Autoblog

Imagineering Disney's Test Track 2.0

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Chevrolet, Toys/Games, Design/Style

General Motors and Disney put together a behind-the-scenes video looking at what went into their new Test Track 2.0 ride at Epcot. As one would expect of this kind of marquee endeavor, it involved a lot of back and forth between teams from both Walt Disney and Chevrolet, and it sounds both parties were out to Imagineer something far beyond an amusement park ride.

We're told that from the moment park-goers step in they'll get a glimpse into the future of Chevy design, and beyond that they'll find technology displays, immersive displays of a professional design studio and the experience of designing a car themselves in one.

The ride is officially open now, so if you haven't got down there yet, check out the video below for another look inside.

Continue reading Imagineering Disney's Test Track 2.0

Imagineering Disney's Test Track 2.0 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Go for a first-person ride on GM and Disney's new Test Track 2.0 attraction

Zach Bowman — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:59:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Chevrolet, GM, Toys/Games, Design/Style

General Motors and Disney have put the finishing touches on the Test Track 2.0 ride at Epcot. Walt Disney World has begun holding previews of the attraction for the theme park's workers and their guests, and a few videos of the experience have already made their way to the web. From the look of the clips, visitors will not only get a glimpse of what the future of Chevrolet may look like, but they'll also come away with a better view of what goes into design a car from a blank canvas.

Disney kept the original Test Track course but turned over the attraction's design and feel to Chevrolet for a full makeover. The result is a sleek and modern feel with a focus on new vehicle technology and design. You can check out the videos below for a better idea of what the new Test Track 2.0 has in store. The ride officially opens to the public later on December 6.

Continue reading Go for a first-person ride on GM and Disney's new Test Track 2.0 attraction

Go for a first-person ride on GM and Disney's new Test Track 2.0 attraction originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM and Walt Disney redesign Epcot Center's Test Track attraction

Zach Bowman — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Chevrolet, GM, Design/Style

General Motors and Disney have partnered to recreate the classic Test Track ride at Epcot Center. Designers first began collaborating some 18 months ago with the goal of creating an inside look at a professional design studio. GM says the project specifically allowed its designers to approach Chevrolet history from a more youthful perspective, and the new attraction features design cues from the brand. Interactive displays and concept vehicles are all part of the ride, giving visitors an idea of where the the future of the automobile may lead.

Visitors will be able to design their own car in the first portion of the attraction. From there, they'll be able to "test drive" it over a simulated road surface. Finally, they will be able to "race" their design on the thrill-ride portion of the Test Track experience. Check out the full press release below form more information.

Continue reading GM and Walt Disney redesign Epcot Center's Test Track attraction

GM and Walt Disney redesign Epcot Center's Test Track attraction originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Harley-Davidson test track for sale in Florida everglades

Zach Bowman — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Motorcycle

If you've got a penchant for mosquitos, alligators and sweltering heat, Harley-Davidson may have a deal for you. The motorcycle manufacturer's former test track is up for sale just outside of Naples, Florida. The track was originally used by Ford to test its vehicles, and features a two-mile runway with loops on either end that can be used as a four-mile circuit, as well as a separate track that covers 1.5 miles. All told, there are 6.2 miles of road on the 500-acre site along with skid pads and various other test stretches.

According to Visor Down, the property also contains a number of garages and administrative buildings. All this could be yours for the princely sum of $7.5 million, though you may have to wrestle the 'gators for track time. You can check out the full property on Google Maps by clicking here.

Harley-Davidson test track for sale in Florida everglades originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toyota Motor Europe completes construction of new Zaventem Proving Ground

Noah Joseph — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota

TME Zaventem Proving Ground - Click above for high-res images

When we went by the European headquarters of Toyota in Zaventem, Belgium, to check out the Lexus CT 200h then still under development, the Japanese automaker was in the middle of a vast expansion plan. A year later and after two years of construction, Toyota Motor Europe (TME) has completed its new test facility, and released details of all that it encompasses.

The new Zaventem Proving Ground includes a 0.8-mile banked oval, a 300-foot skidpad plus test roads to evaluate and fine-tune everything from ride comfort to brake performance.

All in all, the proving ground alone takes up 700,000 square and cost some $67 million to construct. The facility will allow Toyota to conduct much of its own R&D on-site at Zaventem, instead of booking time at the massive test track owned by Ford in Lommel or a similar complex.

Follow the jump for the full press release and scope out the aerial shots of the new facility in the high-res image gallery.

Continue reading Toyota Motor Europe completes construction of new Zaventem Proving Ground

Toyota Motor Europe completes construction of new Zaventem Proving Ground originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lotus opens new on-site test track

Noah Joseph — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Plants/Manufacturing, Lotus

Lotus Hethel circuit - Click above for high-res image gallery

There are a great many things that Lotus does well. The company's own sports cars are some of the best-handling machines money can buy, and Lotus also performs magic on other automakers' chassis on a consultational basis. Turns out, it lays out some pretty serious race tracks, too.

