Hyundai has officially opened its brand new European testing facility at the iconic Nurburgring in Germany. After an investment of 15 months time and 6.6 million euros, the purpose-built vehicle testing facility along the trackside has finally been inaugurated facilitating further R&D operations in Europe. This new testing facility provides the company with full time access to the iconic Nurburgring circuit allowing it to scrutinise and improvise the durability and driving dynamics of the vehicles more effectively.
Hyundai’s new European test centre encompasses nearly 40,000 square feet of floor space on four levels in a glass and steel building that houses workshops, offices and hospitality areas. Acting as an extension of Hyundai’s European R&D centre in Russelsheim, Germany, the Nurburgring test centre will allow Hyundai to conduct more regular and rigorous testing around the 170 corners and 20.8 kms of tarmac that make up the iconic track.
Each of the Hyundai vehicles will have to endure 480 circuit laps in wet and dry conditions putting up a total of 1,60,000 kms in under 6 weeks. This stringent methodology of testing the vehicles involve continuous monitoring of data parameters, assessing the steering input and vehicle course, suspension movement along with ride and handling characteristics. The results obtained are directly handed over to Hyundai’s engineers at the vehicle development team at the circuit, enabling Hyundai to carry out successive iterations to the vehicle characteristics until desired results are obtained.
The Nurburgring is a unique challenge to any vehicle with gradients of 11 percent uphill and 17 percent downhill owing to a height difference of 300 metres between the highest and lowest points on the circuit. The Nurburgring circuit will help in accurately testing the reliability and drivability of Hyundai’s vehicles and also the emotional appeal of “tested at the Nurburgring” will add to the brand’s reputation across Europe. This is sure to help the Korean automaker to please customers who want an involving car to drive.
– Sankranth Gubbi
