GM offering magnetic ride control on Sierra Denali pickup
24 June 2014
GM is offering magnetic ride control on the 2015 GMC Sierra Denali; it’s the first time the advanced, electronically controlled damping system has been offered on a full-size truck. GM offers magnetic ride control on a number of other vehicles, including Cadillacs, Corvettes and Buicks.
Magnetic ride control provides more precise body motion control that correlates with a more refined ride while maintaining payload and trailering capability. It is standard on all Sierra Denali half-ton models, whether equipped with the standard 5.3L V-8 (355 hp) or the available 6.2L V-8 (420 hp)—the segment’s most powerful engine.
The third-generation magnetic ride control’s sensors “read” the road every millisecond, triggering damping changes in as little as five milliseconds in electronically controlled shock absorbers that replace conventional mechanical-valve shocks. They’re filled with a magneto-rheological fluid containing minute iron particles, and under the presence of a magnetic charge, the iron particles align to provide damping resistance. Changes in the magnetic charge alter the damping rate of the shocks almost instantly.
The Sierra Denali also offers enhanced connectivity and convenience features including a new Text Messaging Alerts feature for smartphone users with Bluetooth profile (M.A.P.), which reads incoming texts through the vehicle’s speakers, and Siri Eyes Free for iPhone iOS 6 and iOS 7 users. They’re voice-controlled to help keep phones safely stowed and hands on the wheel.
Also new is OnStar with 4G LTE and standard built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, providing a mobile hub for drivers and passengers to stay connected. The hotspot is on whenever the vehicle is on and comes with a three-month/3GB data trial.
More than 675,000 Denali models have been sold since the introduction of the 1999 Yukon Denali.
The 2015 Sierra Denali’s maximum payload is 1,940 pounds (4WD with 5.3L and 5’8” box) and the max trailering capacity is 9,400 pounds (2WD with 5.3L or 6.2L and 5’8” box).
Almost 45 years ago (spring of 1970), I was a master's student in Mechanical Engineering at MIT and was attending a weekly seminar in fluid mechanics. The inventors of the magneto-rheological fluid came in and gave a seminar on the properties of this fluid and had some demonstrations. I remember that they did not have any particular use for the fluid and were not sure what it could be used for. However, it had some interesting properties which they thought might be useful for something. Sometimes, it takes a while to go from lab curiosity to practical use.
Posted by: sd | 24 June 2014 at 02:42 PM