GM has announced the official opening of its new Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Arizona in cooperation with the U.S. Army. GM signed an agreement to co-develop and administer the site with the Army two years ago after selling its Mesa Proving Ground in Mesa, Arizona.
"This new facility meets several of our important product development needs," said Ken Morris, executive director of Vehicle Integration, Proving Grounds and Performance Division for GM. "We have a longer hot weather testing cycle, we have great partners with the Army and the city of Yuma, and we have a facility that will meet our needs in the years to come."
With residential development encroaching on the privacy and secrecy of the Mesa Proving Ground and driving up land values, GM sold the old test facility and inked a deal with the Army to lease 2400 acres on the Army's Yuma Proving Ground to build its own test facility. As part of the agreement, GM and the Army will have access to each other's test facilities.
GM's new facility will employ 75 engineers and other staff members and includes a 3.5-mile circle track, a 1.4-mile drag strip, a one-million square-foot vehicle dynamics pad and over 40 miles of roads, including those with various ride-handling tests and grades. The site also features several shops and garages for working on test vehicles as well as a fuel station, car wash and scale house.
Thanks to: Motor Trend