Porsche
has announced that it has acquired the famous Nardō
Technical Center automotive proving ground in Apulia in
southern Italy, which was built by Fiat Group three and
a half decades ago, from its current owners, Prototipo
SpA.With more
than 80 years experience in engineering services,
Porsche Engineering Group, the hundred per cent
subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart,
will be further optimising the test facilities and
making them available to its clients for testing and
trials purposes.
Covering an area of
more than 700 hectares, the test ground in the Province
of Lecce comprises a 6.2 kilometre long handling
circuit, a 12.5 kilometre long oval circuit and
facilities for simulating different road surfaces and
changeable weather conditions.
"The Nardō proving ground with its high-speed and
vehicle handling circuit ideally complements our
facilities in Weissach. With the systematic development
of the company in Nardō as part of Strategy 2018,
Porsche is proving to be a reliable employer and
business partner in Apulia as well," said Matthias
Müller, President and CEO of Porsche AG.
The unique Nardō
'ring' was built in 1975 by Fiat Group and was
originally known as the "Pista di prova di Nardō della
Fiat". It's acquisition by Porsche adds up to another
foray into Italy by the VW Group which in may 2010 took
a 90.1 percent controlling stake in the Turinese
Italdesign-Giugiaro design house. It also adds to a VW
Group strategy that aims to win over entities in the
chain by proposing quite significant future investments
in Milan if it is eventually successful in
wresting the troubled Alfa Romeo brand out of Fiat
Group's grasp.
"With its rich array of facilities, from dynamic
surfaces to acoustic and off-road sections coupled with
the numerous workshops, our clients can continue to make
extensive use of Nardō for their vehicle trials in the
future as well," said Malte Radmann, CEO of Porsche
Engineering. Thanks to the mild climate, the Nardō
proving ground can be used throughout the year in three
shifts around the clock, seven days a week.
"Together with the Porsche Development Centre in Weissach
near Stuttgart, the Porsche Engineering Group has been
offering Porsche's extensive development expertise as a
service to its clients from the automotive industry and
other sectors worldwide, from renting test rigs to
developing complete vehicles," concludes the statement
from Porsche announcing the acquisition.
