MikeBoxwell
Well-known member
Here in the UK, there are three proving grounds that are used to test cars before they go on general sale. The grounds are used to put the cars through a series of tests, from high speed, long distance driving, to city driving, mountain driving, hill climbs and pretty much anything else. There are test tracks for vibration testing, there are crash test facilities and all sorts of things.
One of these sites - and in my humble opinion the best - is Millbrook Proving Grounds. It isn't open to the public because most of the cars being tested are months, if not years, away from being launched. It's been designed as a drivers playground with some of the best road layouts in the world to play with. Want to drive on a mountain pass, Millbrook is the place to go. The mountain driving scenes in the Bond Film Casino Royale were from Millbrook. Want to drive on an oval? Millbrook is the best.
Anyway, I had a chance to drive a few electric cars around different Millbrook tracks the other day. The most fun was undoubtedly the two mile Oval. The camber is so high that you can actually let go of the steering wheel and the car will drive around by itself. With a test driver next to me, I took a Mitsubishi i-MiEV onto the circuit, accelerated to 50mph then crossed my arms and watched the car go around the circuit with my foot flat to the floor. That was an eerie experience. The car would start veering towards the crash barriers and just when I was starting to get concerned, it would wander back again.
I had the opportunity to drive the Nissan LEAF but I ran out of time, as my main purpose of the day was testing a variety of electric truck configurations, specifically with hill climbing. I did take a MINI-e out on the hill-climbing course which was a whole bundle of fun, and the electric car that surprised me most was the THINK CITY, which is an outstandingly brilliant car in the handling department. It was absolutely amazing, throwing the car around the extremely tight city circuit at speeds so quick my reaction times were struggling to keep up.
There were a few other very interesting electric concept and prototype cars going around the track as well, most of which I can't say anything about of course. But one that I did like and I can mention is the two Jaguar XJ electric cars driving around the tracks. They were amazing cars and everyone who had a drive in them were stunned on how good they were.
One of these sites - and in my humble opinion the best - is Millbrook Proving Grounds. It isn't open to the public because most of the cars being tested are months, if not years, away from being launched. It's been designed as a drivers playground with some of the best road layouts in the world to play with. Want to drive on a mountain pass, Millbrook is the place to go. The mountain driving scenes in the Bond Film Casino Royale were from Millbrook. Want to drive on an oval? Millbrook is the best.
Anyway, I had a chance to drive a few electric cars around different Millbrook tracks the other day. The most fun was undoubtedly the two mile Oval. The camber is so high that you can actually let go of the steering wheel and the car will drive around by itself. With a test driver next to me, I took a Mitsubishi i-MiEV onto the circuit, accelerated to 50mph then crossed my arms and watched the car go around the circuit with my foot flat to the floor. That was an eerie experience. The car would start veering towards the crash barriers and just when I was starting to get concerned, it would wander back again.
I had the opportunity to drive the Nissan LEAF but I ran out of time, as my main purpose of the day was testing a variety of electric truck configurations, specifically with hill climbing. I did take a MINI-e out on the hill-climbing course which was a whole bundle of fun, and the electric car that surprised me most was the THINK CITY, which is an outstandingly brilliant car in the handling department. It was absolutely amazing, throwing the car around the extremely tight city circuit at speeds so quick my reaction times were struggling to keep up.
There were a few other very interesting electric concept and prototype cars going around the track as well, most of which I can't say anything about of course. But one that I did like and I can mention is the two Jaguar XJ electric cars driving around the tracks. They were amazing cars and everyone who had a drive in them were stunned on how good they were.
