The Stellantis group is now under so much pressure on the economy that the car giant is forced to sell the test track in Arizona that Chrysler bought in 2006.
Stellantis finds itself in an economic crisis, which is now forcing the company to sell the iconic test facility in the American ocean.
Already at the turn of the year, all activity stops at the famous racetrack, the Arizona Proving Grounds. Stellantis states this in a written reply to Motor1 .
– Arizona Proving Grounds is for sale, and operations will cease at the turn of the year.
The test facility, located in the Mojave Canyon in Arizona, was originally purchased by Chrysler in 2006. So long before the brand became part of the Stellantis Group in 2021.
With its location far from urban areas, the area has been suitable for car tests under extreme temperatures. The area has been inhabited exclusively by the test track's employees and a few other "inhabitants", including some vultures and coyotes.
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The track has also had facilities for testing aerodynamics and stretches over 1,600 hectares of paved terrain.
Around 70 people work at the facility, which they and their families live in the immediate vicinity of. The closure of the facility means that these employees will have to find new places to work and live. According to Stellantis, a plan must now be prepared for how these employees will find both new places to live and another job.
– As agreed during the negotiations in 2023, we will sell the Arizona Proving Grounds, and therefore operations there will also cease at the end of the year. We have offered our employees package solutions so that they can have a smooth transition to other work.
Although Stellantis is now saying goodbye to the Arizona Proving Grounds, the group will continue to use its other test site, the Chelsea Proving Grounds, located outside of Detroit.
However, this track is not optimal for car tests in hot climates, which has led Stellantis to enter into a lease agreement with Toyota, which also has a test facility in the Mojave hurricane.
With the sale of the Arizona Proving Grounds, Stellantis hopes to be able to navigate through the economic crisis, which is currently pressing the group so much that the CEO has threatened to close entire car brands. Read more about it here .
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