5.5.2003
Opel opens a new test and events center

Opel announced the opening of a new test and events center on the site of a former military airfield located in Pferdsfeld, 80 kilometers west of Opel's Rüsselsheim headquarters.

Today Opel announced the opening of a new test and events center on the site of a former military airfield located in Pferdsfeld, 80 kilometers west of Opel's Rüsselsheim headquarters.

Hans-Artur Bauckhage, Economics and Transportation Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate and Hans Demant, Executive Director of Opel's International Technical Development Center (ITDC) took a test drive together to mark the opening.

With the new facility Opel is supplementing its existing Dudenhofen test center with an additional 1.6 million square meters. "The use of Pferdsfeld gives us the necessary planning capabilities to expand our testing in the future. The validation of our vehicles in real test situations is an indispensable prerequisite of our product development and a pillar of our quality offensive", Demant stressed during the contract signing ceremony. The former runway is three kilometers long and offers an optimal environment for driving dynamics development work.

Another reason Pferdsfeld was chosen is its close location to Opel's ITDC in Rüsselsheim. "Optimal product quality and efficient work flow depend on being able to directly and quickly communicate between Rüsselsheim and the external testing centers," said Demant.

Pferdsfeld will also, in the future, be used for presentations and events such as driver safety training courses.