IIHS ups the ante

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, has been crash testing vehicle since 1995, when it began conducting frontal tests. Side crash testing began in 2003 and in 2005 the Institute awarded the first Top Safety Pick winners to 2006 models. The following year rear tests results were added and electronic stability control was required either as standard or optional equipment in order to qualify.

For 2010, the Institute upped the ante, requiring that all “Top Picks” meet new roof strength criteria – a change that resulted in the winnowing down of a record 94 Top Picks in 2009 to just 27 (and counting, as manufacturers can submit additional models for testing) for the 2010 model year.

“With the addition of our new roof strength evaluation, our crash test results now cover all 4 of the most common kinds of crashes,” says Institute president Adrian Lund. “Consumers can use this list to zero in on the vehicles that are on the top rung for safety.”

Toyota, we hardly knew ye

The IIHS report is quick to point out that Japanese manufacturer Toyota is conspicuously absent from this year’s list: Not a single model from the world’s biggest automaker by sales is represented among this year’s winners. Toyota and its Lexus and Scion subsidiaries had a strong showing in 2009 with 11 winners but were shut out for 2010.

Four other manufacturers scored goose eggs as well – With BMW, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Saab all failing to place a single model on the list.

Both the Honda Accord and the Ford Fusion also fell from grace with the Institute, although Lund left them with an out: “Honda and Ford would have to make only minor changes to achieve good ratings for roof strength, as the Accord and Fusion just missed the mark.”

And the winners are…

Large cars

Buick LaCrosse
Ford Taurus
Lincoln MKS
Volvo S80

Midsize cars

Audi A3
Chevrolet Malibu built after October 2009
Chrysler Sebring 4-door with optional electronic stability control
Dodge Avenger with optional electronic stability control
Mercedes C class
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Volkswagen Jetta sedan
Volkswagen Passat sedan
Volvo C30

Small cars

Honda Civic 4-door models (except Si) with optional electronic stability control
Kia Soul
Nissan Cube
Subaru Impreza except WRX
Volkswagen Golf 4-door

Midsize SUVs

Dodge Journey
Subaru Tribeca
Volvo XC60
Volvo XC90

Small SUVs

Honda Element
Jeep Patriot with optional side torso airbags
Subaru Forester
Volkswagen Tiguan

More than Fahrvergnügen

Begun in 2008, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup is a single-make series sanctioned by the SCCA that takes place only in North America. As an entry-level series, the TDI Cup is open to drivers between the ages of 16 and 26.

The number of entrants is limited to 30 and, in 2009, a series of ten races was held at eight different venues (Virginia International Raceway and New Jersey Motorsports Park hosted two races each, while Miller Motorsports Park, Mid-Ohio, Autobahn Country Club, Mosport, Road Atlanta and Road America each hosted one race).

Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition

“Since our inaugural TDI Cup series in 2008 we have received numerous inquiries as to whether or not we would offer a TDI Cup replica vehicle,” said Mark Barnes, Chief Operating Officer, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “We’re thrilled to announce that a special edition Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition will be available in dealer showrooms early next year. What makes this special edition so unique is that it features the optional, race inspired, TDI Cup body kit package combined with our clean diesel engine. The Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition is one exceptional special model that is as fun-to-drive as it is to look at,” added Barnes.

Unveiled at last year’s SEMA show, the original Street Edition concept has moved around the country, being displayed at each of the TDI Cup races this year.

Specs

The actual production TDI Cup Street Edition features the front bumper, lower side skirts and rear valance found on the TDI Cup race cars. But there are functional differences as well: all Street Edition Jettas will feature the larger brakes (with red calipers), sway bars and sport suspension featured on the Jetta GLI.

The same 2.0-liter, 140 hp turbocharged direct injection engine that powers the regular Jetta TDI is also found under the hood of the Street Edition. Ditto the standard six-speed manual and optional DSG six-speed automatic.

Additional upgrades include cloth sport seats, a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel and, last but certainly not least, 18” Charleston wheels in place of the standard 6.5J x 16” alloys.

Pricing

Pricing of the standard Jetta TDI begins at $22,270 and Volkswagen has stated that pricing on the Street Edition will start at “around” $25,000 – meaning all the extra goodies should amount to about a $3,000 premium over a run-of-the-mill TDI.

