Home-grown automaker Mahindra & Mahindra is gearing up to launch its most anticipated product XUV700. Before the unveiling, the company on Saturday opened the doors to the Mahindra SUV Proving Track (MSPT), for Mahindra Engineers to test SUV products in a variety of terrains and simulations.
Developed with an investment of INR 510 crore, MSPT is developed in over 454 acres at Cheyyar SIPCOT Industrial Area, near Chennai.
Designed by IDIADA, the Spanish institution with half a century of experience in building proving grounds, the MSPT commands its place among the best such facilities in the world. It took three years to complete this track, which covers an area of more than 325 football grounds, M & M said in a release.
The facility was inaugurated by Anish Shah, MD & CEO, M&M, in the presence of Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director, Auto & Farm Sector, Veejay Nakra, CEO, Automotive Division and Velusamy R, Chief of Global Product Development, Automotive Division.
The company claims MSPT is one of the largest and comprehensive automotive proving grounds owned by an automobile OEM in India.
“As we build a strong authentic SUV brand with adventure capability, MSPT will house a 4X4 Center of Excellence where the Mahindra team will innovate on creating breakthrough solutions,” the company release said.
The track is just 55 km away from the Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) where all Mahindra SUVs are developed.
The MRV engineers can now extensively test the product and also ready them for homologation (Govt. Certification) in this custom-made facility.
Veluswamy R, Chief of Global Product Development, M&M, said, “The brand-new Proving Track complements and completes MRV where our products are conceived. It is a dream come true for everyone involved in the product development process within Mahindra. It’s a driver’s paradise designed to shape powerful and desirable machines.”
Features Of MSPT
The MSPT has 20 purpose-built tracks which are fully operational.
These include 0 % slope High Speed test track with a 43.7-degree parabolic banking for higher neutral speed testing. In the straight high-speed road, vehicles can reach over 200 kph.
• In addition to that an arrow straight 2 km, 11m wide road with 0 % longitudinal slope is built for performance and coast down measurements.
• The circular dynamic platform that spans 250 meters in diameter is meant for vehicle dynamics development and evaluation.
• A braking pad with six different surfaces, and dry and wet tracks are built to test braking, ABS, ESP and TCS.
• A General Highway Durability track and a simulated city track are built for simulating public road durability.
• An accelerated test track which has all imaginable bad road surfaces including potholes, undulations, Belgian pavement, cobblestone, rumblers and various kinds of wash board & speed breakers are factored into it.
• MSPT can simulate rain, water wading and water splash. Also, it can simulate dust storms in a chamber.
• The centre houses a full vehicle corrosion test facility with a humidity chamber.
• A 4X4 adventure track that has over 25 obstacles for testing 4X4 and AWD vehicles will ensure that the future Mahindra SUVs are capable in off-road as well as on road.
• Exclusive prototype workshops, health centre and an administration tower that can house over 200 engineers completes the MSPT facility.
In 2022 the track will be opened for auto passionate customers to have a world-class off-roading experience in a specially curated track.
A 4x4 specific off-road track has been built at the MSPT to help enthusiasts and experts gain experience of adventurous terrains.
This facility has multiple off-road setups like up and down hills (slopes seven, 11, 18, and 35 degree), drive thru forest/woods, riverbeds (0.9m and 1.2m deep), mud, slush, sand, rock beds, seesaw, wooden bridge over river pass, hard and soft articulation, wood logs, railway sleepers, a dead drop etc.