Hyundai Motor has officially opened its new European Test Centre at the Nürburgring in Germany. The completion of the EUR6.62m purpose built vehicle testing facility boosts the brand’s R&D operations in Europe.
Hyundai said the test centre gives it “a full-time presence” at the iconic Nürburgring circuit, allowing it to further evaluate and develop the durability and driving dynamics of its vehicles more effectively and more often.
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Construction began in June 2012 and was completed in less than 15 months. The glass and steel building houses workshops, office spaces and hospitality areas over four floors. It is an extension of the automaker’s European R&D centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany [also home to GM Europe’s Opel] where the brand’s European design and engineering teams have been based since 2003.
Hyundai’s accelerated durability tests are conducted from the European Test Centre. Each car taking part in the tests laps the Nürburgring 480 times in both dry and wet conditions, simulating over 100,000 miles of rigorous driving in less than six weeks.
Throughout each lap, data parameters are continually monitored, assessing steering input and vehicle course, suspension movement and ride and handling characteristics. The results are given directly to the vehicle development team based at the circuit, enabling engineers to quickly make changes and tailor cars’ characteristics to regional buyer demands.
The Nürburgring is widely recognised as one of the most challenging tracks in the world, with 73 corners – 33 left and 40 right -spread across 12.8 miles of tarmac. With a difference in height of almost 300 metres between the lowest and the highest points, it features uphill and downhill gradients of 11% and 17% respectively.