More than cars

At LotPro.com we recognize the fact that, while they’re fun, there are many more important things in life than just cars. And, having had a grandmother die from it, a mother suffer from it and a sister-in-law become a survivor of it, right at the top of that list for me would be finding a cure for breast cancer.

Last week, Ford Motor Company closed out October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, by reaffirming its support of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® , to which, over the past 15 years, it has dedicated more than $100 million, by illuminating its “Glass House” world headquarters in pink on Monday, October 26th  and Tuesday, October 27th.

Warriors in Pink

Ford created its Warriors in Pink campaign to, according to the company, “recognize the strength and courage it takes to deal with the everyday challenges of fighting breast cancer 365 days a year.”

Mark Fields, President of the Americas, Ford Motor Company, spoke about the program just before Monday’s lighting ceremony in Dearborn.  “With the Ford Warriors in Pink program, we continually strive to encourage women and men everywhere to join the fight and be a part of the cure for breast cancer. For 15 years, Ford has been committed to fighting breast cancer, standing up for the cause no matter the month. Tonight’s ceremony is designed to show our support for all those affected by the disease.”

How you can help

In addition to raising awareness of breast cancer, Ford is offering 2 ways that customers can support the Warriors in Pink campaign:

•    Limited edition Ford Warriors in Pink apparel is sold exclusively at www.fordcares.com, and 100 percent of the net proceeds directly benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

•    When you test-drive a Ford vehicle from now until December 31, 2009, Ford will donate $20 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® on your behalf – to the Komen Affiliate in the city of your choice.

The way-back machine

Marking another milestone in the company’s history, Ford announced today that the North American version of the 2011 Ford Fiesta will be revealed at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show in December.

Truth be told, this latest announcement harkens back to a similar vehicle launch 10 years ago with the original Ford Focus. By bringing the Focus to North America virtually unchanged from its European counterpart, Ford was gambling on the premise that the average American small car driver would immediately notice the quantum leap in style, quality and driving dynamics between the new car and the vehicle it replaced, the Escort.

The gamble paid off. The Focus received rave reviews from the automotive press for its affordability, nimble handling and excellent fuel economy. Car and Driver magazine named it to their “10 Best” list five years in a row.

That list of “10 Best” appearances ended, not coincidentally, when the Focus was re-styled in 2005 and Europe received an all-new model based on the C1 platform while North America was stuck with the aging C170 architecture. A less-than-stellar re-design for 2007 resulted in a vehicle with agonizingly plain sheet metal whose singular saving grace seems to be the Microsoft-developed Sync system residing on the dashboard.

They’re baaaack

Flash forward and, once again, here we are contemplating driving the good stuff from Ford without having to fly Lufthansa in order to get our hands on one.

With plans firmly in place to have the vehicle in dealer hands by next summer, Ford has chosen the all-important (nee all-import) state of California for the first official look-see of the North American version of the 2011 Ford Fiesta.

“This is the perfect time to show the North American Fiesta,” said Sam De La Garza, Ford Fiesta marketing manager. “The Fiesta Movement will have wrapped up, and after hearing so much about this car leading up to the reveal, everyone will finally get to see what we are so excited about.”

The Fiesta movement?

Yes, indeed, the Fiesta Movement. Earlier this year, Ford brought over 100 European Fiestas and assigned each one to a “technologically adept, socially outgoing” Fiesta agent. These “100 young trendsetters” lived with their Fiestas for 6 months, with each month requiring a “mission”. During October, the final month, these missions will include:

• Visiting Turn10 Studio, Microsoft’s racing studio, to get a look behind closed doors at the making of the latest Forza race game featuring the 2011 Ford Fiesta. The agent will get to design his or her own Fiesta, then climb into a three-screen simulator complete with hydraulics to put the new game to the test.
• A behind-the-scenes glimpse into the production of a music video with Izza Kizza. The hip-hop artist is creating his music video for the song “They’re Everywhere,” and one lucky Fiesta agent will get to be right there, front and center, for the fun.
• Hanging out in the recording studio with Jukebox the Ghost. The indie pop group is recording its new album; a Fiesta agent will be checking out the band’s new tunes right along with them.
• Several missions for football fanatics, from checking out a Detroit Lions game with a former player, to watching a Philadelphia Eagles warm-up, to hanging out for the team’s game and meeting the broadcast group for the Eagles.

