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Looks like Nissan is SHIFTing even more heavily into its truck development. With the popularity of crossovers, SUVs and pickups expected to stay strong, Nissan decided to add an off-road test facility to its Motegi proving grounds. Today they opened that extreme off-road track in the Tochigi Prefecture facility. At 2.3 hectares, it is said to be one of the largest tracks in Japan. Is that the same as a parsec?

The new track segments were "designed to replicate different real-world driving conditions from across the world." It includes a rocky section simulating rough mountain terrain, a desert road and a 30-degree incline slope. The obvious advantage of having such a facility is to test four-wheel drive systems, but also to do it in a safe and controllable environment. Being able to replicate tests with a great degree of accuracy and having control over the conditions makes this a nice addition to any test center.

[Source: Nissan]