New Mercedes-Benz wind tunnels ready for extreme climates

After leaving the assembly plant cars will experience various climates, from frizzing temperatures to the extremely hot ones, tempestuous winds to heavy rainfall of even snowstorms.

That’s why climate testing is today such an important part of car developing. Mercedes-Benz now counts with two new state-of-the-art climatic wind tunnels that will help the German brand to put its new models up to the test against extreme weather conditions indoors. They will enable Mercedes to make real-life tests with its prototypes only when they are already in a further advanced stage of development.

Located in Mercedes-Benz’s Technology Centre in Sindelfingen, the two new wind tunnels completes a schedule of expansion of the site that brings research, development, design, planning and production teams together in a close network.

The new cold tunnel features a range of temperature that goes from of minus 40 to plus 40 degrees Celsius, while the new hot tunnel goes up from minus 10 to plus 60 degrees. Both tunnels have been equipped with an integrated twin-axle roller dynamometer that allows speeds of up to 265 km/h.

Dr Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development explained the tunnels advantages: "In our new climatic wind tunnels we can create whatever climate conditions we want at any time of year, whenever we need them. And we can do so with very tight tolerances, so the measurements can be reproduced at any time. That's just not possible out in the open air."