Introduced in 2001 as the C3, then equipped with the revolutionary Quadrasteer four-wheel-steering for 2002, this full-size extended cab pickup offered around town maneuverability closer to a normal passenger car’s. On the highway, the yaw managing qualities of the 4WS system improved stability. Towing chores were eased by the Sierra Denali’s ability to pull a trailer around a corner instead of cutting it short. Off-road, the truck could squeeze between obstacles that would stop other vehicles...
Launched originally as the C3 (what does the C3 even mean, does anyone know?), this was one of the first luxury trucks along with the F-150 King Ranch. Plenty of luxury, power, and technology. A great effort.
It was expensive and customers didn't want to pay for it. I think the whole package was something like 5K. If they can find a way of reducing that (even in today's market 5K is a big chunk of change) and they can advertise it effectively they might be able to make a go of it.
It started at either $3995 or $4995 and got cheaper as the years went on. It was very heavy duty and reliable as well. I don't remember all the specs but it had a Dana rear end with a limited slip (obviously a locker was a no go).
I was rooting around working on something about Pontiac and saw that they had 'electronic' or breaker-less ignition with no points or condenser in 1965. Amazing. It wasn't made standard until 1975 and then largely because of rising emissions standards.
There are a lot of stories like this in auto-dom. My avatar is a 'moonroof' (Sunshine Turret Top) that debuted in 1938. Didn't catch on until about forty years later.
Always thought this would've been much better in 8ft crew cabs and you could've used the dually box fenders to have super wide track and much tighter steering angles. Maybe you'd have unique 9" wide wheels instead of duals.
If we had federal regulations on turning radii, you'd see this come roaring back.
My Dad had late-60s Popular Science magazines I read as a kid in the mid-70s. I found an archive of ones I read back then. Check out the cover and the article starting on page 44:
A great idea that could have been executed better. Hard to imagine this would be anything but really well received on large, lwb suv's like the Suburban.
Until you have drove a quadrasteer truck you just don't understand why it's such a great system.
GM, like GM has always done, killed it because of option packaging. Last year it was available it was a $1k straight option. The ONLY way it should've been offered. Not forcing buyers into 5 different options just to get quadrasteer.
The consumer often does not take to things that seem like an obvious slam dunk of benefit - ironically because there was no competition for this, people didn't know what it was worth comparatively. Irony of this 'added value' technology is that it might have had a better chance if GM licensed it to other makers.
Most of the advances in auto technological development we've seen over the past fifty years have been driven by regulation. The consumer really doesn't demand advances - he just wants 'more.' So it'd be a race to the bottom to see who could have the first 28" rims made of gold alloy with diamond inlays.
Quadrasteer cuts about 10 feet from turning circle on extended cab, about the same as a Saturn coupe.
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