GM Drops Quadrasteer Price

GM drops Quadrasteer price

To help increase sales of the Quadrasteer four-wheel-steering system that it offers in some of its pickups and larger SUVs for a couple of years, General Motors of Canada has lowered its price for 2004 by about 35 percent.

That brings the price of the Delphi-designed stand-alone option from $6,628 to $4,250, which is still not inexpensive. GM of Canada's Virginia Campbell thinks, however, that the new price will ''make this unique technology ever more accessible.''

Anyone's who's driven a Quadrasteer-equipped vehicle in virtually any situation is aware of its worth.

At low speeds, Quadrasteer turns the rear wheels in opposition to the front wheels, making it as easy to park or U-turn a full-size Chevrolet Silverado pickup or a GMC Yukon XL as it is a Saturn coupe.

At high speeds, Quadrasteer turns the rear wheels the same way as the front wheels (though to a much lesser degree) and enhances overall vehicle stability, but particularly on curves.

With a trailer attached, a Quadrasteer-equipped vehicle is easier to park and easier to pull, but a real world exposure is needed to fully appreciate that.