Fiat Chrysler have invested in a cold-weather testing facility in Michigan. The company have a new dynamometre at the Chrysler Technology Centre for extreme testing. The existing drive cell that the new dyno is housed in can be chilled to 40 degrees celow zero and create wind speeds of up to 160 km/h. Many tests are performed to see how the vehicles handle blizzard-esque conditions, such as how the vehicle performs when snow clogs the air intakes.
The climatic cells are capable of replicating the most frigid conditions to the most extreme heat of the world’s hottest countries. The climatic chambers allows FCA to design and develop products that will thrive in the harshest environments. FCA has invested US$2.5 million in upgrading the climatic test cell. The upgrades cover a new front dyno that can handle up to 261kW and a rear dyno that operates up to 485kW.