The Top Gear test track, for one, was designed by Lotus. And now the Hethel-based automaker has built its own on-site test track.

Not unlike the Nürburgring, the 2.2-mile circuit is split into two loops: the 1.3-mile north loop with two long straights connected by a hairpin, and the 0.8-mile south loop, packed with curves and elevation changes named after famous racing drivers who've piloted for Lotus. There's also a skid pad near the center, and a pit lane complex with 12 two-car garages.

The kicker, though, is that the circuit is fully FIA-certified, meaning that it's capable of hosting a wide variety of races on premises, from GT racing to F1 test sessions. The facility's proximity to the Snetterton circuit, however, might limit those prospects. Check out the layout and shots of the track in the high-res image gallery.

Lotus opens new on-site test track originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chip Ganassi, we salute you and your underground test track [w/video]

Jeff Glucker — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos

Chip Ganassi's underground test track - Click above to watch video after the jump

Floyd Ganassi Jr, better known as Chip, is a fixture in the motorsports industry. He currently operates vehicles that run IndyCar, NASCAR and Grand-Am races. That requires knowledge of a variety of racing vehicles, and Ganassi has a unique way to test his vehicles - in a mile-long tunnel built into a Pennsylvania hill.

Opened in 1940, the Laurel Hill Tunnel was originally intended to be a railway tunnel before becoming a part of the local turnpike. Ganassi has since turned the tunnel into his own test track. Vehicles run down the straight roadway, hit a pre-determined speed and then coast while aerodynamic forces are measured. At each end of the tunnel sits a turntable so that the vehicle being tested can quickly be rotated and sent back in the other direction.

A hiker walking by the tunnel managed to capture beautiful noises emanating from within, and you can listen in by clicking past the jump. We also recommend heading over to Racecar-Engineering for a detailed look at what's going on underneath this hill in Pennsylvania.

[Source: Racecar-Engineering.com via Inside Line]

Continue reading Chip Ganassi, we salute you and your underground test track [w/video]

Chip Ganassi, we salute you and your underground test track [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Ferrari Four put through the paces at Bolocco in the dark

Noah Joseph — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Wagon, Videos, Hatchback, Ferrari

Ferrari Four testing at Bolocco - Click above to watch the video after the jump

You can bet dollars to donuts that when Ferrari brings a new car to market, it's undergone a ridiculously thorough testing regimen. That applies whether it's developing a coupe, a convertible or even a ~~station wagon~~ shooting brake, as we saw with the release of the new FF.

Especially the FF, as it turns out, as the new four-seater from Maranello represented a number of firsts for Ferrari. It has an all-new engine, incorporating the HELE system for the first time, coupled with a completely new kind of all-wheel drive system, and mounted into a body-style that was previously the exclusive purview of custom coachbuilders.

In short, the Ferrari Four is nothing like they've ever made before, and so - as you can see from the video after the jump - thorough testing was required. Which is exactly what was carried out at a number of race tracks, test tracks and proving grounds. In this case, it's the Centro Sperimentale Bolocco in Italy. It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

Gallery: 2012 Ferrari FF

Continue reading Video: Ferrari Four put through the paces at Bolocco in the dark

Video: Ferrari Four put through the paces at Bolocco in the dark originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Are you the Top Gear USA test track?

Noah Joseph — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Etc.

Spinning off shows from British television into American programs are all the rage these days. Just ask anyone who watches The Office, American Idol, The Shield or Life on Mars. But the one we're most excited about, of course, is the U.S. version of Top Gear. A long time coming, the pilot is set to air on the History Channel in about a month. And as the date approaches, details have been trickling in. The latest covers the test track that will be the show's playground.

Like its original British counterpart, the Top Gear test track has reportedly been converted from an old military air base: in this case the Marine Corp's former facility at El Toro in Orange County, California - the same location the NBC project was to use.

The track combines north/south and east/west runways from the former air field. Disused airport runways make great circuits, but there's one downside: no elevation changes, the likes of which make tracks like Spa and Laguna Seca the legends they are. The El Toro configuration ameliorates the situation, however, with a ten-foot drop and subsequent climb through an off-track loop on the right side of the map pictured above, giving it what most runway tracks - like Silverstone and the original Top Gear track in England - don't have.

[Source: Jalopnik]

Are you the Top Gear USA test track? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Stig gives a lesson on the Top Gear test track

Zach Bowman — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, UK, Celebrities

It's time to do your homework, kids. The blokes at Top Gear have built a virtual representation of the Stig's personal playground. If you've got some time to kill, head on over to the site for a turn-by-turn breakdown of the UK show's test track, including the elusive history of each corner's name. The virtual track will even let you in on which gear you should be in for each section should you ever find yourself as a star in a reasonably priced car.

