Jeep has revealed its upgraded extreme weather testing facility along with its brand-new 4×4 dyno (dynamometer).

JEEP HAS revealed is brand-new 4×4 dyno at its upgraded Chrysler Technology Centre (CTC) which allows for simultaneous testing of vehicles at drastically different temperatures – it’s just copped a US$2.5 million upgrade. Indeed, the brand says in one booth it can test vehicles at, say, -40-degrees Fahrenheit (-40-degrees C) with snow whipping by at 160km/h, while only a few feet away in another booth it can bake vehicles at 130-degrees Fahrenheit (54-degrees C).

FCA’s Climatic Test Facilities are used to simulate and control environmental conditions. The climatic cells are capable of simulating the most frigid conditions in mid-winter to the extreme heat of the Gulf Coast countries. Development in climatic chambers allows FCA to design and develop products to survive the harshest environments.

“Testing is done in blizzard-like conditions in order to evaluate, among other things, how a vehicle performs when dense snow clogs its air intakes,” FCA said in a statement.

“Our world-class environmental test centre provides dynamic and static testing conditions to simulate the climatic environments that are experienced by our customers around the world,” said John Nigro, Vice President-Product Development, FCA-North America. 

“With more 4×4 and all-wheel-drive (AWD) vehicles in our fleet than ever, this investment will go a long way to providing the durable cars and trucks our customers expect from us.”

Beyond its climate booths, FCA can also boast having the auto industry’s only headquarters building where a vehicle design can go from a napkin sketch to production prototype to advertising campaign – and everything in between – under one roof.