda like displacement on demand!! can you say Caddy 4-6-8

Not very similar. Quadrasteer is failing because it was priced too high. The Caddy 4-6-8 failed because it was a horrible piece of shat.