Toyota’s new proving ground

Toyota Motor Europe has invested £42 million in a new state of the art testing ground at the TME Technical Centre in Zaventem, Belgium. It took Toyota and the construction company over two years to build the facility. With it now fully operational it will strengthen Toyota's European vehicle research and development. The new proving ground will play a very important role in Toyota's strategy for developing small models for Europe's small and compact car segments. In total, with the accompanying facilities, the grounds cover a 65,000m2 area. 770 staff members are employed in the technical centre, 430 of which are involved in the research and development functions. £149 million has so far been invested in the Zaventem facility, which includes £42 million for the purchase and construction of the new proving ground. The President and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe, Didier Leroy said, "The European automotive market is one of the most competitive in the world and our technical centre is already a key facility in Toyota's global R&D organisation. Thanks to the new proving ground, we will make use of our unique positioning and our facilities as a laboratory for innovations in a faster and more efficient way, so that we can develop the right car for our European customers, right here, in the heart of Europe." The facilities in the proving ground include a 0.8 mile oval test track, a 90 metre diameter skid pad, roads which test road noise and harshness and a lane to test brakes. Test carried out at the proving ground include ride comfort, road noise and vibration, vehicle durability, cornering, engine performance and brake performance. In the next couple of years when you go to buy a used Auris in Gateshead you can be rest assured it has been thoroughly tested.