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Originally Posted by torzeck
Geez, cmon lets all ease up. In a DHP equipped x3 in the USA, it is the shocks that are changing and it is electromagnetic, sort of. Technically, it's rheonetic fluid or Magnorheonetic fluid Rheonetic fluid can be iron particles suspended in oil. When a magnetic field is introduced the fluid changes viscosity and like magic, you get stiffer dampers. If I'm not mistaken,this technology first appeared on Cadillac Sevilles in 2002 under the name "Magneride". It is also on more common on Corvettes.
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Interesting info and some more detail on wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MR_fluid
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If the shock absorbers of a vehicle's suspension are filled with magnetorheological fluid instead of plain oil, and the whole device surrounded with an electromagnet, the viscosity of the fluid, and hence the amount of damping provided by the shock absorber, can be varied depending on driver preference or the weight being carried by the vehicle - or it may be dynamically varied in order to provide stability control. This is in effect a magnetorheological damper. For example, the MagneRide active suspension system permits the damping factor to be adjusted once every millisecond in response to conditions. General Motors (in a partnership with Delphi Corporation) has developed this technology for automotive applications. It made its debut in both Cadillac (Seville STS build date on or after 1/15/2002 with RPO F55) as "Magneride" (or "MR") and Chevrolet passenger vehicles (All Corvettes made since 2003 with the F55 option code) as part of the driver selectable "Magnetic Selective Ride Control (MSRC)" system) in model year 2003. Other manufacturers have paid for the use of it in their own vehicles. As of 2007, BMW manufactures cars using their own proprietary version of this device, while Audi and Ferrari offer the MagneRide on various models.
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So in theory, DHP and non-DHP cars could both have these shock absorbers with DHP only adding the automatic rapid changes based on road feedback. In a non-DHP car, when you flick the Sport switch, it just changes the current supplied to the electromagnet to a static setting (not dynamic) which provides more viscosity. Normal mode, less current, less viscosity. All in theory, I have no idea what's in your shocks.