Toyota opens Nurburgring-inspired test track
It's not quite as long as the Green Hell, but Toyota's new track is inspired by the legendary German circuit, and features some pretty impressive change of elevation.
Toyota has opened its new Technical Centre in Shimoyama, Japan, complete with a test track inspired by the Nurburgring Nordschleife.
Although it's inspired by the 20.8km-long Green Hell, the new Toyota test centre isn't quite as large. The track is a 5.3km loop with a 75m elevation gap between its highest and lowest points, developed "based on long experience of the Nurburgring Nordschleife, which is famous throughout the world for its gruelling driving conditions".
By way of comparison, Laguna Seca features just 55m of elevation change.
The track was developed to neatly blend into the hilly, green surroundings of Toyota-shi, with Toyota claiming 70 per cent of the track's layout features the original trees.
Spread over 650 hectares, the facility will eventually be spread across three sections when it's finished in 2023. Along with the central section pictured here, there'll be a high-speed course to the east and a vehicle development facility to the west.
At the moment it employs 50 people, most of whom are test drivers.
“Based on [our Nurburgring] experiences, we have replicated a variety of roads in the world at the new test course," said Akio Toyoda, Toyota president.
"In addition to conducting driving tests all over the world, and with the replication of severe driving conditions at the new test course, we intend to thoroughly hone every one of our models and develop the types of cars that epitomise the true joy of driving."
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