Certainly not a bad job and, aside from the Lions game, maybe even fun.

Note to Ford: This time, keep bringing the good stuff over here.

Honda

Honda Motor Company has always intrigued us here at LotPro.com. Originally a manufacturer of motorcycles, Honda eventually became the world’s largest manufacturer of them in 1963, while October of 1962 marked the beginning of the company’s foray into four-wheeled vehicles beginning with the T360 pickup and followed shortly thereafter by the S500 sports car.

But it wasn’t until the introduction of the Honda Civic in 1973 and the Honda Accord in 1976 that the company truly started making an impact in the automotive marketplace.

Since those humble beginnings, Honda has evolved into a company whose reach is worldwide and whose technology encompasses such seemingly divergent areas as compact business jets and walking assist devices.

U3-X

Honda’s latest concept “vehicle” falls under the heading of what the company describes as “personal mobility devices”. In the pursuit of “harmony with people”, Honda has developed a small, lightweight (22 pounds), unicycle-type vehicle that is capable of free movement in all directions – forward, backward, lateral and diagonal.

Although it has been described as a Segway-type device, the U3-X would seem to allow a much greater freedom of movement -much like comparing a standard vacuum cleaner to a Dyson, as it were, with the U3-X being the Dyson. Its one drawback would seem to be that the Segway allows the rider to hold on via a handlebar, while on the U3-X, like a unicycle, riders must achieve their own “balance” in order to operate the unit.

In any case, the U3-X allows drivers to adjust speed as well as move, turn and stop in any direction merely by leaning their upper bodies to shift weight. In order to do this, the unit relies on the world’s first (according to Honda) “omni-directional driving wheel system” (Honda Omni Traction Drive System, or HOT Drive System).

Key Features

1. Device control featuring application of balance control technology cultivated through ASIMO research:
The incline sensor detects the incline of the device based on the weight shift of the rider and determines the rider’s intention in terms of the direction and speed. Based on the data, precise control is applied to return the device to an upright position, which achieves smooth and agile movements and simple operation by weight shift only.

2. HOT Drive System (Omni-directional driving wheel system):
Honda developed the world’s first wheel structure which enables movement in all directions including forward, backward, side-to-side and diagonally. Multiple small-diameter motor-controlled wheels were connected in-line to form one large-diameter wheel. By moving the large-diameter wheel, the device moves forward and backward, and by moving small-diameter wheels, the device moves side-to-side. By combining these movements the device moves diagonally.

3. Compact and innovative package:

The combination of the balance control technology and the HOT Drive System enabled the one-wheel style compact and innovative package of the device. In addition, the device adopts a light-weight monocoque body in which the foldable seat, footrests and body cover that also function as the frame are stored in the body of the device, achieving highly portable convenience.

Performance television

BMW announced on Wednesday that following the successful completion of a two-year beta phase, its extended IPTV went online on August 26th. Although the site will eventually be offered in thirteen languages (the German site is www.bmw.tv), an English version is available immediately at www.bmw.tv/com.

According to the company, the website “will continue to focus on the fields of motoring, innovation, lifestyle and sports – which pretty much covers everything outside the bedroom.

Site features

Visitors to BMW TV are able to access all video content in full HD quality. Other “clickable” videos contain embedded hotspots that will enable viewers to call up information on cars and other products throughout the video. The international website (the English version) also offers a 3D media library that will allow visitors to directly access videos.

During our first visit to the site here at LotPro.com, we were immediately entertained by the “Chris Pfeiffer rides BMW Tower” video, as the current Stunt Riding World Champion rides up to, into, and to the top of the BMW Tower in Munich – all the while doing donuts, wheelies, stoppies and burnouts.

Major areas of the site include “New” videos, as well as videos related to “Automobiles”, “Sport”, “Development” and “Motorcycles”. The BMW Magazine portion includes stories of special interest (“Luca and Giorgia Ferrari from Italy and their 1956 BMW Isetta 300”) as well as a history of the BMW brand, while the 3D Media Center allows visitors to visually pick out their favorite videos. You can also link to over 100 local BMW sites as well as to the iTunes site.

Prepare to be entertained

There are currently nearly 300 videos as well as 7 articles available on the site, and BMW plans on adding many more in the future. Users can also subscribe to the BMW TV program preview newsletter as well as RSS feeds.

How to get noticed

At LotPro.com, we realize that a disproportionate number of drivers spend a lot of money on their rides just to get noticed. So if you’re one of those types who’s also interested in donating to a worthy cause (as well as you scooter fanatics out there), have we got news for you: Vespa USA has just partnered with Lifetime Networks’ 15th annual National Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign, “Stop Breast Cancer for Life: The Power of 15” by donating a limited-edition pink Vespa LX 50 to 12 different non-profit agencies to help “fuel” their fund-raising initiatives.

“In today’s economy, people are being more and more selective about how they donate, which means we are always considering creative ways to connect with new audiences,” said Dr. Susan Love, President of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation. “While the color pink is now universally associated with breast cancer awareness, simply being aware is not enough. Our mission is to move breast cancer beyond a cure and we are doing it by recruiting one million women nationwide to sign up and be part of our Army of Women initiative. We welcome Vespa to our arsenal and plan to use our pink Vespa to ignite all women to reach out and recruit every woman in their life to sign up and be part of the movement to find the cause and prevent breast cancer once and for all.”

Vespa Pink Campaign

Here is the current list of charity events and activities that feature a pink Vespa LX 50:

•    Breast Cancer Network of Strength www.networkofstrength.org will host an event on October 6 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Chicago, IL

•    BreastCancer.org will host an event in Philadelphia November 14 with Fuelthecure.net

•    The Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s www.bcrfcure.org auction, including the pink Vespa LX 50, goes live on charitybuzz.com September 29 and ends October 22, 2009

•    Bright Pink www.BeBrightPink.org will list its pink Vespa on eBay during the month of October with eBay’s Giving Works

•    Cup with Love www.cupwithlove.org will conduct a raffle from October 1 – 31, 2009

•    Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation www.dslrf.org will launch a social media contest titled “How Would You Recruit an Army of Women?” October through November, 2009

•    The Greater New York City Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure www.komennyc.org will offer the Vespa as a reward incentive to fundraisers who exceed their Komen NYC Race for the Cure pledge goals between September 14 and October 31

•    My Vision Foundation www.myvision.org make a minimum $100 donation through October for a chance to win the pink Vespa LX 50

•    Nueva Vida www.nueva-vida.org will conduct a raffle from September 23 through October 31

•    Prevent Cancer Foundation www.preventcancer.org Sign up for “Screen Your Boobs” alerts through October and participants are automatically entered to win the pink Vespa

•    SHARE’s www.sharecancersupport.org sixth annual “A Second Helping of Life” tasting and live auction event features leading female chefs and chance to bid on the pink Vespa LX 50.  The event is scheduled for September 21, 2009 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Chelsea Piers in New York City. Tickets can be purchased by calling (212) 719-0364, ext. 239

•    Young Survival Coalition www.youngsurvival.org Through November 16, become a “fan” on the Young Survival Coalition’s Facebook page and you can have a chance to win the pink Vespa LX 50

For more information

Vespa USA will be announcing final details of each fundraising initiative later this month. Information about all the listed charities and their programs can also be found on the Vespa USA web site (www.VespaUSA.com).

all images courtesy of Vespa USA

Hardly a secret garden

On Wednesday of this week, Toyota officials, along with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and officials from Caltrans, unveiled the first of what eventually will be 7 Floralscapes along State Route 110, more commonly known as the Pasadena Freeway, in downtown L.A.

The first 30’ x 60’ “Harmony Floralscape” is a display consisting of over 20,000 living seasonal flowers that are grown by local businesses in specially-designed “Eco-crates” that, themselves, are manufactured from recycled plastic.

“We are proud to be the inaugural City to unveil the first of seven Floralscapes along one of our busiest highways. The commute for Angelenos will now be brightened by floral murals that embody the City’s progressive approach to solving environmental issues by merging beautification, sustainable design and reducing our carbon footprint,” Mayor Villaraigosa said. “From the construction workers to the business team, this public-private partnership with Toyota and Greenroad Media has spurred local job creation across the board.”

Keeping it local

In addition to brightening up some of the most brutal commutes in the nation, Toyota’s beautification/advertising project also serves as a source of additional local employment. Permanent landscape and irrigation upgrades are being made to the areas surrounding the displays and while California-based businesses will install and maintain the actual displays (using non-potable water, solar electricity and “ecologically responsible” insect and fungal control), the surrounding areas will be maintained by the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, a local non-profit that provides training and work experience to at-risk young adults and school-aged youth.

