The Nardo Test Track has Re-opened!
There are cool tracks all around the world, and then there’s Nardo—not to be confused with the Volkswagen concept. Originally built by Fiat, this perfectly circular 11.3-kilometre loop located in Italy is actually a test facility that Porsche bought in 2012.
After closing for several months, it’s now back open for business!
The renovation cost the German automaker some 35 million euros, or approximately $51 million. The asphalt has been redone and a modern guardrail system has been installed. The “car dynamic platform,” covering 106,000 square metres, is also refreshed.
“This proving ground has always been one-of-a-kind and is now more than ever a cornerstone of the Porsche development strategy and of the vehicle testing activities in the automotive industry as a whole,” says Malte Radmann, chairman of the board of directors of the Nardo Technical Center and managing director of Porsche engineering.
Fun fact: Thanks to the Nardo track’s banking, drivers don’t even have to turn the wheel!
The current speed record of 404 km/h was set in 1979 by a Mercedes-Benz C1, though Koenigsegg holds the mark for production cars at 389 km/h in a CCR. With fresh new pavement, it’s easy to imagine Porsche or another manufacturer achieving even higher velocities.
The development of the testing facility is continuously ongoing. “The goal is that our customers can test the mobility of the future,” commented Antonio Gratis, Managing Director of the Nardò Technical Center.
Already today, there is the opportunity to test the current and future trends in automotive development, for example the fast-charging behavior of electric vehicles, latest driver assistance systems, connected services and autonomous driving.
