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Toyota Motor North America (NYSE: TM, 7203T) today celebrated the completion of new construction and updated offerings at its Arizona Proving Ground. Joined by local government officials during an event, Toyota leaders discussed the improvements for vehicle and automotive technology testing and development.*
“We are proud to strengthen the offerings at our world-class facility in Arizona, not only for Toyota, but for any company that has use for these amenities,” said Monte Kaehr, group vice president of Vehicle Development Engineering at Toyota Motor North America’s Research and Development.
“The updates are part of a previously announced investment of an all-new 5.5-mile oval track that was constructed inside the existing 10-mile oval and uses part of its south straightaway. The new oval is available for vehicle mileage accumulation, stop-and-go testing, and various dynamics and higher speed evaluations. The north straightaway of the original oval has been rebuilt into a new dog bone straight course for various vehicle and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) evaluations, while also incorporating a 1.75-mile coast down surface to evaluate vehicle efficiency and fuel economy. Significant new off-road test facilities offer greater development area for body-on-frame and off-road capable vehicles while an all-new noise pass-by area allows for testing and evaluation of vehicle sound emissions to help meet global regulations,” Toyota said in a release.**
Other changes include an improved 1.5-mile ride and handling track used for engineering vehicle performance, tire evaluation and wet testing, and an upcoming repaving of the vehicle dynamics pad.
“TAPG is an important asset for our North American R&D team, and we are planning continued investment here as vehicle development needs change and evolve for new technology. Opening our facility to the industry has allowed us to offset the cost of improvements and make an ever-better facility both for ourselves and for the automotive and mobility industry overall” said Stefan Young, vice president at Toyota Motor North America’s Research and Development. “These improvements are also important to attract other companies to the region.”
Since 2021, Toyota Arizona Proving Ground has been available for rental and long-term residencies to third parties seeking closed-course vehicle testing resources. Intertek Transportation Technologies manages and operates the facility under the moniker Arizona Mobility Test Center.
**AMTC at TAPG is located in the Sonoran Desert near Wittmann, Arizona, a town about 60 miles northwest of Phoenix. The facility covers approximately 11,650 acres and has 77 miles of testing surfaces with 60 miles of paved roads, more than 50 miles of off-road and dirt tracks and a 5.5-mile oval track. Toyota established the Arizona Proving Ground in 1993, and it has been home to testing more than 50 Toyota and Lexus vehicles for the North American market since that time.
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Toyota Enhances Arizona Proving Ground
Click for more.
Toyota Motor North America (NYSE: TM, 7203T) today celebrated the completion of new construction and updated offerings at its Arizona Proving Ground. Joined by local government officials during an event, Toyota leaders discussed the improvements for vehicle and automotive technology testing and development.*
“We are proud to strengthen the offerings at our world-class facility in Arizona, not only for Toyota, but for any company that has use for these amenities,” said Monte Kaehr, group vice president of Vehicle Development Engineering at Toyota Motor North America’s Research and Development.
“The updates are part of a previously announced investment of an all-new 5.5-mile oval track that was constructed inside the existing 10-mile oval and uses part of its south straightaway. The new oval is available for vehicle mileage accumulation, stop-and-go testing, and various dynamics and higher speed evaluations. The north straightaway of the original oval has been rebuilt into a new dog bone straight course for various vehicle and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) evaluations, while also incorporating a 1.75-mile coast down surface to evaluate vehicle efficiency and fuel economy. Significant new off-road test facilities offer greater development area for body-on-frame and off-road capable vehicles while an all-new noise pass-by area allows for testing and evaluation of vehicle sound emissions to help meet global regulations,” Toyota said in a release.**
Other changes include an improved 1.5-mile ride and handling track used for engineering vehicle performance, tire evaluation and wet testing, and an upcoming repaving of the vehicle dynamics pad.
“TAPG is an important asset for our North American R&D team, and we are planning continued investment here as vehicle development needs change and evolve for new technology. Opening our facility to the industry has allowed us to offset the cost of improvements and make an ever-better facility both for ourselves and for the automotive and mobility industry overall” said Stefan Young, vice president at Toyota Motor North America’s Research and Development. “These improvements are also important to attract other companies to the region.”
Since 2021, Toyota Arizona Proving Ground has been available for rental and long-term residencies to third parties seeking closed-course vehicle testing resources. Intertek Transportation Technologies manages and operates the facility under the moniker Arizona Mobility Test Center.
**AMTC at TAPG is located in the Sonoran Desert near Wittmann, Arizona, a town about 60 miles northwest of Phoenix. The facility covers approximately 11,650 acres and has 77 miles of testing surfaces with 60 miles of paved roads, more than 50 miles of off-road and dirt tracks and a 5.5-mile oval track. Toyota established the Arizona Proving Ground in 1993, and it has been home to testing more than 50 Toyota and Lexus vehicles for the North American market since that time.
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.