Lest you think otherwise, these displays will hardly replace billboard advertising: federal regulations prohibit commercial displays. Instead, abstract images of the Prius will appear in different settings “capturing the essence of its marketing campaign developed by Saatchi & Saatchi LA – ‘Harmony Between Man, Nature and Machine’,” according to Toyota.

Coming to a freeway near you

Provided you live near L.A. or San Fran (yes, No Cal will get 2), you may very well be able to catch a glimpse of one. Here are the current and future locations:

The downtown Floralscape will be located on the west side of the Pasadena (110) Freeway, just north of the 101 Freeway. Other Los Angeles-area Floralscapes locations include: north side of the Santa Monica (10) Freeway, east of Lincoln Blvd. exit; east side of San Diego (405) Freeway at Orange Street; north side of the Ventura (101) Freeway, west of Balboa Blvd.; south side of the Santa Monica (10) Freeway, east of Overland Drive exit; north side of the Pomona (60) Freeway at Lorena Street exit; south side of the Foothill (210) Freeway, at the Los Robles Ave. on ramp. The San Francisco-area Floralscapes will be located on the south side of the Redwood (101) Freeway at Novato Blvd. in Marin County, and the other will be on the north side of the Junipero Serra (280) Freeway at the Winchester Ave. exit in Santa Clara County.

Not that long ago

To younger drivers it may seem like they’ve always been around, but for many of us here at LotPro.com, the year 1959 is well within our lifetimes and it marks the year when the world’s first car with standard-fit three-point safety belts was delivered to a dealer in Sweden. Car safety would never be the same.

In this galaxy

Back in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, American physicians began demanding the use of seat belts in cars. The most common solution was the two-point belt which had been invented in the late 1800’s and some of these same doctors even outfitted their own vehicles with these safety belts.

Despite this early interest, it wasn’t until the 1950’s that seatbelts were introduced on passenger cars. On March 31, 1955, Glenn Sheren applied for a patent for an automotive seat belt, while Americans Roger Griswold and Hugh DeHaven had had their own three-point design patented in 1951.

In 1955, Ford Motor Company offered lap belts as an option, while Saab became the first manufacturer to offer lap belts as standard equipment in 1958.

Volvo was the first

While other inventors had been issued earlier patents and other manufacturers may have offered safety belts in vehicles in prior years, the modern era of vehicle seatbelts began on Thursday August 13, 1959, when the world’s first car with standard-fit three-point safety belts (U.S. Patent 3,043,625), a Volvo PV544, was delivered to the Volvo dealer in the Swedish town of Kristianstad.

Credit for today’s standard in safety belt design goes to Nils Bohlin, a Swedish engineer who started his career as an aircraft engineer in 1942. Although eventually responsible for developing catapult seats in 1955, Bohlin became interested in an opposite phenomenon – keeping the body safe during extreme deceleration.

In 1958, he was recruited by the president of Volvo to be a safety engineer and given the opportunity to develop his ideas and in 1958 this work resulted in a patent application for a three-point belt that, according to Volvo, was based on four golden rules:

“The belt consisted of both a hip or lap belt and also a diagonal belt across the upper body, which was positioned correctly from the physiological viewpoint. That is to say across the pelvis and the ribcage, and attached at a low anchorage point beside the seat. The belt geometry formed a “V” with the peak pointing down towards the floor. In addition, the belt stayed in position and did not move when it was under load.”

The rest is history

Although the 1959 three-point seat belt looks much the same as those found in current vehicles, it has become part of a comprehensive vehicle safety system for all manufacturers, as evidenced by the following list of innovations from Volvo:

1959 Three -point safety belt in the front, a Volvo innovation
1967 Safety belts fitted as standard, rear
1969 Three -point inertia-reel safety belts, front
1971 Safety belt reminders, front
1972 Three -point safety belts, rear
1986 Three -point safety belts, rear middle seat
1987 Mechanical belt pre-tensioner
1991 Automatic height adjustment for safety belts, front
1992 Pyrotechnical belt pre-tensioners, front
1993 Three -point inertia-reel safety belts in all seats
1996 Force limiters in safety belts, front
1999 Pyrotechnical belt pre-tensioners in all seats
1999 Force limiters in hip belts, front
2003 Safety belt reminders in all seats
2003 Pyrotechnical belt pre-tensioners for hip belts, front
2003 Adaptive force limiters, front
2007 2-level force limiters for children and adults respectively, rear
2008 Adaptive force limiters for low-speed impacts (PRS), front

Bohlin’s invention

Although its effectiveness certainly needs no confirmation, other than the hundreds of thousands of lives it has saved and the millions of injuries it has either prevented or reduced, Bohlin’s invention has been identified by German patent registrars as one of the eight patents to have the greatest significance for humanity during the hundred years from 1885 to 1985.