Even if you don't see your acting career thrusting you the public consciousness anytime soon, there's still a chance you'll be able to have your way with the track. A rumor dusted up last month that claimed Polyphony Digital now holds the rights to test ground's in-game representation, which means that should Gran Turismo 5 ever decide to drop into stores, the PlayStation universe will be breathing down the Stig's neck.

TG's virtual track also features a couple of other neat tricks, including a "Stig's Eye View" that allows you see what the perfect line should look like. You can even pick whether you want to view the track through the windshield of an econobox or a genuine supercar.

[Source: Top Gear]

Stig gives a lesson on the Top Gear test track originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 May 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Google Earth spots Top Gear USA test track?

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 19 May 2008 18:34:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Not quite. While we've gotten word from credible sources that El Toro has, in fact, been chosen as the location for the supposed filming of the U.S. version of Top Gear, the test track above ain't it. To begin with, the SCCA and a handful of other track-day organizations have been using the runways at El Toro for years, not to mention that Motor Trend performed it's infamous 3.2-second 0-60 sprint in the Nissan GT-R at the decommissioned Marine Corps aviation base.

Aside from those facts, just look at the layout. Compared to the course that Lotus engineers setup for the Stig, this makeshift circuit looks positively pedestrian. A few chicanes and some long sweepers does not a test track make, so until we see the Hammerhead and Follow Through, we're chalking up these rubber marks to weekend hoonage.

[Source: Final Gear via Jalopnik]

Google Earth spots Top Gear USA test track? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 May 2008 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Camera man following Batmobile dies in crash

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:35:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Tragedy struck off the set of the new Batman film, The Dark Knight, on Monday when a camera van collided with a tree killing one of the occupants. The crash took place during what's being described as a "filming production exercise" where the Batmobile was being followed by an SUV while on a test track in Longcross.

While it's unclear as to why the vehicle lost control, an investigation is currently underway by the Surrey Police and the Health and Safety Executive.

Warner Bros., the production company behind the new Batman flick, released a statement regarding the crash, which you can read excerpts of by following the "Read" link below.

Thanks for the tip, Sparky.

[Source: BBC News]

Camera man following Batmobile dies in crash originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

DCX's high-speed track to get a facelift

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:34:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Chrysler, Daimler

The Chrysler proving ground from space

Chrysler has a 3,850 acre proving ground near Chelsea, Michigan that originally opened in 1952, and currently has about 95 miles of test roads. Sustained high-speed testing had, until recently, been conducted on a 4.71 mile oval track that could support neutral steer running up to 140mph in the top lane. That means the top of six lanes was banked at an angle where the centrifugal force was balanced by gravity at 140mph, so you could drive around without steering input.

In 2004, the oval track was host to a world record two-way average run of 154.587mph in a Dodge Ram SRT-10, making it the worlds fastest production pickup truck. Unfortunately, the concrete surface originally laid down in 1953 has now seen too many Michigan winters and needs to be replaced. So, between now and September, construction crews will be ripping up the entire track surface and laying down a new one. The Chrysler press release is after the jump.

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading DCX's high-speed track to get a facelift

DCX's high-speed track to get a facelift originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Nissan's Motegi test center goes off-roading

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Nissan

three high-res pics available by clicking image above

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]

Gallery: Nissan Motegi Off-Road facility

Nissan's Motegi test center goes off-roading originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Mar 2007 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM set to open Las Vegas "autotainment" park

Stuart Waterman — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 15:03:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, GM

"The Drive," GM's outdoor "autotainment" driving experience is set to open in Las Vegas at the Sahara Hotel & Casino April 10, and GM wants you to start planning it into your next trip to Sin City.

The Drive includes two separate driving courses on the 11-acre site, a high-performance loop (pictured above) and an off-road adventure. According to Steve Tihanyi, GM's director of marketing and entertainment alliances (!), "'The Drive' represents a significant marketing opportunity for General Motors, allowing us to showcase our products in a unique fashion that will provide a fun-filled time for the millions of people who live in or visit Las Vegas."

A $10 ticket gets you a ride in your choice of the Chevy Corvette coupe and convertible, Pontiac GTO, Cadillac CTS-V, Pontiac Solstice roadster, Cadillac STS-V, Saab 9-3 convertible, and Chevy SSR on the performance track, or the HUMMER H2, HUMMER H2 SUT, mid-size HUMMER H3, 2007 Cadillac Escalade, 2006 Chevy Silverado Diesel and the 2007 Chevy Tahoe on one of the two dirt tracks.

If you're planning a trip to Vegas, you can get tickets to The Drive online at VEGAS.com or LasVegas.com.

[Source: GM]

GM set to open Las Vegas "autotainment" park originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Apr 2006 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments