Ford Proving Grounds

Ford Motor Company operates several proving grounds worldwide, for development and validation testing of new vehicles.

For Ford/Mazda Proving Grounds in Japan see Mazda Proving Grounds

=North America=

Volvo Arizona Proving Ground (VAPG) - Wittmann, Arizona

Latitude and Longitude: coord|33|42|23.02|N|112|30|23.75|W|

Volvo Arizona Proving Ground opened in 1985. The Proving Grounds consists of 1,498 acres (6.06 km²) located one hour northwest of the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport at an elevation of 1,650 feet (500 m). Volvo Arizona Proving Ground is operated year round. The climate is of a desert type with low annual rainfall and low relative humidity. Daytime temperatures are high throughout the summer months. The winters are mild. Nighttime temperatures frequently drop below freezing during the three coldest months, but the afternoons are usually sunny and warm.

Michigan Proving Ground (MPG) - Romeo, Michigan

Latitude and Longitude: coord|42|51|0|N|83|2|24|W|

Ford's Michigan Proving Grounds of Romeo, Michigan sits on 3,880 acres (15.7 km²), and contains a total of over 100 miles of roads. These grounds hold events like the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Formula car competition (FSAE). This involves teams from colleges and universities around the world to compete in a competition involving both design and performance.

With the purchase of APG, Ford decided to consolidate operation of both facilities to Romeo. Major Facilities: High speed track, durability/special surface roads, grades, EMC facility, road simulators, fire resistance facility, vehicle dynamics area

Purpose: Car and truck durability, performance

Dearborn Development Center (formerly Dearborn Proving Ground)

Latitude and Longitude: coord|42|18|0.42|N|83|13|14.75|W|

The Dearborn Development Center was built on the site of Ford Airport in Dearborn, Michigan. The facility, formerly known as Dearborn Proving Ground (DPG), completed major reconstruction and renovations in 2006.

Florida Evaluation Center (FEC) - Naples, Florida

Latitude and Longitude: coord|26|10|9.58|N|81|30|1.08|W|

Stats: 530 acres (2.1 km²), 6.2 miles (10 km) of roads

Major facilities: Straightaway, lane change area, handling course, sound test areaMajor testing: Warm weather performance and handling

Extreme Cold Weather Test Facility (ECWTF) - Thompson, Manitoba

Latitude and Longitude: coord|55|49|53.13|N|97|48|59.89|W|

The facility is located at the nearby airport in Thompson, Manitoba, Canada. The Extreme Cold Weather Test Facility offers vehicle testing in extremely cold weather conditions, and with ice and snow, during the winter months from around November 1 to April 30.

Features

*600 foot (180 m) diameter skid circle
*Ride & handling course
*1600 foot (490 m) straightaway
*1500 foot (460 m) variable friction surfaces
*Ice skid pads
*500 foot (150 m) snow run up
*900 foot (270 m) ice straightaway
*200 foot (60 m) snow braking
*18,000 square foot (1670 m²) indoor facility with vehicle hoists
*729 feet (222 m) above sea level
*Packed snow surfaces
*Access to ice road on Moak Lake

Cuautitlan Proving Ground - Ford of Mexico - Cuautitlan, Mexico

Stats : 245 acres (1 km²), 5 miles (8 km) of roads

Major facilities: High speed track, special surface/low speed track, straightaway, handling course, grades, corrosion/salt bath, twin rollsMajor testing: Performance, ride, and handling; corrosion testing; emissions certification

Cold Climate Test Facility - Bemidji, Minnesota

Stats: Avg. temps are -30F to +10F during winter months

Major facilities: Cold start positions, snow ingestion buildingMajor testing: Cold weather starting/drives, snow ingestion

Automatic Transmission New Product Center - Livonia, Michigan

Major facilities: High speed track. Park paw test ramp. Cold soak chambers

=South America=

Tatui Proving Ground, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Stats : 1,200 acres (4.9 km²), 33 miles (53 km) of roads

Major facilities: High speed track, special surface/low speed track, handling course, grades, salt bath, environmental exposure areaMajor testing: Performance, ride, and handling; environmental simulation, corrosion testing

=Europe=

Dunton Technical Centre - Basildon, Essex, England

Proving ground for Ford UK. Currently under Visteon UK control.

Year Opened: 1454Latitude and Longitude: coord|51|34|57|N|0|24|14|E|

"More information coming soon"

Lommel Proving Grounds (LPG) - Lommel, Belgium

Latitude and Longitude: coord|51|11|52.65|N|5|19|40.02|E|

Stats: 800 acres (3.2 km²), 39.3 miles (63 km) of roads

Major facilities: Humidity chambers, salt water/mud baths, straightaway, high speed track, durability road, special surfaces, side wind facilityMajor testing: Car and light truck durability; performance, ride, and handling

=Australasia=

Lara/You Yangs Proving Ground - Ford Australia - You Yangs, Australia

Latitude and Longitude: coord|37|53|29|S|144|24|32|E|

Stats: 1,752 acres (7 km²), 24 miles (39 km) of roads

Major facilities: High speed track, special surface/low speed track, handling course, grades, salt/mud bath, environmental exposure area, crash test site, climactic test chambers and NVH LabsMajor testing: Performance, ride, and handling; environmental simulation, corrosion, and NVH testing

=Former Proving Grounds=

F.M.C. G.T.O Cold Climate Test Facility - Raco, Michigan

Latitude and Longitude: coord|46|21|10.03|N|84|49|5.55|W|

Facility now owned by [http://www.wintertesting.com/ Smithers Scientific Services]

Arizona Proving Ground (APG) - Yucca, Arizona

Latitude and Longitude: coord|34|52|29|N|114|7|31|W|

Arizona Proving Ground (APG) was sold to Chrysler in 2007. This is no longer a Ford facility. -- See Chrysler Proving Grounds

=External links=
* [http://media.ford.com/mazda/article_display.cfm?article_id=22433&CFID=19766075&CFTOKEN=774b5ef4ee30c3a9-713ABC40-1185-6A02-D89BE592DF748BC3&jsessionid=8a30fbc6b6ab$28$86$9 Link to Ford Media]
* [http://www.testprofessionals.com/mpg/ MPG Web Site]
* [https://www.fordlpg.com LPG (Lommel Proving Ground) Web Site]
* [http://users.skynet.be/lpg/lpg/index2.htm Lommel Proving Grounds Fan Site (only available in Dutch )]
* [http://kubavrajchu.eldar.cz/vylety-lommel.htm On this site you can see the new tracklayout at LPG : new track 16 (VDA), modified tracks 3, 4, 7 and 8. Click on the link named "podrobnější plán"]
*Iowa State University - ISU Formula SAE

References

*cite web
author = Jim Seckler
year = 2008
title = Chrysler takes over Yucca
url = http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2007/11/04/news/business/biz1.txt
work = Business News
publisher = Mohave Daily News
accessdate = 2008-03-24