What does the future hold for the seat belt? “At Volvo we are convinced that the belt will still be around in 2020 and way beyond that too. The belt may look somewhat different. It may have a four-point attachment instead of three. It will probably be designed so it is even easier to put on than it is today. Only when we have cars that automatically ensure that they are not involved in collisions can we do away with the belt. But that’s a long way off yet, even though there is a lot of research going on in that area too,” explains Lennart Johansson.

Thank you, Nils Bohlin.

All images courtesy of Volvo Car Corporation

GM Desert Proving Ground

At LotPro.com we did some digging around and discovered that General Motors opened its Desert Proving Ground in Mesa, Arizona in April 1953. Although the company already had a much larger Proving Ground in Milford, Michigan that it had opened in 1924 as the auto industry’s first dedicated testing facility, the hot, dry Arizona weather enabled GM to test vehicles in weather and road conditions that were unavailable in southeastern Michigan.

Harley Earl with the Firebirds in Arizona

In addition to the dry climate, nearby Williams Air Force Base also made it difficult for civilian airplanes to fly in the nearby area, which “happened” to include the test track, without a special clearance. At its peak, the proving ground was home to more than 1,000 GM employees.

But things began to change rapidly in the 80’s and 90’s, and what once had been a very rural area southeast of Phoenix was rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing suburbs in the Southwest. In 1993, Williams Air Force Base closed and in 2000, General Motors announced that it was closing the Mesa complex and would be relocating its hot weather vehicle testing facility. GM sold a portion of the site in 2004 and the remainder in 2006 with the provision that it could lease the property back until the end of this year.

GM moves from Mesa to Yuma

Today, General Motors and the U.S. Army officially opened the company’s newest test facility on the Army’s Yuma Proving Ground, located in, naturally, Yuma, Arizona in the southwest corner of the state.

The ceremony today marked the end of most of the additional construction required to build the infrastructure required for a modern automotive testing facility on a portion of the government proving ground that GM is leasing.

“This new facility meets several of our important product development needs,” said Ken Morris, executive director, Vehicle Integration, Proving Grounds and Performance Division. “We have a longer hot weather testing cycle, we have great partners with the Army and the city of Yuma, and we have a facility that will meet our needs in the years to come.”

Just the facts

Here is how GM describes the new Yuma Proving Ground:

The new facility will employ 75 engineers, technicians, and support staff, have 40 miles of roads, and cover 2400 acres of property on the Yuma site. The bulk of the work with be hot weather related testing, powertrain, ride and handling, and other vehicle development activities. Yuma has proved to be a perfect fit for GMs needs with a longer hot weather season than the Mesa area, relatively isolated and secure from photographers looking to get shots of the latest models being tested, and excellent support capabilities from the Yuma community.

The Yuma facility includes:

* 3.5 mile Circle Track (3 lanes)
* 1.4 mile Straight Track (2-3 lanes)
* 3.1 mile Ride Road (2-4 lanes)
* 1,000’ X 1,000’ Dynamics Pad
* Interior Noise Road
* Noise Pass-by Facility
* Misc. Grades

Other interesting facts:

* Located on the US Army military proving ground and artillery range
* 2400 acre site
* 24 acre building campus
* 98,000 sq/ft of building area
* 12 miles of perimeter security fencing
* 8 archeological sites
* 87 lane miles of 12 ft test tracks & roads using ~110,000 tons of asphalt and 4,000 cubic yards of concrete
* Almost 2,700 linear feet of concrete arch culverts were built using over 8,000 cubic yards of concrete.
* Saguaro Cactus, wild burros, coyotes, wild bees & rattle snakes

Yuma’s Avg. Rainfall 3.25”; Summer Temp. 109/81 F; Winter Temp. 69/46 F

Images courtesy of General Motors